Wind: ESE-S, 3 mph
Temp: 32 degrees
Hunt time: 5-1/2 hours

I fully believe when a spot is hot – hunt it! I’m back to the same stand because the deer aren’t going to always be hitting this food source and with the deer still grouped up, this field is an excellent opportunity to see what bucks are around and glass them good to determine if a shooter or not. I did end up seeing about 40 deer total throughout this hunt!

The morning started out with two bucks fighting on the field before it was even light out enough to seem them! Later on I had a lot of does move out into the field and two different times had two different young 6-pointers that walked by the stand perfectly. I had does within range, but unfortunately about 10 of them decided to move together and they surrounded my stand 360 degrees so there was no way to pull off a shot as I was having enough trouble blinking!!!

As the morning progressed and I got passed the “lull” I had two nice, young 8-pointers chasing three does in the timber side. I think those same does lost the bucks and circled around as soon I had three come back and bed 50 yards away.

Matt had hunted the other side of this timber this morning and shot a doe. Unfortunately, she jumped the string so he was getting out and going to come in later. I always hunt later than the guys so I was staying put and said when they come back to look, to keep walking my way so they would scare these bedded does away so I didn’t have to give up my position! Ha! Anyways, it really showed me how it can pay off to stay in late. No, I didn’t get a shot at a buck, but I did end up seeing four extra bucks by toughing it out and getting pass the “lull” of the morning…

So Noon rolls around and I see all these does coming over the hill on the field to the North. I thought… hm… is a buck going to show up? And soon enough, Oo there he is! Glassing him, I was trying to judge him… 10 points, nothing broken, good height, good mass, good main beam length, good width, mature buck… I decided a shooter! Amazing, I know! I’m judging a 150-inch 10-pointer and I WANT HIM! Just then, my dad is texting me as they are entering the woods to my southwest to look for Matt’s doe. I text STAY AWAY! And I figured that Matt was with my dad.

So I start calling over my shoulder to sound like a buck is in the thick stuff to my west and the buck is tearing up licking branches and scrapes along the field edge. Matt calls and I say “Stay away! Shooter in the field!” Hang up the phone and I try calling a couple more times. All of a sudden, the buck bolts angling across the field (not like scared from me) and I’m thinking, “What was that for!” Then I get it… a text from Matt, “Was that him?” Oh man. What happened.

So… the buck heard me calling and then heard further to the west, Matt walking the fence line. I guess my Dad wasn’t with my husband, so he didn’t get the message. And I believe Matt sounded like does and then I sounded like a buck behind them so the shooter took off for the “does” and ran smack face-to-face 20 yards from Matt! Oh crap! Ha ha – and there he goes!

Aw well, at least I have located a shooter and had enough of a look at him to know he is in fact a shooter. That’s hunting… better luck next time 🙂