Bittersweet Success

Went hunting yesterday in the pouring rain. Around first light I caught the glimpse of something moving in the brush. It didnt take long to realize that it was a buck and then I hunkered down and waited for the shot. The deer eventually moved out into my foodplot and worked his way towards me. I thought for sure he would bust me at any minute because the wind kicked up and was swirling but much to my amazement he just kept comin. Finally at 20yds he turned broadside and gave me that dream shot. As soon as I released the arrow I knew it was a good shot and I heard the impact. The buck took a couple of jumps and then stopped short of edge of the plot and started walking into a thicket. I gave him 30 minutes during which the rain just got worse and then got down and retrieved my blood covered arrow. All was good up until this point, but the rain had washed any trace of a blood trail away. I headed in the direction I last saw him and started making ever widening circles. Nothing. I was down and out. Well I went back today and started walking lines back and forth and searching more methodically and thank the lord I FOUND him! I apologize ahead of time for the pics in the bed of my truck (and its a little cluttered) but its a pic all the same and one I never thought I'd get to take.
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MTWillie
I have to ask...

What do people get out of using food plots? It's not hunting, sorry. It's sitting and waiting.

For the people that hunt for the meat, that's fine. Because I know of a lot of people that do it for does only. But I can't stand buck hunting from them.
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camodup
As long as their aint a huge a fence, and the critters aint created in a lab, i dont care how ya got him.

Nice buck, great story, and thanks for sharing! :thumb
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Default Avatar
"MTWillie" wrote:I have to ask...

What do people get out of using food plots? It's not hunting, sorry. It's sitting and waiting.

For the people that hunt for the meat, that's fine. Because I know of a lot of people that do it for does only. But I can't stand buck hunting from them.
This could get ugly... That's like saying people who shoot deer at 300 yrds plus is not hunting either. Really no fair chase in that. Our friends shoot big elk each year on the same hill, at 700 yrds. IMO that is not hunting at all.

With whitetail u either hunt near where they eat or hunt the trails where there walk to eat.

I got my whitetail buck spotting and stalking, but when I saw him he was eating, guess I am a food plot hunter too
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On this particular peice of property its pretty much the only way to hunt it. My wifes parents land was logged about 8 years ago and then it was pretty much let go, which means that the entire thing is about 10ft high of briars, brush and small trees. Its almost impossible to walk through much less hunt so I cut a few 1/2acre openings and planted some stuff to keep the brush down and make it remotely usable. The rest of the places we hunt here in VA are what some would call "Big Woods" where you can pattern deer and place your stands on trails and near bedding areas. This part of the country is not a spot and stalk friendly area, for one most property is less than 100 acres, and in a lot of cases not more than 10 and walking around is the best way to get shot buy your neighbor who posted up about 10ft from your property line. To each his own though and don't get me wrong I want to come out West and try my hand at some muleys, elk and lope.
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Springville Shooter
Hunting foodplots, shooting long range, hunting on private property, whatever floats your boat. People who come on here and put down others for doing what they personally love bugs me a little. I celebrate the differences we have or we would all be hunting the same season at the same place. Nice buck you got there and I would like to see a certain someone go back east and try to use "western" tactics on an eastern whitetail. Good luck ever seeing one. I agree with the notion that as long as there are no fences involved it's all good. Thanks for sharing your story. I'll take the heat for the long shots cause I take em and I like it. I have actually hiked AWAY from a buck to get to a yardage that I wanted to shoot......cause I wanted to and I have the equipment and expertise to so so......and that's what makes it fun for me.-------SS
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camodup
](*,) +1

I agree 10 fold shooter.

You always know the words to say.
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killerbee
to each they're own, great job BIGD on sticking with it. :thumb we had a similer experiance this weekend( i'll post tonight) but it's VERY tough in a big rain storm. thats awsome your efforts paid off.

as far as the food plot comment- for someone with 10 posts to their name, to try and call out another guy on the WWW, is kinda low. i cant stand roadhunting, but alot of guys do it. i cant stand guys shooting 60+ yrds with their bow- but alot of guys do it. as long as your haveing fun great!

thanks for sharing :thumb
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Thank you guys for comments, and support.
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Hiker
Nice buck, Good job!
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a_bow_nut
Good job on recovering the buck.

Personal I feel that if your against a certain type of hunting then you should be against it across the board. How is it ok for one kind of hunter but not the next just based on the sex of the animal?

Not getting after anyone. Just curious what makes you think that way.
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Tonoonyi
Excellent job sticking with it until you had him recovered. That seperates the hunters from the rest.
10sign:
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Huge29
I have an associate in the Fairfax area who hunts the southern part of the state with dogs, definitely much different than what I am used to, but given the territory that is about the only way to get them out there. They don't have centerfire as an option there. I don't have any problem with that. I think that would be pretty cool to put in all of the prep time and see it all come together. Congrats!
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Someone needs to tell Michael Waddell, Lee and Tiffany, and all the other hunting show hosts they are not hunting, they are "sitting and waiting". I myself prefer western hunting-spot and stalk, still hunting, glassing, and even road hunting occasionally. But if I'm hunting whitetails in the East put me in a tree stand over a food plot or travel corridor. Everybody has there preferred method of hunting, the important part is they are "hunting".

'
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AGCHAWK
Great buck and a great ending!! CONGRATS
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