For 4 years I've tried to teach myself to hunt whitetails. Year after year I've watched the snow close out another season of hunting much to the disappointment of my eager hopes of success. In the beginning it was shotgun. Then last year what was much to short and much to crowded of a hunting season soon turned into the peaceful bliss of bow hunting. Sense then I've read books and magazines for information and headed for the woods trying to apply what I've learned. Twelve months later I found myself in the crisp cool woods of Ohio meeting a group of tradgangers. Eager to soak up knowledge and enjoying my first deer camp the final piece of the puzzle was about to be laid.
I arrived at camp on friday evening. Everyone was out hunting except Jim and I introduced myself and proceeded to set up camp. Meanwhile everyone came back from hunting and we proceeded to gather around the campfire and exchange stories of hunting seasons past. I listened intently on the experience sitting around the fire that night. Looking for bits of info hear and there. As the fire died down for the night and the air got colder I wasn't sure if I'd gotten the info I was looking for. After all if I knew what I was looking for I wouldn't have to look for it. Then Charlie and I brought out the maps of the area. We looked over them picking out 4-5 spots of interest. The night wrapped up quickly and an exciting tomorrow was waiting for us.
I got up at dawn and decided to look over the maps . Carefully looking over them and trying to apply all the stuff I've learned and the mistakes I've made over the years. I picked my spot on the map and Kevin (hunting partner)and I quickly headed out to scope the land. We arrived after a 20 minute walk and our suspicions were confirmed. This spot was perfect!! (Of course I've said this before only to find mistakes in the plan.) But this spot was different. It was the top of a long ridge. On either side were 60ft drops almost straight down into two long ponds and if the deer wanted to get from one woods to the other they had to walk this ridge. Sure enough the top was heavily worn with a deer trail. There were a couple rubs and two scrapes. It looked like our buck was bedding high and following the trail down to the bottom to meet up with his lovely ladies. So we picked our spots for the evening hunt and preceded down. Going down the ridge all I could think was it doesn't get any better than this. At the bottom of the ridge we kicked up a bedded doe. While she didn't give us a shot opportunity she did confirm my theory. His ladies were bedded at the bottom!
Later that day the group went out scouting for more hunting spots. Everyone quickly dispersed into there own hunting directions. Charlie, Kevin and I stayed looking at the terrain. We discussed different strategies and wondered which would work best and why. Charlie is a guy with tons of knowledge on reading the land and I tried to learn as much as possible. He chose his spot and away he went in hopes of a chance encounter.
Kevin and I decided our initial spot was best and decided to head back to camp to eat lunch, get firewood, and prepare for the evening. Before we knew it it was 3:00pm and we were headed to the ridge top. The feeling was deep inside me. It had to come together tonight. There was no more room for mistakes I had finally picked the perfect spot. The sign was there. The funnel was there. Now all I needed was the buck to be there. I settled into my spot at about 3:45pm. I was at peace. Sitting in the woods surrounded by natures beauty that only God could create. As I sat there I kept replaying in my mind the scenarios I'd envisioned all day. Then at about 4:30 I heard it. The unmistakable sound of a deer in the distance. He was about 60yrds away. I motioned to kevin 30yrds away on the other edge or the narrow ridge top. We were ready. Twenty minutes passed and I still heard the leaves crunching behind thick brush 60yrds away. I began to wonder if my ears were playing tricks on me. Was it just a squirrel messing with me? Then He started walking with a purpose. He popped out on the main trail 40 yards in front of me and came straight down leaving me to thinking it can't get any better than this. He was incredible. Not only was a buck running this ridge but he was the biggest buck I've ever seen while in the woods. A commanding eight pointer. But 30yrds out he cuts of the trail and into the thick undergrowth directly in front of me. "Wait" I think "you're not supposed to do this!" His nose is straight to the ground and he's coming around to my left. The tip of my woodsman following his every move. My mind is racing. "I can't believe the plan has worked!" Eight yards away at a front 45 degree angle he stops and his head shoots straight at me with his eyes locked. "What happened? I feel the wind in my face. How does he know?" I'm frozen in excitement and fear with my bow 25% drawn. He stares at me while I think "It's alright we can get through this. Maybe he can see me but he can't recognize me" His foot hits the ground in a thundering stomp! Instantly my mind is made up is he breaks I will come to full draw and hope he only jumps a few yards. He does just that and I come to full draw only to have a tree in the way. Two seconds later he's hopping to the other side of the trail and out of range. I let my bow down. He snorts again and again! Trying to figure out who or what I am. He snorts, stomps and begins to tare apart the brush and trees near by. Clearly this was one upset deer. For I was standing in his only path between him and his does. Frusterated he runs dead at me and stops head on at 20yrds. Stares straight at me, neck swollen with rage and stomps and snorts some more. I can't believe it. " Is he going to run away, try to break through my blockade, or was he crazy enough to want to fight me?" He finally has realized I'm not budging and he snorts as he bounds off from where he came. Leaving me standing there catching my breath and controlling the adrenaline rushing through my veins. Fifteen minutes later I finely sit down again. I wonder if he will be back to try and sneak through again. After all he has no other way around except to go miles out of the way. About 10 minutes after I sit down I heard the leaves again. Again he comes down to inspect his trail. Again he finds me blocking the way. Highly agitated he destroys the brush nearby. While being smart enough to never leave me a shot he snorts and bounds off. With only 20 minutes until dark I figured he would probably wait and I wouldn't see him again. Sure enough I didn't see him again that night.
But as I made my way down the ridge that night I peered into the darkness and was happier then I ever thought possible. No I didn't tag a trophy. But with the help of some tradgangers I found a big piece of the puzzle and for the first time my plan had worked perfectly. From the beginning to the end everything in my plan worked out. Not only did I have an exciting hunt but I got to go back to camp and relive it around the fire with a bunch of tradgang brothers. It truly was the best hunt of my life. So thanks guys for sharing your camp fire with me!
That's why the deer locked on so easily. Oh well. A great hunt and another lesson learned.
Topic: Sometimes tradgangers make all the diffrence (Read 568 times)
