FFS
Had been on the road for two weeks and was chompin at the bit to be in the woods! Jumped in truck #1 and made it about 10mi when I get yet another dash light, and she's starts getting hot. Ran back and swapped everything to #2, so I finally just got set up.
I'm in basically an observation stand this morning N of Argonia, but I brought "Brandon the Boss" in case I need to coax one in from afar.
It's around 40° and wind from the ENE but very light. Let's see if they're up on their feet this morning.
Young 8 just snuck in from my downwid side. Was apprehensive about Brandon and is circling way N now.
Couldn't get focused on him with the phone...just a deer.
Super heavy wide 8 just skirted me to the E. I grunted and he was coming, but hit the trail of the doe's from earlier and headed that direction.
This picture doesn't do him justice, hoping he swings back through...not a buck I'd shoot, but would like to see him up close.
Thanks fellas, good to be back in KS!
Number four for the morning here, goofy young 7pt. Came through my wind and went on N, he never saw Brandon and I didn't call to him.
I had rattled a few minutes earlier, not sure if it brought him my way or not honestly
Ha Jason. I shoulda gone "DB Cooper" on that flight! First time on Frontier and I gotta tell ya them seats ain't made for a Samsquanch like me!
Funny, my buddy and I won over 6k on slots in around 3hrs...I have a system ;)
Back at the truck, going to pull a few cards and try another spot tonight. Good luck all, and safe travels N Shane!
Good luck and safe hunting Kyle.
Set up tonight NW of Harper in a little Woodlot, been here almost an hour screwing around with my GoPro...technical challenges.
Already had a doe and fawn come through E of me in the thick stuff.
45° or so, wind is very light, supposed to be SE but almost directly out of the W right now. It's just gonna have to work.
I was just E of Attica at noon Matte, saw nothing but sure a good day for movement overall.
Tried to post that comment with a picture for 30min...no go
Had a pretty nice 10pt sneak in around 4:45. He postured, made scrapes, did several "wheeze's" but no "snort", out W of Brandon.
Got some good footage, will have to post later. He's moved on now, hoping his daddy swings by
Rattled and caught movement coming in behind me...heavy 8. Then a doe came running in behind him and he followed, no pics of him.
I had heard them chasing out on ylthe wheat to my West, he was grunting so I thought I'd see if he'd swing this way...kinda worked.
She eventually came in directly behind and below my stand. Stared at Brandon for a few minutes and then wandered off to the East
Basket 8 just swung through...he was headed right for Brandon but a truck coming down the road E of the property spooked him. Tried to get him on film and failed.
Good luck!
You know, if you didn't drive rigs with 356,345,112 miles, you wouldn't have that "low coolant" crap as often! (I drive them until they drop, too. Fella can afford a lot of repair bills, and hunting gear, for what's saved in payments, insurance, taxes...
On the ground this morning, SW of Argonia, you've been here many times. Wind is light but SW and will be picking up out of the S. Trying to attract anything working this corridor along the creek...it's around 45° and still overcast.
Mike is set up on my spot near Attica, hope they're moving as much or more than yesterday!
Was sitting here not paying attention and this little button buck came in trying to befriend Brandon. Was within 15' at one point...perty neat
Yesterday was non-stop action but today is just NON
It's lockdown ;?)
Three bucks at around 300yds to the NW. Spike, forky, and a good looking 8...all walking single file on the edge of the wheat.
I rattled to see if the older one might be interested but no, he looked but kept on their path. Huge bedding area up there, I think it's nap time.
Button buck, forky, and a 5pt just paid a visit. The 5pt laid its ears back and headed towards Brandon but stopped short. Button is still here staring at me and chewing his cud.
and another 5pt, didn't stick around long
Out, will see about something different tonight.
All set here SE of Argonia, Mike and I are hunting the same farm tonight. He went in early and set a stand W of mine...I'm shaking off a nap.
Several new scrapes along this field edge walking in and bunches of tracks out on the new wheat. We both brought our HUD's for this hunt.
Wind has picked up, gusting to 15mph or so out of the S and it's around 55°...let's see what cometh
That was quick...two doe's just came out onto the wheat 100yds S of me
The big doe that just entered the wheat is coming straight for my HUD...usually not a good sign
Crazytown...
Count got to 15 doe's and fawns out front in the last 10min. The Matriarch finally had enough of the HUD and took'm South
Yea, no shortage here. Ten of them are back out now
I'd have sure thought with all those doe's there'd be a buck or two...wrong.
Manana
Manana!
I’ll be out after ‘em for the next three days. Hoping for safe, and successful hunting for all of us!
Quick question on your use of Brandon. Do you have any trouble with him wanting to sniff the juvenile does? LOL
Brandon has a "don't ask don't smell" policy buddy ;?)
Set up SE of Argonia on the ground tonight. This is the spot where the Big 6 lived last year, and for various reasons I stopped hunting the spot. Let's just say it ended with me winning a Hunter Harassment conviction and a Protection from Stalking order.
Anywho, this is my first hunt here this year and my camera has been on the fritz...no idea if he made it through last year. I'm in a little strip of willows and cedars across from a huge bedding area/river bottom riddled with plum thickets.
Right when I sat down I felt a sharp pain on the right side of my chest. Some kind of little ant had made it into my shirt and bit me. I'm telling you that 15min later it still hurts? It was black and that's about all I can tell ya, but never had an ant bite like this?
South wind is starting to die down a little, was gusting over 20 but will be under 10 by sundown. It's in the mid 50's now, and though I'd hoped it would stay overcast, the sun is full on right now.
I'll see deer tonight, just hope I see the "right one"!
Nothing out yet, but there's some sparring goin on in one of the thickets across from me.
Come out come out whatever you are!
Young 8 just entered field 200yds S of me, and there's a doe & fawn out 300yds N...that's it so far
Not tonight, reckon I'll have to try again tomorrow
At my Caldwell spot, connection issues, will post later...hopefully in blood
Can you give a little detail on this?
Thanks and welcome back Conner, hope it's sunny and 75 in your world buddy! Hey Tom, I can, maybe more about that later when in a better cell.
I rattled in a "nub buck" at sunrise, seen nothing else. Mike and his boy Gabe are at my Attica spot and are seeing deer, nothing close yet. Would be a great day for another first!
Deer are definitely moving in Miami County.
Good luck to you this year.
Thanks Ryan, there is and was a ton of video evidence. The Game Warden said it was one of the easiest cases he'd ever been involved with. No fights however.
I was sure thinkin they'd filter in to the timber from the wheat this morning...maybe I should leave the thinkin to someone else :?)
Oh, wait, I did.
Well handled Kyle.
Out. Gonna meet the boys for lunch. Good luck if you're after'm this weekend!
Gonna be dang near 67 here today too, and over 70 the next two days...boo!
I'm set up on the ground tonight in a bowl SE of Argonia...not far from my spot last night but neighboring farm.
Several fresh scrapes walking in, and a few small rubs. Never done any good in this spot, but always considered it a "sleeper"...we shall see.
Wind's picked up out of the S gusting to 20 or so but I've got a bunch of timber blocking the majority. Mike and Gabe are only a mile or so away...still hoping for a first!
Still a "sleeper" spot, dead in fact. But yea we whooped'm again didn't we Chris!
Went Crappie hunting Sunday, and had to catch up some "work stuff" yesterday. Not so hot on the fish, they were angry that day but kept 9.
So I'm set up this morning in the stand I killed my buck out of in 2018. Cut bean field with a big bank to the river behind me.
Hoping to catch a "cruiser"! Wind is light out of the NE, and it's around 50°...good to be alive.
Thanks Travis. No movement, nothing on the beans so far, but this cool N wind sure feels good!
Big bodied buck about 300yds N and headed E. I rattled but not sure he could even hear me. Behind trees now...
Had to get down, got a little somethin I need to take care of. Back this afternoon, and I'll be chasin birds either way Matt ;?)
So it's almost 3pm and I'm fixin to head into my spot W of Caldwell. Gonna be on the ground under a cedar I cut out a month ago or so...and I'm taking Brandon...let's go!
Wanton waste anyone
Y’all too busy trespassing to harvest it right?
Scared to get bloody.
Real sporting guys!
Two sides to every Shito tail fan club.
Most of these guys know me, and they know my ethics. Sadly they have learned yours as well. The Protection from Stalking order isn't a joke Roger, and you're going to understand that very soon.
Gonna be a shame to watch you crying again in court.
Didn’t the judge tell you not to talk about the neighbors?? Screen shots really, I need to teach you you how to use a computer too.
I caint really help ya on that.
Mr. Babin I’m still waiting on the story that I know you were wanting to tell. I know you feel bad but rise above this. Trust me I did something that wasn’t good up there but I had to get it out so it maybe could help somebody else out if they ever found their selves in that situation. Now this looks like a deer to shoot...but maybe the shot went a little wrong which I know all about that too. Would love to hear about the hunt on this deer and what transpired. Love to hear what is happening with people and what their thinking right before the shot so it might help me with my shot selection in the future.
At this point his head was down feeding. Two quick grunts and he locked onto the decoy 35 yds out front of me. He came in on a string. Ears pinned down, bristled up, and comimg to put little Scarface in his place. He was less than 20 yds when I anticipated him to continue to the shooting lane visible in the marked up photo for a chip shot. But alas, he stopped. I'm holding full draw waiting for a couple more steps that never came.
Instead this guy jumped back away from the decoy and went back the way he came, stopping at 52 yards for what seemed an eternity. I figured I'd at least take a couple pix and grainy film to account seeing something good.
He dropped down into a bowl from the wheat field, presumably out of my life, and just another oh so close moment with a great Kansas buck. Had to try something, so I hit the grunt tube followed by a snort wheeze. Only about 5 mins legal light at this point. I heard slow, deliberate steps behind the stand, but there is really only one small gap and shooting lane. With the drop off I'm probably 25 feet up, and just over 20 yards away.
To my amazement he came to the gap. I simultaneously stopped him with my best mouth grunt, while drawing. Quick realization of the steep angle, I aimed a bit higher than normal and hugged the shoulder, and sent it. He did a 180, and I could see my lighted nock going with him.
After recovering today, he was quartering to me much more than I realized in limited light. Questionable shot in hindsight, but I really thought he was nearly broadside. 450 grain arrow, at 275 ft/s, tipped with Grim Reaper mini mag hit just behind shoulder, angling down and back exited out far side gut doing all sorts of nasty things to his vitals in between. Honestly I have no qualms about the shot placement. It went right where it needed to go for his position. Arrow stayed in him through about 800 zig zagging yards through some nasty thick stuff all the to the river where we recovered this morning with the help of tracker. There was very little blood, only smears on tall grass every 20-40 yds until the river, which I believe is the only spot he ever stopped. No way we find him without help of dog.
I sat a stand on the other side of the river this morning, we'd already communicated about the hit and tracker. At first light I looked over my right shoulder and saw a green light on the edge of the river, I honestly thought it was a trail cam or other surveillance set up on the property line with this character. My intent was to go and check it out when I got down, then I got a message that the tracker was on his way so I packed up and headed over to meet them. It was the nock.
16' up I'd remembered a time when this person would see me in this stand, park at our entrance, and wait for me to come out and we'd shoot the s***. We talked every time I was down there and saw each other, on the road, at the edge of a field, at his cabin. I remembered taking him elk meat, halibut from AK, letting him use a trail cam for a season as he'd never had one at that point. I was sitting in a stand I'd let his nephew hunt(he's on here too), in fact I believe he killed a nice 10pt out of that very stand? I thought about the times I'd walked across that river in the dark to get to a stand this person had set up on our property. I'd found it and I told him it was ok, but I was also going to hunt it....we were friends
I never changed. I just want to hunt, and I will.
Kyle, everyone here knows how much you give back to our passion, especially the kids. Remember, that is why we help you out when we can. You make most of us look self-centered. Keep up the good work, and I feel your pain. It has really slowed down on my farm. Best wishes.
The character I have seen here from “land-owner” says everything about him. Someone needs to get a life. I despise dudes like this. Anyone who would stand in the way of a guy recovering a deer is a POS.
Congrats on a nice buck.
I left a buck overnight last year in much cooler weather and I didn’t even get to see the meat the next morning. Coyotes licked the carcass clean... never seen anything like it. Still pissed about it.
Gonna be honest, the amount of hate and snide comments I’ve seen on this site in the past couple weeks turns my stomach.
As a landowner I understand the feeling of learning of a buck you’ve watched killed over a corn pile by a neighboring “hunter”... pisses you off. Still can’t do anything about it.
As a landowner, I also understand the feeling of learning of a buck you’ve watched killed by someone who actually gave a dang and hunted... pure joy for the other fellow. Maybe a little jealousy, but still happy for the other guy.
Rather than make yourself look foolish on a public forum... Best thing you can do is go complain to a best friend and keep your emotions to yourself. Last piece of advise and I say this with a pure heart... get over it dbag.
