Three deer trails join into one here. The stand can only be hunted in a South, East or SE wind. Tonight it was out of the SE.
There are several old apple trees here along side the fire break I mow around this rocky weed filled field. I had noticed over the years that a lot of deer will use the mowed trail after eating on fallen apples and exiting cover. They then head to the north to the other food plots on this bluff top.
I moved the stand slightly three years ago to take advantage of that habit. I have a short ladder stand in a puny Aspen that is tucked tight up against a big Red Cedar. You have to look through the Cedar to the south to watch for approaching deer.
I have killed several deer here and one good buck. For a few minutes tonight I thought I was about to kill the best buck of my life.
At 4:15 pm a spike buck was nosing for fallen apples just 20 yards away. I watched him through the Cedar boughs for roughly 20 minutes. When he finally stepped on to the mowed trail, he turned to his right and headed south into the wind and walked in the direction away from me. I was surprised he didn't go the opposite way and head to the food plots.
At 5 pm , I let out a long , low , muffled grunt. A few minutes later I saw deer legs approaching though the limbs of the Cedar. Suddenly a huge rack came into view. Split G2's on both sides! long Brow points! The head looked tiny beneath that head gear!
Angus is standing at 20 yards! I have not seen him for 6 weeks! I immediately noticed that he is not as big as I had thought. It's one thing to look at buck in Velvet through a spotting scope and quite another to see him hard horned at 60 feet. I guessed him to score some where in the 160 to 170 range. A life time type buck for sure!
He nosed for apples like the spike did and then stepped out on to the mowed trail. I silently asked him to turn left . He turned right! I gave one soft little grunt. He stopped and looked back over is shoulder. But then walked off with his nose into the wind!. Then he was gone. I marveled at the sheer size of him and the fact I was so close and he had no idea I was there. Just at dark a 3rd buck appeared. This one a forky came and did almost the same exact thing as the others. I sat until it was dark enough to sneak away.
My guest also saw some bucks moving. I think it is about to get interesting.
Topic: A 5 Pines Farm Giant (Read 42808 times)
