landphil
11-28-2010, 09:31 PM
I was out in region 3 today, looking for the elusive 4pt mulie. Went to spot I know is good for mulies, a large cut block with a couple different roads winding throught it. in about h the middle there was a decent sized blow-down across the road, so I decided I'd sit a while, eat my lunch, and proceed on foot, rather than firing up the saw and scaring every living creature away.
After about 5 minutes, I spotted a deer at the top of the ridge across the block - grab binos, one doe, two doe, a BUCK! Not a monster, but looked to be roughly big enough to be a 4 pt. I was not able to count points due to branches and the distance - about 600 yards, another reason I had to get closer.
The wind was in my favor - straight from them to me, and I put some deer piss perfume on anyway. I sat and waited until they stopped staring at me and went back to feeding, not just "fake" feeding. After a bit the buck bedded down, while the does kept feeding. I figured this was my best chance to try to close some distance.
I started up the near side of the draw, angling toward them, stopping every 40 ft or so and checking on them with the binos. After I made it about 80 yards form the truck, the buck got up, and all three trotted over the ridge - far from flat-out spooked and not bounding.
I decided to keep closing distance, in a direct line now, the wind still favorable, and them out of sight. I knew the area behind the top of the ridge was open for about 150-200 yards (and conveniently one road ends up back there) When crested tthe ridge, I was watching closely for any signs of deer, found the bucks bed, and soon spotted one doe about 80 yards away and increasing, then she stopped and looked at me for a while. There was no sign of the other two deer anywhere. After a bit she had enough and took off. I spotted her two more times the last being about 10 minutes long, used my grunt tube numerous times, but still could not see the others. She seemed to be looking for them as well, and wandered off. I walked back out to the truck at the end of shooting light, and never did see the other two again - just two grouse that decided to startle the crap out of me.
Obviously a good spotter would have let me count points, but I still would have had to close more distance for a shot. Any suggestion for better results? Should I have tried to go around the ridge rather than over with the wind in my favour? Or, stayed put and tried to call or rattle him in? Thanks for any helpfull advice.
After about 5 minutes, I spotted a deer at the top of the ridge across the block - grab binos, one doe, two doe, a BUCK! Not a monster, but looked to be roughly big enough to be a 4 pt. I was not able to count points due to branches and the distance - about 600 yards, another reason I had to get closer.
The wind was in my favor - straight from them to me, and I put some deer piss perfume on anyway. I sat and waited until they stopped staring at me and went back to feeding, not just "fake" feeding. After a bit the buck bedded down, while the does kept feeding. I figured this was my best chance to try to close some distance.
I started up the near side of the draw, angling toward them, stopping every 40 ft or so and checking on them with the binos. After I made it about 80 yards form the truck, the buck got up, and all three trotted over the ridge - far from flat-out spooked and not bounding.
I decided to keep closing distance, in a direct line now, the wind still favorable, and them out of sight. I knew the area behind the top of the ridge was open for about 150-200 yards (and conveniently one road ends up back there) When crested tthe ridge, I was watching closely for any signs of deer, found the bucks bed, and soon spotted one doe about 80 yards away and increasing, then she stopped and looked at me for a while. There was no sign of the other two deer anywhere. After a bit she had enough and took off. I spotted her two more times the last being about 10 minutes long, used my grunt tube numerous times, but still could not see the others. She seemed to be looking for them as well, and wandered off. I walked back out to the truck at the end of shooting light, and never did see the other two again - just two grouse that decided to startle the crap out of me.
Obviously a good spotter would have let me count points, but I still would have had to close more distance for a shot. Any suggestion for better results? Should I have tried to go around the ridge rather than over with the wind in my favour? Or, stayed put and tried to call or rattle him in? Thanks for any helpfull advice.