The last stand of the year, in pictures!

[SlowBowinMO]

Tonight was the final chance for the 2011 MO deer season, so I had to get out there.  We were blessed with warm weather but it was pretty windy.  I hunted a low stand in a low bottom that usually defeats the wind.

I took a camera which I rarely do, I thought I'd share my last stand of the year in pictures just for fun.

This stand is one of my favorites, I've had a lot of action in it the last few years.  I am blessed with a little honey hole south of KC and this stand sits in a bottom near a small creek.  The stand itself is only 10 feet up, I originally hung it low for my son.  He doesn't like it for some silly reason so I hunt it, with lots of action, except tonight of course LOL.

Here's the view from about 12 o'clock.  This area is thick with small pockets, the shots are "in your lap" kinda shots.  To give you perspective, the bottom of the pic is about 4-5 yards away.  I had my largest buck ever standing right there this year broadside and I choked!  What a heartbreaker... he woulda gone real close to P&Y.

   

[SlowBowinMO]

Heres the view at about 11 o'clock.  It's a huge Hedge tangle, in November it was still all leaved up.  The buck I mentioned earlier came into it from the backside and was 5 yards away before I saw a tine poke through the leaves.  Exciting!

The edge of the branch tangle is about 5 yards, and from where the big boy came out.  The stump is about 10 yards away.

   

[SlowBowinMO]

Here's the view at about 10 o'clock.  You can see the creek about 20-25 yards away.  Bucks cruise by on both sides of the creek, usually whatever side your not on!

   

[Cyclic-Rivers]

 

Good stuff Tim!

[SlowBowinMO]

Here's about 8 o'clock.  You can see the creek again, and another tangled drainage on the other side.  Beyond that at about 50-60 yards is a field.  I don't have permission to hunt the field, but am allowed to enter the property to recover deer.  My buck from last year was on the far side of the field about 100 yards away when I found him.  The closest part of the field is a corner.  This year I got to watch are real big'un making a scrape there, while another buck stood across the creek in the last picture watching him and 3 does all at once.  I thought I was going to see a fight but no dice.


   

[SlowBowinMO]

This shot is back around 1 o'clock.  The very lower left is where the head of the heartbreaker buck would have been so this kinda joins up with the first pic I posted.  This tangled mess is about 5 yards also, but deer walk right through it for some reason even though easier routes are readily available.  I have a bad time getting picked off when they come in from here.  I'm going to raise the stand a bit next year since my son isn't hunting it anyway.

My buck last year stopped at the large tree on the left side and looked right at me.  He decided I was a big squirrel and continued out into the pocket.  It was the last mistake he ever made!

   

[SlowBowinMO]

This is about 3 o'clock.  I get does standing at 5 yards a lot here...but they are hard to draw on and not get caught.  Beyond you can see an open area, deer use that as a highway, gonna put a stand closer to it next year for shooting does.  The buck stand stays where it is!

 

[Bud B.]

That's some branchy limby stuff!

I'm already looking forward to this fall as most all of us are.

Thanks for the post and photos.

Bud

[SlowBowinMO]

This is back around 5 o'clock.  This lane is the best chance for anything other than a slam dunk shot from this stand.  As nice a route as it is, the deer usually go across it instead of along it, so it makes for good broadside shots.  The end of the property I can hunt is about 10 yards beyond the large tree in the distance.

 

[SlowBowinMO]

As you can see, this is not a "purdy" stand, but it is extremely productive!

Hope you enjoyed my little view and tour, now let's get'em next year!

[Randy Morin]

Cool read Tim.  I love this kind of stuff.
Gotta love those 5 yard shots if you can get-em.

thats a good lookin spot there. thanks for the pics.

[Gun]

How about a pix from the deer's view at your stand. I'm always interested in guys's set-up.

[SlowBowinMO]

Originally posted by Gun:
How about a pix from the deer's view at your stand. I'm always interested in guys's set-up.

Yeah I like those too, didn't think of it until after I was in the stand and hunted till dark.

I'll try harder next time!  

[Thumper Dunker]

Cool stuff.  

Great stuff!

[bentpole]