An ace up your sleeve!

Discuss the science of figuring out our prey through good detective work.
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Bonecrusher101
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An ace up your sleeve!

Unread postby Bonecrusher101 » Tue Jul 11, 2017 1:53 pm

Family life and other responsibilities can really keep a beast hunter from scouting some years. I thought I was gonna have to chalk this spring and summer up without any new info or exciting leads. I recently posted in another thread saying I had very limited scouting done this scouting season.

Anyway, I had been staring at maps a lot and found a new to me hunting area. I was able to squeeze in 2 scouting trips this last week. It's basically an overgrown cutover throughout the majority of the area. Briars are tall and plentiful throughout. It has an agricultural field nearby. I think it's an overlooked spot. To others it must appear way too trashy to even attempt hunting it. There really aren't much for trees and the line of sight from the ground looks dismal.

I didn't see much hunter sign besides a few wooden ladder stands in the usual expected spots. The way I plan to hunt it, if another hunter comes in it could bump deer right to me. I bumped deer on both trips in. I found lots of old rubs, fresh tracks and a nice fresh bed with hair.

I told a few guys at work that also hunt and they all said, man you are crazy to go getting in those thorns in this heat with all the snakes and bugs. I was and still am very excited that I got the chance to go find a new fresh spot for this upcoming season.

Even if it doesn't work, I enjoy the strategy and it is giving me hope. I feel like I have an ace up my sleeve now!

Feel free to add your scouting and preseason excitement!


Be original and Enjoy every step along the adventure.
mheichelbech
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Re: An ace up your sleeve!

Unread postby mheichelbech » Tue Jul 11, 2017 2:07 pm

Reminds me of a similar spot I found last year..good luck with it!
"One of the chief attractions of the life of the wilderness is its rugged and stalwart democracy; there every man stands for what he actually is and can show himself to be." — Theodore Roosevelt, 1893
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Jackson Marsh
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Re: An ace up your sleeve!

Unread postby Jackson Marsh » Tue Jul 11, 2017 3:02 pm

8-)

It's always a great feeling to find a new spot. They don't always work out, but every once in a while you strike gold.
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Re: An ace up your sleeve!

Unread postby Brickhouse » Tue Jul 18, 2017 1:47 am

Yesterday I decided to re scout a piece of public I hunted last year. From the road going back into the piece there are several ag fields along the road, then transitions into old growth woods and then a swamp. Already scouted it twice in april but didnt find much that looked good. Looking at maps the past few weeks I noticed an island just inside the Swamp from the main section of woods. Yesterday I figured I'd check it out for buck bedding. As soon as I entered the island it was like someone flipped a switch on the deer sign. This piece of land recieves a lot of pressure and it's obvious that the deer are using that island to avoid pressure. At the tip of the island there was a bush with a very large bed under it. Perfect spot for a buck to bed with a wind coming from the island. I plan to hunt it with a just off wind. It was kind of my beast hunting "aha" moment when I found that bed.
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Re: An ace up your sleeve!

Unread postby Jhand » Tue Jul 18, 2017 1:52 am

I love areas when I find an area like you described. I usually don't see much hunting pressure around the really thick and nasty stuff, seems like everyone is afraid of it. The only problems with those spots are finding a decent tree and then finding one that you have a shooting lane in. Also can be hard to get close without making a bunch of noise.
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Re: An ace up your sleeve!

Unread postby tgreeno » Tue Jul 18, 2017 2:03 am

New spots will definitely up the excitement level for the upcoming season. Most of my spots are in very thick cover. It's just where I think the deer are. Don't be afraid to hunt from the ground. I have a few ground set-ups I'm going to hunt this season.

I myself have a bunch of new spots I'll be hunting this year and my confident for the season is very high. I know some of them may be a bust, but I'm hoping I find a few "honey holes" in the bunch. I'm hoping every year I can find a few new spots to keep the that excitement level high.
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Re: An ace up your sleeve!

Unread postby Bowfisher » Thu Aug 10, 2017 2:40 am

It really is quite funny that most shy away from the thick, when it seems like the majority of the time consistent success falls to those who seek the thick! An area I know of that is open to the public used to get hammered, but it has really grown up thick and I have heard not nearly as many people hunt there now because it is "too thick", gonna have to throw some sets at that area this year out of curiosity.
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Re: An ace up your sleeve!

Unread postby Rich M » Thu Aug 10, 2017 4:52 am

The deer hunting that most older folks were taught was to stay away from the bedding areas - so the deer would be on the land they hunted. Disturb the beds, deer leave. That's the whole concepts and why Dan is revolutionary in how he does stuff.
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Re: An ace up your sleeve!

Unread postby Bonecrusher101 » Sat Nov 25, 2017 3:31 pm

[url=https://postimg.org/image/65b7d

Image

Image

[url=https://postimg.org/image/wdmc3c36

Trying to post these pics seeing if it works
Be original and Enjoy every step along the adventure.
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Re: An ace up your sleeve!

Unread postby <DK> » Sat Nov 25, 2017 4:23 pm

Bonecrusher101 wrote:[url=https://postimg.org/image/65b7d

Image

Image

[url=https://postimg.org/image/wdmc3c36

Trying to post these pics seeing if it works


Did you kill these bucks this season after this post?
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Bonecrusher101
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Re: An ace up your sleeve!

Unread postby Bonecrusher101 » Sat Nov 25, 2017 4:43 pm

I made this post back in July after I scouted this new hunting area. I had only made two trips into it in July and really liked what I saw. I made a trip to this new area opening day of bow season. I didn't see any deer but did scout one last area I needed to see. I didn't have another opportunity to hunt it till the last week of muzzleloader.

I had hopes to kill a buck when I made the trek in. As I was setting up I had two does come in, they were downwind and spooked. Again 3 more does were immediately around me before I could get set. I knew I was in an awesome spot. These 3 does went tail up and spooked as they were looking toward a thicket. I hoped it was a buck chasing them but a coyote appeared and he ran up to the base of a tree 15 yards away and looked up at me and smiled.

I told myself I would always kill a coyote any chance I got if the shot was there. I think it's good karma, but I didn't drive an hour and then spend another hour walking the mile to get set up to shoot coyotes. Well, I touched the trigger on my muzzleloader anyway and killed that coyote dead. I'm a bit frustrated but I know I've done a good deed in protecting the herd.

Now I've got a dead coyote stinking up my new spot and I've already blasted all the deer out. I try to calm myself down and keep hunting. To my surprise I see 2 more deer in the next 2 hours. They all seem to gravitate towards a certain direction. I need to relocate 80 yards away and have a tree picked out that will give me a better view. At 12:00 I haven't seen any deer in a few hours and decide to make my move. I walk by the coyote and snap a picture, then head to my new tree.

Again before I could get completely set up a doe pops up and starts coming my way to investigate. She is looking my way and I know she is no doubt gonna blow me up. When she gets inside 20 yards I let her have it. She hopped about 15 yards and collapsed below me. I now reloaded a third time with my last shot in my muzzleloader.

20 minutes later, I look over and see another doe at 30 yards. I figured what why not if I get this one I can get on back and call it a good day with a full freezer. Click the ml bolt slams forward but the charge doesn't ignite. The doe just stands there. I forgot to recap my ml. I immediately feel like it's an omen. Usually, these mishaps only happen when a big boy is there. Anyway, I recap my ml and reaim.

When I rescoped the doe, I muttered, oh my god! The deer I almost killed had 1 1/2 inch long spike on its left side. I just about killed a spike, but since I didn't I looked up to the sky and said a thank you. Then immediately felt like the luckiest man alive. I said, ok no excuses, wait for your buck. This last bullet is only going to be used on a buck.

3:15 pm I hear deer walking in the thicket behind me. I see a doe working my direction. Then there were three does headed my way. The lead doe is sniffing around and alert towards my direction. My milkweeds were lifting up and blowing away, at best I think they were smelling my ground scent. I have my ml pointed towards them, if they spook I'm probably going to shoot one of the bigger does closest to me.

Then here comes a 4th doe hopping by the other 3 does with her tail down. She is being dogged by a buck. A quick glance and I realize he is wide outside of his ears and I guessed him to be at least 2.5 years old. A buck that meets what I was looking for with my first buck tag. He stops and is looking nervous with the rest of the does. His head is behind a tree but he is broadside at 30 yards.

I eased of the tree and shot him through both lungs. I had a miserable time getting them out but it was an awesome trifecta with a muzzleloader. I dragged all three of my animals and snapped a quick pic.

Image
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Bonecrusher101
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Re: An ace up your sleeve!

Unread postby Bonecrusher101 » Sat Nov 25, 2017 5:14 pm

That was Thursday November 16 when I got the trifecta. Our gun season opened on sat the 18th. I was busy cutting up meat and had family visiting from outta town. The next chance I had to hunt was Sunday nov 19th.

I decided to go right back into the same area because I suspected does were bedding nearby and bucks were going to continue to cruise the area. I had seen so many does I had hoped that the gut piles wouldn't have scared them from using the area.

Sunday morning I watched several does trickle by and already had an idea of where I would move if this area wasn't hot anymore. I had seen 8 does in different groups cross through the area. I liked my chances of seeing a buck. If I decided to kill a buck it would end my season in my home state. I then decided The buck would have to be very good.

I had my stand very high and facing nw into the wind but the deer were behind me hugging the edge of a thicket. I kept dropping milkweed and knew my scent was blowing quite wrong. As high as I was and as hard as the wind was blowing I stayed hopeful. I was looking into the sun when I saw a large dark bodied deer. It's coat was shining in the sun when I scoped him. I knew he was a buck but he had it's head behind a tree, he was probably right at 100 yards away. As soon as I was looking at him, he did a 180 and had that mature buck look coupled with a stagger step that he was about to disappear forever on me. His antlers were chocolate and thick throughout.

He was trying to get away and slip out on me, and I never really got a clean shot or a great look to decide on him. Next thing I knew my 220 slug rifle barked, and I watched this buck tear off 60-70 yards out of eyesight. I knew I had missed, because I've never seen a deer tote the shot from a slug rifle. I checked the time decided I'd wait 20 minutes before my climb down and looking for him or blood. 5 minutes later here comes a buck from the direction my buck ran.

He is quite nice if guess a 2.5 year old 8 point outside of his ears but not as big and old and dark colored as the one I had shot at. I passed him. I don't think this deer had what I wanted anyway to use my last buck tag on. I got down walked over to where he ran and saw white belly. I had a dandy public land buck and with two hunts I was tagged out!

Image
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Bonecrusher101
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Re: An ace up your sleeve!

Unread postby Bonecrusher101 » Sat Nov 25, 2017 5:23 pm

Two bucks out of the same tree just a few days apart. I felt like I had an ace up my sleeve after I scouted this new spot!

[url=https://postimg.org/image/wdmc3c36

Image
Be original and Enjoy every step along the adventure.
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Bonecrusher101
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Re: An ace up your sleeve! Updated w pics

Unread postby Bonecrusher101 » Sat Nov 25, 2017 5:25 pm

Bonecrusher101 wrote:Family life and other responsibilities can really keep a beast hunter from scouting some years. I thought I was gonna have to chalk this spring and summer up without any new info or exciting leads. I recently posted in another thread saying I had very limited scouting done this scouting season.

Anyway, I had been staring at maps a lot and found a new to me hunting area. I was able to squeeze in 2 scouting trips this last week. It's basically an overgrown cutover throughout the majority of the area. Briars are tall and plentiful throughout. It has an agricultural field nearby. I think it's an overlooked spot. To others it must appear way too trashy to even attempt hunting it. There really aren't much for trees and the line of sight from the ground looks dismal.

I didn't see much hunter sign besides a few wooden ladder stands in the usual expected spots. The way I plan to hunt it, if another hunter comes in it could bump deer right to me. I bumped deer on both trips in. I found lots of old rubs, fresh tracks and a nice fresh bed with hair.

I told a few guys at work that also hunt and they all said, man you are crazy to go getting in those thorns in this heat with all the snakes and bugs. I was and still am very excited that I got the chance to go find a new fresh spot for this upcoming season.

Even if it doesn't work, I enjoy the strategy and it is giving me hope. I feel like I have an ace up my sleeve now!

Feel free to add your scouting and preseason excitement!
Be original and Enjoy every step along the adventure.
Joe68
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Re: An ace up your sleeve!

Unread postby Joe68 » Sat Nov 25, 2017 5:51 pm

Great write up, I enjoyed the read. Congrats on the dandy bucks.


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