Alabama deer 2024

[utah400elk]

Well…three days left in the season and I am back in the tree. It’s 72° with 69% humidity and a 15 mph north east wind. I decided to try again this afternoon and tomorrow morning. Super Bowl party tomorrow night and work on Monday. I have seen a couple really good bucks out cruising this week so I am hunting doe hot spots today and tomorrow.

As a diehard elk hunter I really trust my nose. On the way in, I have fresh big buck tracks near my stand and could definitely smell rutty deer. Fingers crossed for a big buck to step out in daylight.

This guy as watching me climb into my stand.

 

[utah400elk]

The doe hot spot is working..kind of. Does are out and feeding in range. Just need a big buck to come by to check them. According to the biologist, the vast majority of the deer in this region of Alabama are bred this week.

 

[Dave N]

Today is the day!

 

[utah400elk]

I am finally feeling better. It’s just nice to be in the stand again. Today is muzzleloader. I have two does @ 100 yards feeding. It’s sunny and the wind is in my face. There are usually three does in this group and I have patterned them all season. Just hope the third is with a buck still waiting to step out.

 

[utah400elk]

 

[utah400elk]

Five doe in the field with 20 min left for the night.

 

[utah400elk]

So close but…

Things developed quickly. I had the two doe out in front of me and about a half hour before sunset three more doe fed into the field to my right. Right at sunset, I could here a buck grunting behind me in the trees. A couple of the does started running around the field like crazy. The two groups came together about 15 yards in front of my stand. A third group of three doe also fed out to my right. I could hear the buck running around behind my stand but as light was fading I could not see him. About 25 minutes after sunset a huge buck walked into the field to my far left…about 200 yards out. He was easily over 140. He started along the field edge towards the does in front of my stand. There were too many branches in the way for any kind of shot. At about 125 yards he turned into the trees. He started grunting and ran at the other buck behind my stand.

I could hear them chasing each other around a big buck (definitely a shooter) ended up about 30 yards behind my stand in the trees. I am not sure which one it was. I could see his outline with my binos but no matter how hard I tried, I could not find him in my scope.

I gave a last ditch grunt, snort, wheeze to try and draw him into the field. He stood his ground for 3-4 minutes then charged into the field grunting and chasing the does everywhere. It was past shooting time and to dark to see much.

I gave it a fair bit of time as I heard him moving off to my south. I quietly climbed down and left.

Awesome night that was very close but…no deer harmed tonight. Just a little bit of a bruised ego. Super glad I went back out. Tomorrow morning will be my last deer hunt for this season.