I had seen this buck with a bachelor group of 3 other bucks earlier in the year while hunting a quarter mile away. I had wanted to take a whitetail off the ground for the past few years and saw my opportunity when each of the 4 bucks worked their way past a point in the bean field that I felt I could access undetected.
I made my first mile-long walk through the head high CRP a few days later in a pretty good rain and had sat in the point for less than 20 minutes when this buck and another popped out of the grass and began to feed. A car came down a road a mile or so away and honked the horn causing both bucks to retreat back the way they came. I hunted this point again a week later and passed a small spike at a whopping distance of 10 feet. This increased my confidence in my natural ground blind although none of the larger bucks made an appearance. On the way out that same night I jumped a very nice buck and several does all of which “sounded the alarm”. I decided to leave the area alone and concentrate on some other property. A week or so later I received some great advice from my buddy, Dan, who told me to give the spot another try. So, I did the next night and boy I am glad I did! I had all four of the bucks I had seen earlier this year feed out into the beans less than fifty yards away. Three of the bucks worked their way north while this buck continued to browse in my direction. The wind had shifted and I knew if he kept coming he was going to eventually cut my wind. Sure enough just as he made his way into a shooting lane he must have caught a slight whiff and froze. As he lifted his head to sniff again I drew and released. He began to move as soon as the arrow was in flight causing the hit to be marginal. I backed out and recruited some help and after a fairly long and tedious track job we stumbled upon him lying on the backside of a deadfall. I was ecstatic and relieved all at once.
All in all, I’m extremely happy with the events that unfolded. I was not only able to put a whitetail down off the ground but a nice buck to boot!
Equipment note:
62" Border Black Douglas 56@30
GrizzlyStik Woodies
150gr. Wensel Woodsman on the nose
Thanks for reading,
Dusty
Topic: Got a buck off the ground! (Read 694 times)
