JFBNORTHERNHUNTER
Active Member
- Messages
- 398
I am always trying to find new places to hunt and that is where half the fun starts. I enjoy the scouting and doing homework just as much as the hunt it self. For this hunt, I started scouting in early July, after two scouting trips in the high county and not finding any deer, I started looking in to the low county. This unit has had some major fires burn through it in the last ten years. Making some prime habit.
The first morning brought some cold temperatures and the Deer were moving. I started walking in on a trail head to a Wilderness area and started seeing fresh deer track. I found this one track that i was sure was fresh. I followed it for about a mile on a trail and lost it in a really thick side mountain area where the fallen trees where almost impossible to pass. On the way back to the truck, I jumped about 9 Deer and from the ones i was able to identify they were all does and one spike.
That evening I was driving to a area, i had scouted and know where they were watering. As I was getting to where i was going to park,I noticed movement on the side of the road ahead of me. I stopped to check the area and noticed a young buck(spike on one side and a illegal fork on the other) with two does feeding down the road.I parked my truck and walked up a small ridge that over looked the watering whole. I seat there until it was dark and never saw anything else come in.
The next few days were like the first day. Just does and some barley legal bucks. I was starting to wonder where the mature bucks were hanging out and i know they were around. We were seeing allot of does and smaller bucks so i knew there had to be something bigger hanging around.
I had decide to walk a small ridge over a oak grove and i noticed movement. As i moved to a opening in the oak i noticed a buck with four does feeding on the trail below me. The group of deer had not seen me so i just got low and the wind was working in my favor. at about 100 yards i was presented a shot and took it. After the smoke cleared up i saw my buck laying right where i shot it. As i made my way down to the deer more deer started running out of the oak. There most have been 13 deer in the oak and a couple bucks. Turns out there was a nice 4x4 with maybe a 24-26 inch spread but my tag was punched. I am happy with my deer for it being my first muzzle loader deer and only my fourth deer kill.
The first morning brought some cold temperatures and the Deer were moving. I started walking in on a trail head to a Wilderness area and started seeing fresh deer track. I found this one track that i was sure was fresh. I followed it for about a mile on a trail and lost it in a really thick side mountain area where the fallen trees where almost impossible to pass. On the way back to the truck, I jumped about 9 Deer and from the ones i was able to identify they were all does and one spike.
That evening I was driving to a area, i had scouted and know where they were watering. As I was getting to where i was going to park,I noticed movement on the side of the road ahead of me. I stopped to check the area and noticed a young buck(spike on one side and a illegal fork on the other) with two does feeding down the road.I parked my truck and walked up a small ridge that over looked the watering whole. I seat there until it was dark and never saw anything else come in.
The next few days were like the first day. Just does and some barley legal bucks. I was starting to wonder where the mature bucks were hanging out and i know they were around. We were seeing allot of does and smaller bucks so i knew there had to be something bigger hanging around.
I had decide to walk a small ridge over a oak grove and i noticed movement. As i moved to a opening in the oak i noticed a buck with four does feeding on the trail below me. The group of deer had not seen me so i just got low and the wind was working in my favor. at about 100 yards i was presented a shot and took it. After the smoke cleared up i saw my buck laying right where i shot it. As i made my way down to the deer more deer started running out of the oak. There most have been 13 deer in the oak and a couple bucks. Turns out there was a nice 4x4 with maybe a 24-26 inch spread but my tag was punched. I am happy with my deer for it being my first muzzle loader deer and only my fourth deer kill.
