My November 4th spot (theory and hunt description)

[Matty]

Ok, so first of all, tomorrow is Nov. 4th but I won't be able to hunt my "Nov. 4th spot" tomorrow, so I hunted it a day early. I still feel the theory holds true.

 

What is my Nov 4th spot you ask? It's a spot where I have seen a specific mature buck every Nov. 4th at around the same time for 3 years. He's always locked down with a doe here and he cruises out of the bedding area following her every year at almost the same exact time.

 

Today was not much different, except the buck was bigger.

 

 

Todays hunt:

 

I got to the parking area at around 1pm. Got ready as usual, but my intended spot is real close to the parking, so I wait for traffic noise before I make loud noises....especially when I close my truck door and hit the lock button (since the horn beeps). Sounds insane, but I think it matters not to draw attention my way. So as a loud truck drove by I closed my door and hit the lock button. On my way into the woods now.

 

I slowly slipped in to where I've climbed the past 3 years, observing for sign of new patterns (and just fresh sign in general). Everything looks normal, except the one big tree that blocked me from shooting a big buck last year has fallen down. GOOD.

 

Wanting to be as dead silent as possible, I crept along, waiting for wind gusts and traffic to cover the sounds of me moving and also while setting up my stand and sticks.

 

Finally around 2pm I'm setup about 80 yards from a busy road. Sounds like a stupid spot, but I already know it's not.

 

I pull my pretty little browning recurve up into the tree, nock an arrow, hang it on the hook and start to put on my gloves. As I'm doing that I turn around and.... HOLY CRAP! I setup with a big buck bedded about 30 yards away. (about 120" 8)

 

I don't know why I kind of panicked, but I did....and I had a moron moment. In my excitement, I reached for my bow as if it was my compound and nocked the arrow off the string and onto a branch below me. Thankfully it made no sound. For new recurve hunters, an open shelf doesn't contain an arrow like a qad does. lol

 

As I nock another arrow I think to myself, "Why am I rushing... you idiot, he's bedded".

 

Ten minutes goes by and suddenly I hear branches breaking to my right. 

 

I see a big body, then antlers. ANOTHER big buck (this one about 110" 8 but bigger bodied) comes straight for the....DOE? I didn't even notice she was bedded with the buck, even closer. About 25 yards away. I think to myself...."How in Gods name did she not see or hear me climb the tree?" But then again, I still couldn't see her until she jumped up and ran from the new buck.

 

Now the showdown begins.

 

Bedded buck jumps to his feet and immediately postures and snort wheezes. Then he starts scraping the ground.

 

The other buck does the same. Then he snort wheezes.

 

Then they square up to each other, posturing side by side. Scrape the ground. Eye each other. The first buck starts thrashing a tree. The other buck does the same.

 

To not bore you with a play by play....This behavior literally went on for the next 2 hours. It was 3:48 when they finally faded out of my visual range. It went from "This is awesome to witness" to "Fight already you fags". lol Or at least posture about 10-15 yards closer.

 

They were too closely matched I think....Neither one wanted to make the first move. They wanted to kill each other, but they were afraid they might be the one to die. It really could be a life or death decision for them, so I guess they take it pretty seriously when they are up against a formidable opponent. Was interesting to see how long they carried on though. I lost count of snort wheezes. I have never heard that many in my life. Over 30 easily. They traded them back and forth.

 

They traded the leaf scraping, antler rubbing, posturing. They just wouldn't make a move. They bristled and almost came nose to nose at one point, I thought...HERE THEY GO!....Nope....

 

Finally they fade out of sight, still kind of carrying on and now I'm feeling kind of let down. How anticlimactic is that? Two mature bucks at 25-30 yards for two hours and I can't even fling an arrow. LOL

 

Still was amazing to watch. Words can't do it justice, but the glint of sun on their antlers, and several of the one bucks snort wheezes were backlit by the sun, so you could see the burst of mist from his nose. Just an amazing show. I wish I could have filmed it or somehow shared it with all of you in more than words.

 

Anyway, around 5, the wind is starting to do the switch they predicted and I'm contemplating getting down, because I was already using a pretty questionable quartering wind and now it's almost straight at the bedding.

 

I decide not to leave. I'll ride it out and go for broke. If the spot turns into a big bust, I'll come back next year.

 

As I'm standing there just kind of looking around I spot movement to my right and a little behind. It's the 110" buck, circling back in.

 

I forgot to mention that as they left, I gave out a few snort wheezes and a grunt of my own, hoping to bring them or the doe back over. 

 

Well, he must have finally lost the intimidation game, because here he comes alone. Looking for the deer I pretended to be earlier.

 

40 yards, 30 yards, 20 yards. 

 

Finally at about 14 yards he stops and he's looking, scanning, ears on a swivel, nosing the air.

 

He turns to walk down a trail and gives me a broadside shot. I take it. Arrow is headed right for the boiler....and deflection. Tiny twig I never saw. Son of a...

 

He runs but doesn't know what happened. So I snort wheeze at him.

 

He starts coming right back. He's still to my right, but way too thick, I snort wheeze again along with a mouth grunt and he comes right to me. 6 or 7 yards but quartering towards.

 

Staring, scanning, ears pinned....He wants to know where this other buck is.

 

He finally starts to turn to leave and as soon as he's broadside again, the second arrow is on its way. JUST OVER HIS BACK. He ducked it a bit, but I also shot a little high.

 

I was disgusted. Immediately climbed down for both arrows, packed up, left and called my buddy to vent. (only had two sharp arrows, third one was dull from a previous miss, forgot to replace it)

 

Looking back though, I'm already over it. It was an amazing night, witnessed incredible deer behavior. I had fun and I get to do it all again still.

 

I am a little disappointed in my shooting though. I have been shooting almost every day, a lot, and shooting well, but this is the third shot at a mature buck I've missed with the recurve this season. I can live with watching a buck thats "out of range" at 20 yards, just means I have to get better at hunting, but the up close misses are killing my confidence. I shoot a lot, practice out to 25 now...and shooting well...keep all shots in the woods 15 and under....but keep messing up in the woods. The first shot tonight, I did everything right, I went through it....and that arrow was sailing dead on.... just hit that twig I never saw. The second shot, I wasn't thinking...I felt rushed and didn't really pick a spot the way I need to with the recurve.

 

I will say though I've had a ton of great hunts this year and more mature buck encounters than any year previous and it's still early. Really having fun out there with the recurve too, it has reignited my love of hunting, even if it's demoralizing at times. lol

 

Anyways, that was my Friday. 

 

 

Good luck and have fun out there, it's definitely time to be out!

Edited November 4, 2017 by Matty

[electric10162]

Awesome! Your story is the exact reason why we hunt.

[3Blade]

I'd say you had great hunt.   

[Merkel]

In my book you had a great day... thanks for sharing

[NorthNJHunter]

Great hunt!   So close!!

[Matty]

Oh and my theory is that some, most or maybe even all does reach estrous around the same day each year. In other words, Sally comes into estrous on or about Nov. 4th. Becky on the 9th, Margaret is an early breeder, Oct. 15th, etc....Mature bucks in the area figure this out and kind of run a "circuit" to each doe on a timeline if you will.

 

Anyone else have observations to support that?

 

 

 

[LPJR]

Matty,

 

Next time please be a little more descriptive with a deer story please if you take the time to write one......

 

Kidding!! Sounds like the exact reason why each of us gets up a tree during the fall this time of year!

 

A hunt and experience like that won't be forgotten any time soon, well done. Get back in the woods to do it again. 

[Matty]

I like to be thorough. lol That was the abridged version. I can send you the full text version as soon as the team of writers is done typing it up.

[_X7]

Sometimes I wish I had a projector in my mind that played through my eyes. Would be easier than words, but then I'd have to figure out a way to show it. Way to put it to words, Matty. That's bowhunting exemplified.

[Livesintrees]

Sounds like a good day to me. I’ll be out tomorrow. In my mind I’m gonna kill a buck I’ve been hunting for 4 seasons. In reality I’ll probably see a fork horn and a cat

[Matty]

Sounds like a good day to me. I’ll be out tomorrow. In my mind I’m gonna kill a buck I’ve been hunting for 4 seasons. In reality I’ll probably see a fork horn and a cat

 

 

LOL Good luck John!!

[Rusty]

That's a great day in the woods Matty, very cool indeed.  I'll take days like that over a quick easy kill any day.  And the good thing is, because it's such a challenge you are getting your passion back, which is really nice to see.  Back in the day, we worked long and hard to kill a deer, and when we finally did it was a really emotional thing.  Now a days it's not as big a deal to shoot a deer, I kind of miss the old days when you worked your butt off all season to kill one deer.  It meant a lot more.    

[Rusty]

Finally around 2pm I'm setup about 80 yards from a busy road. Sounds like a stupid spot, but I already know it's not.

 

My buddy hunts a local WMA that gets hunted pretty hard.  During 6 day he was in his tree about 200 yards from the parking lot.  He scanned the area around him with his binoculars and sees a big racked buck bedded in a thicket right next to the parking lot.  The buck was on a little rise, in a bunch of thick nasty weeds, less than 50 yards from the parked cars.  My buddy stayed in is tree all day and watched that buck as countless hunters came and went.  They know where they are safe, they don't get old being stupid.    

[supr78nova]

Ok, so first of all, tomorrow is Nov. 4th but I won't be able to hunt my "Nov. 4th spot" tomorrow, so I hunted it a day early. I still feel the theory holds true.

 

What is my Nov 4th spot you ask? It's a spot where I have seen a specific mature buck every Nov. 4th at around the same time for 3 years. He's always locked down with a doe here and he cruises out of the bedding area following her every year at almost the same exact time.

 

Today was not much different, except the buck was bigger.

 

 

Todays hunt:

 

I got to the parking area at around 1pm. Got ready as usual, but my intended spot is real close to the parking, so I wait for traffic noise before I make loud noises....especially when I close my truck door and hit the lock button (since the horn beeps). Sounds insane, but I think it matters not to draw attention my way. So as a loud truck drove by I closed my door and hit the lock button. On my way into the woods now.

 

I slowly slipped in to where I've climbed the past 3 years, observing for sign of new patterns (and just fresh sign in general). Everything looks normal, except the one big tree that blocked me from shooting a big buck last year has fallen down. GOOD.

 

Wanting to be as dead silent as possible, I crept along, waiting for wind gusts and traffic to cover the sounds of me moving and also while setting up my stand and sticks.

 

Finally around 2pm I'm setup about 80 yards from a busy road. Sounds like a stupid spot, but I already know it's not.

 

I pull my pretty little browning recurve up into the tree, nock an arrow, hang it on the hook and start to put on my gloves. As I'm doing that I turn around and.... HOLY CRAP! I setup with a big buck bedded about 30 yards away. (about 120" 8)

 

I don't know why I kind of panicked, but I did....and I had a moron moment. In my excitement, I reached for my bow as if it was my compound and nocked the arrow off the string and onto a branch below me. Thankfully it made no sound. For new recurve hunters, an open shelf doesn't contain an arrow like a qad does. lol

 

As I nock another arrow I think to myself, "Why am I rushing... you idiot, he's bedded".

 

Ten minutes goes by and suddenly I hear branches breaking to my right.

 

I see a big body, then antlers. ANOTHER big buck (this one about 110" 8 but bigger bodied) comes straight for the....DOE? I didn't even notice she was bedded with the buck, even closer. About 25 yards away. I think to myself...."How in Gods name did she not see or hear me climb the tree?" But then again, I still couldn't see her until she jumped up and ran from the new buck.

 

Now the showdown begins.

 

Bedded buck jumps to his feet and immediately postures and snort wheezes. Then he starts scraping the ground.

 

The other buck does the same. Then he snort wheezes.

 

Then they square up to each other, posturing side by side. Scrape the ground. Eye each other. The first buck starts thrashing a tree. The other buck does the same.

 

To not bore you with a play by play....This behavior literally went on for the next 2 hours. It was 3:48 when they finally faded out of my visual range. It went from "This is awesome to witness" to "Fight already you fags". lol Or at least posture about 10-15 yards closer.

 

They were too closely matched I think....Neither one wanted to make the first move. They wanted to kill each other, but they were afraid they might be the one to die. It really could be a life or death decision for them, so I guess they take it pretty seriously when they are up against a formidable opponent. Was interesting to see how long they carried on though. I lost count of snort wheezes. I have never heard that many in my life. Over 30 easily. They traded them back and forth.

 

They traded the leaf scraping, antler rubbing, posturing. They just wouldn't make a move. They bristled and almost came nose to nose at one point, I thought...HERE THEY GO!....Nope....

 

Finally they fade out of sight, still kind of carrying on and now I'm feeling kind of let down. How anticlimactic is that? Two mature bucks at 25-30 yards for two hours and I can't even fling an arrow. LOL

 

Still was amazing to watch. Words can't do it justice, but the glint of sun on their antlers, and several of the one bucks snort wheezes were backlit by the sun, so you could see the burst of mist from his nose. Just an amazing show. I wish I could have filmed it or somehow shared it with all of you in more than words.

 

Anyway, around 5, the wind is starting to do the switch they predicted and I'm contemplating getting down, because I was already using a pretty questionable quartering wind and now it's almost straight at the bedding.

 

I decide not to leave. I'll ride it out and go for broke. If the spot turns into a big bust, I'll come back next year.

 

As I'm standing there just kind of looking around I spot movement to my right and a little behind. It's the 110" buck, circling back in.

 

I forgot to mention that as they left, I gave out a few snort wheezes and a grunt of my own, hoping to bring them or the doe back over.

 

Well, he must have finally lost the intimidation game, because here he comes alone. Looking for the deer I pretended to be earlier.

 

40 yards, 30 yards, 20 yards.

 

Finally at about 14 yards he stops and he's looking, scanning, ears on a swivel, nosing the air.

 

He turns to walk down a trail and gives me a broadside shot. I take it. Arrow is headed right for the boiler....and deflection. Tiny twig I never saw. Son of a...

 

He runs but doesn't know what happened. So I snort wheeze at him.

 

He starts coming right back. He's still to my right, but way too thick, I snort wheeze again along with a mouth grunt and he comes right to me. 6 or 7 yards but quartering towards.

 

Staring, scanning, ears pinned....He wants to know where this other buck is.

 

He finally starts to turn to leave and as soon as he's broadside again, the second arrow is on its way. JUST OVER HIS BACK. He ducked it a bit, but I also shot a little high.

 

I was disgusted. Immediately climbed down for both arrows, packed up, left and called my buddy to vent. (only had two sharp arrows, third one was dull from a previous miss, forgot to replace it)

 

Looking back though, I'm already over it. It was an amazing night, witnessed incredible deer behavior. I had fun and I get to do it all again still.

 

I am a little disappointed in my shooting though. I have been shooting almost every day, a lot, and shooting well, but this is the third shot at a mature buck I've missed with the recurve this season. I can live with watching a buck thats "out of range" at 20 yards, just means I have to get better at hunting, but the up close misses are killing my confidence. I shoot a lot, practice out to 25 now...and shooting well...keep all shots in the woods 15 and under....but keep messing up in the woods. The first shot tonight, I did everything right, I went through it....and that arrow was sailing dead on.... just hit that twig I never saw. The second shot, I wasn't thinking...I felt rushed and didn't really pick a spot the way I need to with the recurve.

 

I will say though I've had a ton of great hunts this year and more mature buck encounters than any year previous and it's still early. Really having fun out there with the recurve too, it has reignited my love of hunting, even if it's demoralizing at times. lol

 

Anyways, that was my Friday.

 

 

Good luck and have fun out there, it's definitely time to be out!

Do you practice shooting from an elevated position?

 

Sounds like an awesome day in the woods for sure. Loved the story and felt like I was right there with you through all the ups and downs.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

[Haskell_Hunter]

What an awesome story for a good sit!

 

The highlight of my sits are when the random fox comes trotting through.  Other than that, it's just me and the squirrels.