getting it done quick after a long drive to ohio

[huntnmuleys]

most years I make this trip.  nice to go visit my buddy Ron and his family, and do some deer hunting in Ohio.  this year I decided to drive instead of fly, as getting meat home is just so much easier this way.  was figuring on a good week, but it ended up being a rather short hunt. here goes..

since I made the long drive straight through, I hit Ohio completely beat!  after saying hi and getting stuff at least out of my truck, I hit the rack.  the plan for the morning was to hunt the old "tower blind" as Ron calls it. ive shot some deer out of it in past years, but the old stand is so grown up around now its pretty much not the place to hunt.  cant shoot anywhere!  but just for old times sake, I decided to hunt there my first morning for a couple hours and then go in and start actually organizing my stuff for the week.  heres the old tower, from a spot that there used to be a clear shot. took a nice buck right were I'm standing back when..

 

morning was pretty slow, I had one small buck come by but eventually he got downwind and left.  honestly, it felt good to just not be in the truck!
 

also, this is the water hole in front of the tower blind.  a shot could still happen here, but nothing came through.
 

[23feetupandhappy]

   

[huntnmuleys]

anyhow, there is a spot on the property between this tower blind and the house itself that ive forever wanted to hunt. the two main trails intersect right there, and there are always a couple fresh scrapes around.  honestly, I have no idea why Ron doesn't have anything set up there or hunt that spot.  while walking back to the house I did some looking and settled on a tree that needed a stand.. so, we went into town and I bought a cheap ladder.  time to get to work!

a pic of one of the trails that intersects where I set up....

 

and here is the tree, its the straight, dark one center pic.  the other trail intersects just right of me as I took this pic, and wanders in front of that tree and into those woods.  also, there is another trail straight behind this tree here that intersects again.  this spot is a ringer, I tell ya...
 

[huntnmuleys]

as you can see, I took this pics post hunt.  the stand is already set.  ive thought on setting a stand there for years, glad I did.  

anyway, that night (still my first day in Ohio) I would set the stand.  now, Ron is a person that believes in using bait for deer, and he has some corn piles out in various spots.  near where the main trail crossing here is, is one of those. personally, ive never cared much either way for deer baiting but never seen a buck near bait either.  seems like a waste of time and cash to put corn in a spot where you already know the bucks are passing by anyway?  I don't know.  either way.

here is the crossing and corn pile.
 

in all my years hunting out there, this is the first time there was any bait there.  and also, in all my years, every mature buck ive seen on the property have passed by here.  I mean every one.  100% over a decade.  corn seemed like a waste of money to me, but still.

[huntnmuleys]

so the night was slow.  actually, it was dead.  was getting on toward dark and id seen nothing.  the bait pile was getting hit however.

 

I think cardinals are the most beautiful of all birds...

here is the view the other direction from my stand, back into the woods. tough to see but a hell of a crossing there too...

 


anyway, right before dark I noticed a deer had come out a ways behind the stand, but was coming on one of the trails toward me.  though the trees I noticed a big, blocky body and finally saw the head. a buck!  a shooter buck as well!!!  the ol ticker started to beat.

the buck was set to pass by the corn (right to left in the pic)and come out and give me a shot, but suddenly three does passed behind him and he turned to follow.  only one shooting lane there and when he entered it I made noise to stop him.
 
he was center pic, just above the one small horizontal branch...

 

he almost didn't stop in time.  one more step and id have no shot.  but, I had a shot....

[23feetupandhappy]

[huntnmuleys]

and I hit right where I was looking!  love it when that happens.  the buck gave the big "donkey kick" and took off. I could see my arrow hanging out by the feathers, so I sat down and waited til dark to move.  still does around, and I wanted to give him time anyway.  plus, Ron was hunting on a neighbors property and I knew eventually hed be walking back through.  was anxious to tell him about the whole thing.  

I wish id have taken pics, but the blood trail was absolutely profuse!  I'm shooting those Palmer extreme cuts, and oh boy you talk a trail.

but, the trail kept going.
and going.
and going.

we followed with flashlights for over 400 yards, and he wasn't bedding. also, the blood itself was concerning.  I knew id hit where I was aiming, but there was no lung looking blood in the trail. no dark, liver blood either. what had happened? 350 yards into the trail the buck had to slow from a sprint to slide under a fence (apparently he was to sick to jump over it).  at that spot, the blood was right back to a steady stream. honestly I have NEVER seen blood like this. but, he wasn't going down.  so, we made the call to come back in the morning.  was plenty cool out so no worries of spoilage.

was weird, I knew this buck was dead, just a matter of finding him.  don't ya hate those nights?

[ranger 3]

Don't stop now

[huntnmuleys]

and in the morning one of the worst things. frost.  lots of it.  melting fast and enough to wash blood away.  both Ron and I were quite concerned, but it was for naught.  my buck was actually dead just past where wed stopped looking the night before. just a little more looking and wed have tripped over him. the shot was as I thought, hit perfect but he was a partial step quartering toward me instead of completely broadside.  no clue on why no liver blood, it should have been everywhere but the one lung and liver hit put him down. he must have been hauling butt to get that far that fast!  and from where we turned around, we knew he was already dead when we were to him the night before, just hadn't seen him.

coyotes got to him and stole a tiny bit of his one hind quarter but otherwise he was perfect.

a nice buck.

 

heavy little rack!  just gorgeous and plenty of great meat!

 

[huntnmuleys]

talk about a long drive for a short hunt!  I stayed a couple more days, sat a COLD stand for some deer pics I never got, and went to the Wheeling WV Cabelas.  a great trip with great friends.  I love the deer rut.  only thing better is elk season!

 

 

I saw one dandy buck this cold morning, but it was just at first shooting light, and he wasn't close so no pics.  talk about cold though!

[ebeard]

Awesome hunt and a great buck!  Congrats!

[DanielB89]

           

[centaur]

Good for you Brad, nice deer! Are you now back home enjoying our wind? 50mph plus in Buffalo right now.

[DanielB89]

guess you were finished before I posted! lol.

Congrats!  I ahve read of some crazy blood trials this year.  I am glad you found him!

[23feetupandhappy]

Well done          

[SAM E. STEPHENS]

You sir get it done , Congrats....

,,,Sam,,,

[Slickhead]

the picture of your face is priceless
Good story

[Joeabowhunter]

 great hunting story.

[59Alaskan]

Awesome!  Congrats.  But cold???  It hasn't been cold here yet and I am pretty sure it never gets as cold as you can see in Wyoming!!!  LOL

the rut in Ohio can be a lot of fun

[mangonboat]

Nice story, Brad,  and a big-bodied Ohio buck to show for all that driving!