Jhawk Live Public Land Hunt
Kansas
I decided to do another live hunt this year. I don't post much, but I enjoyed posting my hunt last year so I will give it a go again. I am going to hunt the week of 11/6-11/14 and will post daily starting the 6th. I will be hunting the same state ground as I have the last few years and I may sit once or twice on some private ground I gained access to. The private is 1.5 miles from home and may be good during the rut. I hunt portable with a Lone Wolf stand and sticks and my Black Widow recurve.
I have sat twice this year; once on my private and yesterday on the public. I took my 12 year old daughter with me on both hunts and the first sit on the public was mainly a trial run to see how our set up would go. We made a ton of racket, had fun eating pretzels and didn't see anything.
Went out yesterday to the state ground and set up on a trail I have hunted the last two years. I knew the tree we were going to and we were set up by 4:30. My hope was to see a deer and have my daughters interest continue to grow. Right in front our tree was a scrape and another scrape to my left about 25 yards away. There are still a ton of leaves on the trees and you can't see more than 35 yards in any direction.
At 6:45 we heard our first sound and my daughter spotted the deer. A single doe that took me a while to spot. Success in my mind. The way she was headed I knew we wouldn't get a shot. A few minutes later we spot another doe and my daughter saw a fawn that she said was no bigger than our 35 pound Brittany. As we were watching the doe, I heard a deer coming from their direction but headed out way. I tap my daughters leg and when she looked over she saw the deer first. "buck, buck, buck" she said. I could only she his hoof so I wasn't sure what he was.
He went to the scrape about 25 yards away and worked it over and I could then see another buck with him. He was maybe a 90" 8 point and my daughter wanted me to shoot him so bad. I told her he was too small and we were going to let him walk. The other buck was bigger, a wide 7 point at maybe 100". They both gave us a great show, working over both scrapes, going up on their hind legs to get the licking branch and it was a really neat experience for us.
After talking this over with my daughter on the way home she helped me see things differently. When we were talking about size, I was only looking at antler size. This didn't even cross her mind and she was looking at body size. She said they were way bigger than the doe any way bigger than our sheep. Kids are pretty cool and can teach quite a bit of stuff.
In the end we had a great hunt, saw at least 5 deer and had two bucks within 10 yards of us. My daughter's going to go with me again next Saturday and I really want to shoot one with her there.
Good luck to you and your daughter. Whether you kill a deer or not, you are making life long memories, for both of you.
Good stuff, really good! Enjoy the time together out-of-doors!
Sam....looking forward to following along! Good Luck!
Great start! Kiddos are bloodthirsty at first for sure. Our girls were the same way. :)
Smart girl you have there. Can’t eat the antlers lol. All joking aside, good for you getting her out with you. It’s hard enough sitting by yourself, double tough with a 12 year old. Mermories will last forever. Looking forward to following along again. Good luck this year.
That story makes my heart swell. I miss hunting with my now 12 year old granddaughter. If i'm lucky we will get some time in the deer hunting woods together this year. My 9 year old grandson may actually get a chance to rifle hunt with me this year. I've been working with him on shooting and gun safety. I like your daughters perspective on size of body, that's what I've been looking at for the past several years and has made my hunting experiences much more enjoyable not to mention the amount of quality venison in the freezer.
Awesome! Can't wait to hear more stories. Excellent stuff right here. Enjoy that time with your family, all.
7:58. Set up in the same tree as last Sunday. Almost no wind but the wind we do have is good for this spot. We will be on our toes all day.
8:35. Small buck.
How do you post pictures correctly?
120” came in and busted me when I grabbed my bow. I would have shot him. Pretty frustrated.
Very cool. I shot a doe with my daughter in the tree when she was about 8. She had taken 2 nice mulies and a few turkeys. She’s 25 this year and getting married. She still hunts with me when she has time.
Power to the huntresses!!!!
Thanks for sharing
Easy now Sam! Your "kill-cation" just started, everything happens for a reason right
Good luck, will be following
Whole lots of fun there...good luck.
Sam…take pictures in landscape (horizontal) orientation and they will usually load correctly. Don’t do portrait (vertically) oriented photos as Bowsite features will jack them up and make it difficult to orient correctly.
Your stand photo looks to have been composed in landscape but for some reason loaded upside down. You should be able to “rotate” that one for correct orientation by using your “edit” button at the far right of your green signature block. Have a great season!
Good luck! I have to take photos, then screenshot them, or they end up sideways or upside down. It's a glitch on this site that causes it I think.
6:53. Set up in a 150 yard by 100 yard clearing. Thick woods all around. I’m on the south side of the clearing with about 30 yards from me to the woods. Thinking is a buck will cruise this edge with a scent checking with a south wind.
This is also a good observation stand to see if any patterns emerge in this spot. Last year I saw a lot of deer here and deer all day. Not many close enough for me to shoot though.
View from my left (south). And moving right.
Good luck wonderful set up.
Good luck today. Hopefully the wind will be a little more co-operative today.
Single fawn went into the woods to the north. Didn’t see where she came out of.
Wind is really swirling where I am at. I’m planning a all day sit but may move in the afternoon as the winds are supposed to switch. Not sure yet.
7:42. A doe just bedded down on north edge of the clearing. She is in the grass surrounded by cedars.
I’m going to stay but my I could easily stalk to 15 yards of her. It would be fun to set up on the opposite side of the cedar she is by and see if a buck comes by.
I can see LOTS of trails through that patch, good luck man!
Unbelievable. Buck came to the bedded doe. There may be two, I’m not sure. She hasn’t moved.
He just jumped her out of bed. Not sure where she went but he didn’t follow. Tried to grunt him in, but he isn’t interested. 120” 8 point.
I love this.
Doe at 5 yards. I think this is the fawn from this morning.
That was cool. She was under my tree for a good while and then got nervous. She couldn’t figure it out until she came the the trail I walked in on. Then she bolted.
Doe and fawn just came in from the east. They weren’t running but walking a good clip. Nothing trailing.
That sure looks like a spot where “it” could happen!
A good nap just happened. Good to go now.
Back in the clearing this morning. Plan is to stay here until 2:00 and then move about 1/4 mile SW for the evening sit. I’m sitting more in the middle of the clearing. There was very little movement yesterday. Hoping for a better day.
I had a tall buck come from the north right at first lite. I thought he was going to come into a scrape right in front of me, but he turned to the west. Was at 30 yards too far for me.
11:57. Small buck came from the SW. He went into the timber to the North. It’s a great trail. I may try and set up in a cedar tree at this trail on Friday.
I moved south for the evening. I have sat here two other evenings and saw deer each time.
A flock of turkeys just worked through. Counted at least 30. Lots of young ones.
Nice buck at 50 yards. I could barely see him. I tried calling and stopped him for a while, but he continued in his original direction.
Not long after he left, I’m pretty sure I heard a deep grunt to the NE of me. I always second guess myself when I hear a grunt.
Sounds like they’re moving!
Not moving like I expected. I haven’t seen a single chase and way fewer sightings than years past.
I have to work a bit tomorrow and will probably work all day due to the forecast.
Still feels a little early yet here. Things are just getting started!
Some areas sound like there moving good, others not so much. Always seems to be a little variation from area to area.Its that time where it could happen in front of you at any moment. Hopefully you can be there when it happens.
6:45. I really had a hard time deciding where to set up this morning. I don’t have great locations for a west wind, so I ended up in the same tree I hunted Tuesday.
This spot is pretty good for this wind and I really want to get a good plan for tomorrow. My daughter has the day off tomorrow. I think all the deer are using one trail to the north (coming and going). If I see anything on that trail today, we will hunt it tomorrow.
First deer of the day. He was definitely cruising with a purpose. I’m pretty sure he is the same deer I saw Tuesday afternoon. He came from the trail to my north that every one has come out of or gone in to.
Interesting, he walked 5 feet away from a big scrape and didn’t even slow down as he went by.
Nice elk, wish it were mine.
Nice elk, wish it were mine.
I moved to the private ground I have permission on. I have scouted this very little and sat one evening early. Today is a scout/hunt. Came into the creek bottom from the NE. Found a nice trail and a convergence of some drainages into the main creek bed. Scrape off to my right, pasture directly behind me. Hoping to catch one cruising the creek but a little afraid one may come behind me on the edge of the trees. Feels good to be in a new area.
To my left
To my left
Center
Center
Right
Right
I love these threads and you do a great job of story telling! Do you have to deal with alot of other hunters on the public ground? I've been blessed with private ground to hunt and have so much respect for you guys getting it done on public. Tonight could be your night, good luck!
Cleared a lane. Much better
Cleared a lane. Much better
Thanks for following along. Yes, there are tons of guys and I used to get so frustrated. I have enjoyed the challenge the last few years and that’s when I started being successful. I think about what other guys may be doing as much or more what I think the deer are doing. It’s gave me confidence to take chances. There have been numerous times where guys walk right by me while I’m in the stand, sounding like an army walking through the woods. I’ll think my hunt is ruined and often end up seeing deer right where someone just came through.
If I could hunt private exclusively I would. This spot I’m in may turn into that, but I will always have public ground to hunt and I have come to know my area pretty well.
Outstanding answer, I'm impressed by your determination. Thanks so much for taking us along.
Still following also. Really hoping it all comes together for you. Of course, maybe if you listened to your daughter once in awhile, lol. Just say’n. Again best of luck to you.
She has the day off tomorrow. I sure hope we have a better day than today. But you know what they say; “ a bad day hunting … “
Tonight was great. At 5:00 I had 2 does and a fawn come in. The first doe was on edge but they didn’t spook. They worked around me and I kept expecting to see a buck with them. I started to write up my report and I looked to behind where the does went and I could see antlers through the trees. I’m not sure where he came from but it wasn’t their trail.
I knew they were headed away from me so I tried some calling. That’s when it got nutty. I couldn’t see through the trees very well but there was at least one more buck, a small forky. I think there was a third but I’m not positive. They forky started running the does around and then bigger buck came out of the trees and into the pasture behind me.
He was a giant of a buck for me. He was incredibly tall and pretty wide. A drop tine on each side. I think he was only a 6 point plus the drops, but he was a stud for sure. Not sure if he was old or just had a funky set of antlers.
He started to go back into the woods he came from and I did some calling. Bleat at first and then some grunts. He stood looking and I gave a couple snort wheeze. He then came further into the pasture and started pacing back and forth about 25 directly down wind of me. There was a tree concealing me, but I could see his hoofs most of the time.
This happed 2 or three different time. All the while I could hear the other deer running around and blowing. I thought for sure he was going to come in on a trail and give me a 5 yard shot. He ended up going all the way around me and back into the timber to the north of me and away from the other deer. Not long after 1 and maybe 2 does came into the pasture where the big buck went in.
I was hoping he was going to make a full loop but I never saw him again. I don’t know if he winded me and if he did, he didn’t act like it. If he didn’t wind me, I don’t know how. The wind went down and he was directly down wind of me.
It was a great hunt, and great experience. I have already forgotten about the past slow days. I’m taking my daughter out in the morning to the same tree. Hope we catch them coming back in.
The picture I was able to get doesn’t show him off well. He wouldn’t have scored worth a darn, but he is the coolest buck I have ever seen alive. I hope I get to fling an arrow in my sleep tonight.
First of the 3 does
First of the 3 does
Big buck, bad photo
Big buck, bad photo
When he would face me I was afraid to move and take a picture, but head on he was an impressive buck. Tomorrow?
Good luck tomorrow. Hopefully he’ll hang around tonight. Maybe your daughter will prove to be your good luck charm tomorrow. Hope so.
Me and my daughter are set up in the same spot I hunted last night. What a ruckus we made. We got a little moisture last night so the deer will be quiet and we can’t see far.
As I was typing this my daughter spotted deer. Two doe and a fawn. Came out behind us but were 10 yards. Fun way to start.
7:46. Doe just ran through. No buck chasing. Saw a coyote from where she came so that may be why she was running.
good start to your morning together!
We just had a 150” 10 point at 15 yard. Great mass. Anna heard him grunt and then he appeared in the pasture behind us. No shot.
We switched stands so I could try and clear a lane. I had to really reach for a branch and my stand kicked out from under me. Down I went. 15’ up and landed on a pile of dead branches. I’m ok and dodged one there.
If you don’t have fall restraints, GET THEM.
I have them and wear them. When we switched stands I was in a hurry and didn’t put it back on. Dumb move and I got away with one.
During a big wind gust yesterday, I heard a "ping" and my stand settled an inch or so.
Scared the hell out of me. Turns out the "batwing" bracket snapped in half.
You may only get lucky once. I hunted for years siting on tree limbs before anyone ever even thought of fall restraints. Looking back, it was pretty damn stupid. But at my age, I figure I used up all my good luck. You never know what might decide to give at any given moment, and you may not get a 2nd chance.
Oh, and am very glad you’re OK Sam. Shake it off and good luck.
Glad you’re ok, I’m sure the lesson is learned as you already stated.
Set up for the PM hunt. Solo tonight as my daughter got cold this morning and I think she is done for a while. Would have been incredible to shoot that buck with her. Maybe another day. Moved into the timber about 80 yards. Blowing hard but the trees are helping a lot. Supposed to calm down in about 1 hour.
5:06. Doe coming in from the south. Looks like a fawn. A deer snorted one in the pasture that I couldn’t see. Probably winded me.
6:38. Set up in the same spot as last night. I had a nice 8 point come through right at last light. No shot.
Almost no wind this morning and it’s feels extra quiet after the last few days of heavy wind. Duck hunters are at it early this morning morning, first shot heard was 20 before legal light.
Sure glad you’re okay...15ft is a whole lotta fall. Good luck today.
Glad you weren't hurt in the fall! Spot looks promising
3:26. I the same area I have been hunting since Friday. I didn’t see anything yesterday. I got down out of the tree around 10:00 and pushed my way south a little more. Found a great set of trails that lead to a scrape and I cleared out a space in a cedar and sat on the ground until 1:30. Nothing came by.
Up in a tree for the night and if I don’t shoot one, it will be next Saturday before I’m out again. What wind there is, is out of the south. I have a good approach in from the north so high hopes for this evening.
Sam….how did tonight’s hunt go? Hoping your hauling one out.
Nothing seen tonight. Back to work tomorrow and will hunt again Saturday.
I hunted had this past week. Saw minimal does and handful of bucks, but two of them were bruisers. Fell out of a tree and didn’t get hurt. Sat three times with my daughter and really had a fun time connecting with her. And thankful at the end of each day that I can leave my house and be hunting within a few minutes. We are all really blessed and I for one am thankful.
6:37. Sitting the private land this morning. Wind is supposed to be SE but it’s almost straight E here. Shouldn’t be too much of a problem. I’m sitting on the field edge where they have been coming out into the pasture. There is a small scrape to my left.
Yesterday morning my wife called on here way to work and said a big buck was hit on the road that boarders this property. I was hoping to see if it was one of the bucks I saw last week but someone had already cut the skull plate off by the time I got home.
Only able to hunt this morning and maybe tomorrow morning.
To my left.
To my left.
Woods look much different. All the leaves are finally off the hedge trees.
Go get em Sam. Good luck. I’ve seen a lot of bucks moving all day this week.
Landowner just started shooting. Not sure they know I’m hunting this morning. Not good.
6:48. Set up on the edge of timber that my daughter and I sat two weeks ago. Wind isn’t great for this spot so I hope I don’t get busted. Any East wind is good, but the deer should be coming from the North. Wind is NW so I should have a shot before I get winded.
Pretty cloudy this morning so it’s just now light enough to shoot. Church is at 10:15 so I need to be down by 9:30.
8:12. 2 does and a fawn just came from the pasture and into the timber. Headed straight east.
8:18. Doe and two fawn came into the timber in the same spot. Headed south. I’m tempted to jump down and sit at this spot.
8:23. Small forky south headed into timber. I’m getting down.
3:42. I’m ready to shoot a buck. New spot tonight. I came the the center of the property to set up for a North wind. Feel like this is a pretty good funnel. Creek to my back, probably the biggest elevation change in our county in front of me (50 ft elevation). Drawn meets up at the creek.
Your silhouette in the pictures is cool, hope the deer don’t see that too. Good luck
4:47. 3 does in the creek to my north. Very calm. Came upwind and stayed upwind. One of them blew twice and I’m sure it wasn’t at me. They are headed the wrong direction. All 3 looked like adults does.
5:31. Doe fawn came running in from the West. Nothing trailing her.
6:24. Here plenty early. Sitting the same stand as my last sit. This will be my first morning sit at this spot. Planning on hunting until 9:30 or so.
6:55. Nice buck just ran by at 20 yards. Stopped behind a tree. No shot available.
Got down at 9:30 and when I was packing up I spooked a deer to my north across the creek. Not sure what it was, but it was blowing like crazy. Not sure if I’m going out tonight.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.
Back out tonight. Same stand. Left it out so very easy to get to. No expectations tonight. Quiet and very pleasant.
5:12. Doe just ran by, tongue hanging out of her mouth. I could see where she came from and another deer was coming. Now off the hook and ready! Spiker trying to get frisky.
5:42. 115” 8 just came in. Very tempted but I did not shoot.
6:36. Same private property I have been hunting the last few days. I’m in a new spot that I have been excited to sit. I found a very well used trail with a nice scrape. I’m sitting in a cedar tree 15 yards north of the trail. I’m expecting the deer to come from my right and out of the creek, but with a South wind I am safe from pretty much any area they may come from.
6:56. Three does just came from the pasture to my left. A small basket rack 6 or 8 was chasing and grunting like crazy. The does split up in front of me and the buck was running all over. Pretty exciting. The went into the creek to my right.
Good looking well used deer trail you are set-up on. Gotta believe a cruiser the size you wanna take will come by soon. Hopefully before gun season starts. Keep’on A Hunt’in!
3:38. Back out for the evening. Sitting the same tree as this morning. Curious to see how this spot is for the evening.
4:56. Doe fawn came in from the south.
5:33. Spike chasing does around. Fun to watch
Watching, and hoping the right one comes by this weekend bud!
Stay after it, you’re not the only one still grinding. :)
Yep , still hoping the right one steps out in front of you.
Nothing else tonight. Saw a handful of does and I enjoyed watching the little spike run around. Kind of hit the wall tonight and decided to take the morning off. They have been pretty slow and I’m a single dad for the weekend. Not sure what I’m going to do tomorrow evening and I’ll be thinking about it during the day.
3:58. I’ve been mixing it up between two stands the last few days. Getting pretty spoiled not setting a stand up every time. I’m on the south edge of the creek and have seen deer the last two sits at this spot.
I took the long way in to scout the west side of this property. Found a pretty good spot for a north wind. If it’s blowing out of the north tomorrow, I will try it out. Saw a covey of quail while I was walking in. They just ran off into the brush and I could watch them run around for a bit. That was pretty cool.
5:22. Four does came from the west. Hit my trail and veered to the South. The same spike that was chasing last night is trailing them. He has a 6” time on his right side and a tiny fork on his left.
6:37. Set up about 125 yards from my stand last night. I’m on the South side of the creek with some timber behind me. Scrape and rub just to my left. I’m about 15 up in a fairly small tree. The map photo doesn’t show it, but it’s pretty overgrown behind me.
Middle
Middle
Left
Left
That's a good looking spot, stick one!
Good luck Jhawk, good looking area there. I’ll be back after it this afternoon.
Doe and twins on the north side of the creek. Two spikes following. One was the spike I have seen in three different spots now. He is very distinct.
I think it’s the bottom of the ninth for me. My wife gave me the dreaded look and said “you’re going hunting again.” I will probably shoot a few does with a rifle, but tonight is probably the last night with my bow.
Sitting the same stand as last night. Hopefully the spike I have been seeing has his grandpa along this time.
On a side note, I had a good conversation with this landowner at church today. They are retired and travel for months at a time. We have been watching their place while they are gone. They leased their place in the past and the previous people junked it up in my opinion (broken ladder stand, crappy plywood box blind tipped over and some other trash left out). I’m very confident we are going to work out a long term deal that we are both happy with. I’ll always have my public ground but I’m excited to learn this property more. I’ve also never ran a camera before, so for Christmas I’m going to get a few.
Enjoying what you’ve shared, Jhawk.
Know that look all too well. Good job making the connection with the landowner, have had same conversation with many of them with bad experiences from the pay to hunt folks
Great lost hope it all works out.
Do deer make sheep sounds? The only livestock on this section are sheep and they are almost a mile from where I’m at. I just heard what sounded like a sheep but it sounded pretty close, maybe a couple hundred yards. Almost guaranteed it wasn’t from the guys place that has sheep.
Yeah, I haven’t heard it to often, but I’ve seen young fawns bah where the doe had been shot. I seen them walk around the woods for 2 or 3 days bah like a lost baby looking for their momma.
Not a deer was seen tonight. Hunted hard, saw a bunch of dinks, a handful of 110-125 and two close encounters with mature bucks. I doubt I’ll be back out with my bow and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed. Thanks for following along and I knew I had a bunch of guys rooting for me tonight.
Thanks for taking us along, and remember it ain't over til...
Take a break and see how you feel in a week or two, a whole month of archery left.
Shot one of my best deer December 26th. Rifle hunters on all sides of me and only a few pictures of him in three years
I dropped a small buck with a spine shot once and he sounded exactly like a sheep. I bailed out of the tree and shot him again. I'll never forget the sound. Some of my best hunts are late December.
Lots of time left, if you are able to slip out a time or two, but it’s very important to keep your wife happy.
