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DAY 5

Wednesday Morning Hunt

Kent W. dropped me off at the Box stand. The wind would be tricky but my experience here had been that when we had a South wind from this stand, the deer came in. Since they were coming from the North, it was risky but I was ready to take a risk at this point. While setting up my video camera the deer came in, it was still dark.

I had no idea they were behind me until they blew. I froze and could barely make out deer forms under my stand. It was way too dark for video and to shoot and I didn't dare move. A few minutes went by and they began to move around again. One of them was a buck, I could see him chasing deer around and every so often he grunted. But I couldn't see antlers, it was still too early.

What would this deer score?

I cautiously got my video camera in position and turned it on. By now the deer were still there but they had moved off enough for me to get my bow pulled up to the stand. The buck was still chasing deer and it was still just too dark to see his horns. I had no idea if he was a shooter or not, but my guess was; yes. I flipped on my video camera and turned the light gathering setting on, then the buck was definitely a shooter - super heavy with kicker points.

Video of this scene (1.5mb)

He was only 15 yards but not in a good position. I drew my bow and was just about ready to shoot when a slight weight shift caused the API stand to pop in the cold. The herd ran to the top of the hill downwind of me and blew. It was over.

Damn!

Wednesday Afternoon Hunt

The weather was windy and much cooler. I hunted at the end of a tree belt separating two wheat fields. At 4:20 PM I glassed a mature buck walking the edge of a far wheat field but he was too far to see if he was a shooter. A 1/2 hour later, 3 does came from my downwind side and winded me. They ran back into the field and snorted. Another hour later 3 does worked their way toward me and fed around me till dark. The wind was really whipping here and the temps are dropping fast. Getting down to the wire now.