Thornton's Hunt Part? Continued
Contributors to this thread:Kansas
From: Thornton
22-Oct-21
I've been working a lot, trying to stay out of my areas until the time is right. About two weeks ago, I started scouting some areas I usually hunt, and a new one. I've seen lots of bucks. Tonight I waited by a pond that I've seen two or 3 big ones at, but only had this dink chase a doe behind me. I was in my blind made of weeds and willow limbs, when I heard hoof beats on the hill above me. I grabbed my bow, and ran a few steps to the top, to see this guy staring at me
From: Thornton
22-Oct-21
Better photo. He came to within ten yards following the doe.
Better photo. He came to within ten yards following the doe.
Coyotes everywhere this evening. The buck is listening to a pack yap about 100 yards away in this photo.
From: Thornton
22-Oct-21
My blind of broomweed, weeds, and a willow. Worked pretty good, but they came in from the wrong direction
From: Thornton
22-Oct-21
One of the bucks I'm after. He came in to the pond at 80 yards the other evening, but spotted my pack and stared at me for ten minutes. I laid down, took photos of the moon, and when I raised back up, he was still staring at me. I crawled backwards and eased out down hill. I never saw him run, snort, or spook, so I hope he comes back. He doesn't look like much, but through the binocs, he's heavy, and two points are split, with several kickers on his bases.
From: Thornton
22-Oct-21
The doe walked away, seemingly annoyed by his advances. Another small buck followed at dark.
From: be still
23-Oct-21
Thanks for sharing Thornton. I really enjoy your hunts...like your aggressive approach and the different ways you go about it. Seems fun.
From: Thornton
23-Oct-21
Thanks. I probably suffer from ADD. I have to constantly be doing something and I have a difficult time sitting in a tree.
From: Slate
23-Oct-21
Go get em Jason. Good luck
From: Kansan
23-Oct-21
Git r dunn, Jason!
From: Thornton
24-Oct-21
The doe trying to decide if there is danger near or not.
The doe trying to decide if there is danger near or not.
Trimmed trees and mowed 7 yards this morning. Headed out to hunt late afternoon. Brisk NW wind as I walked through the woods at the first creek crossing. I had just snapped a photo of the sun filtering through the branches when a doe and her little one leaped out of a low spot. They had only heard me when I was about 30 yards away but didn't know what the sound was.
From: Thornton
24-Oct-21
The fawn.
The fawn.
From: Thornton
24-Oct-21
I figured I had went far enough and unlimbered my bow from my pack in case I jumped a buck. The doe and fawn ran across the beans to the next creek. I followed them to discover fresh, running buck prints. They must have picked him up as they ran by.
From: Thornton
24-Oct-21
Late spring burning made the serecea lespedeza proliferate.
Late spring burning made the serecea lespedeza proliferate.
Made my way across the creek where I jumped the doe and fawn again, across the patch of tall bluestem that has serecea lespedeza in it now, and headed to the cedar thicket on top of the hill by the pond.
From: Thornton
24-Oct-21
Looking towards where I walked up, and scared the buck.
Looking towards where I walked up, and scared the buck.
As I created the hill, a buck bolted into the cedar thicket. He had been at the pond drinking and heard me. I stopped, and heard more deer leave the thicket. He was a 3 year old 8 point with brown antlers, and he paused to listen, then nervously crossed the tall bluestem patch and headed to the hedge row. He never once looked at me.
From: Thornton
24-Oct-21
From: Thornton
24-Oct-21
Headed back to the truck after counting 18 does come into the beans. I forgot my binocs, so I couldn't take pictures at 400 yards. When I got to my bike, there was a young doe walking towards it in the tall grass. She seemed fixated on it, and ignored me. When she got to about 40 yards, she spooked and walked into the hedge.
From: Catscratch
25-Oct-21
Thornton, I know some ranchers that have been doing fall burns for a few years now and they aren't seeing a reduction in serecea yet. Maybe it isn't spreading as fast, maybe they don't use as much chemical, and maybe in another year or two it will make a larger impact. Over the weekend I witnessed cattle going out of their way to eat it. Surprised me as I seldom see any grazing evidence on serecea at all. Maybe they can be trained to eat it?
Good luck on your hunts this fall!
From: Kansan
26-Oct-21
We have had great success with growing season burns. K-State has done an enormous amount of research on the subject, and have proven its efficacy against sericea.
From: Catscratch
26-Oct-21
Ya Kansan, I've been following what K-State says about burns and sericea pretty closely for quite some time. That research is why I've been asking ranchers about their results. Maybe they are burning too late in the season, or expecting better results? When do you burn and how long is it taking to see a reduction in patches? Are you seeing results 1st yr after, or is it taking a while?
From: t-roy
26-Oct-21
Where did this sericea come from originally? Fortunately, we don’t have it in Iowa (as far as I know)
From: crestedbutte
26-Oct-21
I would guess from Texico herds when trucked to the Flinthills to fatten up?
From: Catscratch
26-Oct-21
"Where did this sericea come from originally? Fortunately, we don’t have it in Iowa (as far as I know)."
Some info and history about it's introduction and spread; https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/MF2408.pdf
From: Kansan
26-Oct-21
Late July and August are the optimal times to burn for sericea. You want the plants to be actively growing. If they’re doing a “fall burn”, they’re probably doing it too late. There should be a very significant reduction in sericea the following year.
From: writer
27-Oct-21
writer's Link
Late-season burns —
From: writer
27-Oct-21
writer's Link
More grassland management.
Crested-this is one thing we can’t blame on Texas.
From: crestedbutte
27-Oct-21
Mike….fantastic article with so many different angles, folks and agendas involved.
Septuagenarian…..I’ll admit, I had to look that one up, HA!
From: Habitat
27-Oct-21
Another grass that can take over NWSG or brome is wire grass.It will usually only affect areas with not so great soil but is a pain to get rid of. Can you spray sericea when located in NWSG like that? What is sericea classified as a broadleaf or grass?
From: Thornton
27-Oct-21
Thanks Writer. Makes sense that burning makes it proliferate. I see it all the time when I do a complete kill with Roundup on a parking lot or ditch. I've seen beautiful pastures of tall bluestem turn to solid serecea after a spring burn. The soil is exposed to sunlight during prime growing season and new , dormant weeds sprout within a few weeks even if pre-emergent is used. Remedy works well on serecea early summer. Also, I've heard animals spread serecea in their droppings, so I'm not sure using goats is the best idea?
From: Thornton
27-Oct-21
I should have stayed and hunted behind the house today where it wasn't raining, or I should have checked the weather. I figured it would be a good evening once the rain stopped, but it hasn't at the other property. Deer in the field when I pulled in, including a 3 year old ten point. Usually when it is raining this hard, they stay in the trees and mill around, and it's very easy to sneak up on them with all the leaves moving and rain noise.
From: Thornton
27-Oct-21
Sky began to clear and the rain eased up a few minutes after I typed that whilst sitting in my truck. I grabbed my bow and headed towards the timber to sit in my most favorable stand for a NW wind. I had just snapped this photo, lamenting in my mind that this beautiful cottonwood would soon be dead, broken by the internal core rot that plagues most of it's species, when I saw the back of a deer across the field.
From: Thornton
27-Oct-21
Seeing antlers, I quickly jumped the small creek and took up a position behind a large, double trunked, osage orange tree.
From: Thornton
27-Oct-21
Buck looked nice, and he had similar characteristics to one I shot years ago on this place.
From: Thornton
27-Oct-21
From: Thornton
27-Oct-21
More bucks joined him, and they headed my way, wind at their backs.
From: Thornton
27-Oct-21
From: Thornton
27-Oct-21
From: Thornton
27-Oct-21
The buck on the left is a wide 9 pt that looks the same as he did last year.
The buck on the left is a wide 9 pt that looks the same as he did last year.
From: sitO
27-Oct-21
Cool! You're in amongst'm bud
From: Thornton
27-Oct-21
The big ten stopped to eat some leaves while the other 5 bucks continued to browse. They were now within my practice range of 55 yards.
From: Thornton
27-Oct-21
He promptly turned, and marched my way. By now, I was kneeling, arrow knocked, bow in left hand, videoing with right hand, hoping he would suddenly appear to have more mass on his beams when he got close.
From: Thornton
27-Oct-21
The big ten hung up for a minute behind a downed tree limb, eating more leaves. I positioned myself so I would have a perfect shot or photo at about 6 yards as he strolled by.
From: lord o'horns
27-Oct-21
Waiting for the kill photo.... go get em
From: Catscratch
27-Oct-21
Great story so far!
From: Thornton
27-Oct-21
Nothing happened, so I leaned around the tree to see all five bucks browsing in the timber, about 15-20 yards away headed east instead of straight at me. The brisk wind with trees shaking off water droplets was the perfect cover. At this time, I lowered my bow and the temptation to shoot this buck. I believe he is only 3 or 4 years old, and a beautiful specimen that will hopefully be around next year.
From: Thornton
27-Oct-21
Final opportunity.
Final opportunity.
The buck and his buddies fed into the trees, and shortly after, a forkhorn at ten yards decided I looked suspicious.
From: Thornton
27-Oct-21
The look, right before the show is over..
The look, right before the show is over..
From: Thornton
27-Oct-21
After the forkhorn blew his horn, all 5 bucks spooked into the trees. I saw them later as I left, grazing in another field like nothing had happened. I'm convinced, more now than ever, that a deer spooked from a tree, or from human scent, is educated far more than being spooked from noise or movement on the ground. After this, I turned my attention to the deer filtering into the field a quarter mile away. Amongst them was another 3 year old ten point.
From: Thornton
27-Oct-21
A doe slowly worked her way up the field and walked across the creek in front of my stand at about 20 yards. After she went on her way, I backed out and hiked back to the truck. I could see about 8 does in the field feeding undisturbed. Thank you all for following along. I enjoy this experience we call bow hunting.
From: Thornton
28-Oct-21
From: Sand man
28-Oct-21
Appreciate you guys who post your hunts. Takes a bit of the sting away from being at work rather than the woods.
From: Kansan
28-Oct-21
I always enjoy following along, JT!
From: be still
28-Oct-21
Great hunt JT. Really nice to hear that you passed on him...I call that success. He also gets more years to spread his genes around too. Keep it up and thanks again for posting.
From: Thornton
29-Oct-21
Thanks again. I'm really looking forward to this season.
From: ksq232
29-Oct-21
Good stuff! Thanks Jason
From: Habitat for Wildlife
29-Oct-21
You certainly have a knack for getting close to them on the ground. Neat pictures!
Good luck this season.
From: writer
29-Oct-21
You wouldn’t know what to do killing your Kansas buck this early.
From: writer
29-Oct-21
You wouldn’t know what to do killing your Kansas buck this early.
From: Thornton
29-Oct-21
You are correct Writer. I have come to favor late season because the mythical giants I dream of seem to show theirselves around Thanksgiving or December.
From: Thornton
29-Oct-21
Back at a beanfield. I figure when the young bucks here start to show rut like behavior, I'll wander to some other areas with bigger bucks. Parked the truck and immediately noted a doe at the other side of the field feeding. Wind has to be 20+ mph on the hill
From: Thornton
29-Oct-21
Young doe at 29 yards downwind. No Nosejammer or Scentlok involved.
Young doe at 29 yards downwind. No Nosejammer or Scentlok involved.
I had just settled into my stand when I looked down and 2 does were staring at me. The old doe immediately flipped her tail up and trotted off without a sound. The younger doe milled around nervously for several minutes downwind, peering up into the branches, trying to figure out what I was. Eventually she decided the whole situation was shenanigans, and trotted off across the open field without a sound.
From: Thornton
29-Oct-21
From: Thornton
29-Oct-21
Lifesave bird headed back to base in Chanute. I often see these crews at work and they usually fly directly over my place.
From: Thornton
29-Oct-21
While I was messing around trying to get a pic of the helicopter, I decided to climb back up the tree because a doe in the field had just busted me and was headed to the timber with her youngins.
From: Thornton
29-Oct-21
Deer #3 downwind. No Nosehammer or ScentBGon involved.
Deer #3 downwind. No Nosehammer or ScentBGon involved.
A minute later, I look over and this young 6 point was giving my tree the eye in the same exact spot the two does were at earlier. He reacted almost the same way, smelling the air up and down, smelling my boot prints, milling around, then trotting off.
From: Thornton
29-Oct-21
The wide 9 point showed up and is halfheartedly chasing does around the field. Dozens of coyotes howling this evening.
From: Thornton
29-Oct-21
Pictured here, the wide 9 pt pees on hisself, and commences licking a hanging grapevine..
Pictured here, the wide 9 pt pees on hisself, and commences licking a hanging grapevine..
From: Thornton
30-Oct-21
Venus appears in the southwest after sunset.
Venus appears in the southwest after sunset.
Welp..I had to stay in the tree til dark. Wind laid and deer were everywhere. Heard what I thought was a young buck grunting behind me, but it was quickly followed by varmint-like chatter and my suspicions were confirmed shortly after as 3 obese coons made their way up the creek to catch crawdads. And before you say I should shoot them to keep my quail, there were two coveys totaling 31 birds in the hedge behind me last week. After the coons disappeared, I heard ducks flying low overhead, followed by a snipe that took off out of the pond screeching loudly. I could imagine what he looked like as he zig zagged skyward, headed to whatever marsh he was bound for. After that, a large bat flitted by catching insects, and the coyotes fired up one more time. This show sure beats all the nutjobs parading around back in town in their costumes. Got word tonight from an acquaintance I ran into at Walmart, he saw the giant buck I'm after standing next to the road the other morning in the fog.
From: cherney12
30-Oct-21
Sounds like a pretty nice evening
From: ksq232
30-Oct-21
I agree
From: Kansan
31-Oct-21
Hunts like that are why we all do it! A perfect example of a wonderful experience had, yet the bow was never drawn.
ETA: Happy Halloween! ;)
From: Thornton
03-Nov-21
I agree! You too thank you. Hunted yesterday evening in a cattail slough. Busted a very large buck bedded 60 yards in front of my stand. Caught a glimpse of his rack and body before he ran into the brush snorting. He had a deep, guttural, airy snort which made me think he was every bit as big as I thought he was. 20 minutes later, a doe and fawn came through and promptly smelled me with the unfavourable win.
From: Thornton
03-Nov-21
Two of the 3 bucks at the pond.
Two of the 3 bucks at the pond.
This afternoon I decided to take a long hike. No wind, and a dark cloud base told me they would be out, and dang if I wasn't right. The first ravine I walked up to, 3 bucks were at the pond. I first thought they were a bachelor group, but what I saw next proved that idea wrong. Further down the draw, 2 does trotted out, alarmed at my crunching footsteps. They were followed by a giant ten point, that was every bit of 170's. I settled down as the went into another draw 550 yards away. The buck never saw me, and the does hadn't either. They proceeded to mill around and 2 more bucks attempted to join the 3, but the big one nudged them out.
From: Thornton
03-Nov-21
550 yards. The pic does no justice for this magnificent buck.
550 yards. The pic does no justice for this magnificent buck.
I laid down with my binoculars and watched the big ten walk with his two does, the small bucks following at a distance. He was limping, and looked gaunt. I got the impression he had been fighting off the other 5 bucks all day, to keep them from the does. My assumption seemed accurate a few minutes later, when he did just that, and one smaller buck decided it was too much and took off over the hill.
From: Thornton
03-Nov-21
Seemed every hill I came over, there were bucks. Saw 12 total today, all different animals. I saw all sorts of rut behavior including, bucks locked down on does, bucks following does, buck running other bucks off, and bucks looking for does. Over half of these bucks were mature, and the older ones had big, swollen, necks. The ones with does literally just watched me and didn't spook even though I was in plain sight
From: Thornton
03-Nov-21
Big 8 had a doe nearby and just watched me
Big 8 had a doe nearby and just watched me
From: Thornton
03-Nov-21
This guy was locked in on a doe. Neither were alarmed by me.
From: Kansan
03-Nov-21
Sounds like a hell of a hunt!
From: bentstick54
04-Nov-21
Dang, that’s what I call a good day.
From: sitO
04-Nov-21
Couple of bruisers there buddy!
From: Thornton
04-Nov-21
This type of hunting is a curse for me. None were close enough to shoot, and now that I've seen what is out there, I cant settle
From: crestedbutte
04-Nov-21
Love the pic of that last buck that was locked on the doe. Hope you get near to the one you want!
From: ksq232
04-Nov-21
Cool pics, that first 8 is a stud!
From: Thornton
04-Nov-21
Kind of like looking for my next wife...
From: bentstick54
04-Nov-21
If the women just stand around looking at you, move on. Somethings wrong with them.
From: Thornton
04-Nov-21
Due to working 15 years in ER, I can usually spot a female psych case as soon as they walk in except for my ex wife of ten years. I no longer have that problem of women staring at me. In the rare case they do, I'm probably doing something wrong lol. I don't smile much anymore, due to MS causing severe tinnitus and chronic migraines, so maybe that's the problem.
From: Thornton
05-Nov-21
Back at it. I didn't make it out the next morning to try to connect on the big one 2 days ago. I figured he'd stay with those two does all night. I went out again this afternoon to the same spot and eased into the ravine. Only thing I saw was a spike, and later a coyote far out in the pasture.
From: Thornton
05-Nov-21
I checked all the usual locations and saw nothing on the property. There were some does over on the neighbor. I was leaving, headed over a hill, when I looked down, and near a thicket stood a big buck and a doe. I immediately recognized him as the big ten from two days ago. He is lean, with a hunch and a slight limp when he walks. I immediately tipped the bike over, shed my pack, and unbuckled my bow. He was an sniffing the ground where the doe had just stood, then headed into the draw about 500 yards away. I took off running. I had about 30 minutes to dark, and a lot of ground to cover. I crossed the ravine below, and headed over the hill to the ravine he was in. Easing over the top, I could see him, but not the doe. He had seemingly left her, and was now headed toward two does several hundred yards to my left. Long story short, I should have just followed him instead of trying to head him off. He looked at me several times in the waning light as he slowly followed the does around the hill, but he really wasn't alarmed. The closest I got was probably 125 yards, and he looks like a 170" . From a distance, looking at him from behind with his ears back, he looks 200". I used my Onx app to see how far he was from where I watched him 2 days ago, and it was 1.3 miles.
From: Thornton
05-Nov-21
I'll be after these guys the next few days.
From: Kansan
06-Nov-21
Best of luck JT! You’re onto a dandy, for sure.
From: Thornton
06-Nov-21
Thank you. The chances of seeing him again are slim because he is on the neighbor now
