Poke 'Em
Well-known member
I headed out for a quick hunt after work. My plan was to make a big circle to get to the downwind side of a draw that I know deer funnel through. I made a good trek to the fenceline that marked the boundary between public and private, and then headed down the fenceline with plans to set up on this draw. As I approached the draw, I veered off the fenceline about 30 yards, with plans to set up where there was some cover and start glassing. I just got to the edge of the draw, when 4 bucks busted out of the bottom. They had been bedded in the 30 yards between me and the fenceline, and when they busted they crossed over onto private. They ran off about 150 yards, and stood there and looked at me, about 20 yards on the wrong side of the boundary. One of them piqued my interest.
After what seemed like an eternity, they slowly made their way over the ridge and out of sight. While they were still on private when they disappeared, they looked like they might head back onto the public, so I dropped down and crossed the draw to the next ridgeline. When I picked them up, they were joined by another 3-4 bucks and a half dozen does. I watched the largest buck from the first group stand broadside at 300 yards, but I thought I had caught a glimpse of a larger buck when I came over the ridge that had disappeared before I got glass on him. Unsure if there was a larger buck, I sat tight until eventually they whole group got wise to me and disappeared over the next ridge. The larger buck I thought I had seen turned out to not be as big as the first buck, but by the time I realized that, the first buck was on his way out of range. At this point I still wasn't sure I wanted to take this buck, but every time he disappeared over a ridgeline I couldn't help but follow.
So I hoofed it down another draw and up another ridge. I caught up to them again, and they were 600 yards away at this point. Not moving quickly, but they were beyond where I felt comfortable shooting, and there was no good way for me to close the gap. So I watched the herd move up the next ridgeline over, when this buck stopped right as the sunlight hit his antlers. While he wasn't the biggest buck, watching him stand there on the ridgeline with the sun shining off his antler tips, I decided I was going to try to take him.
Once again, I hoofed it down a draw and back up the other side. When I got to the top of the next ridge, I found the group in the top of a draw. The biggest buck disappeared down out of sight, but after 5-10 minutes came back up at 404 yards.
After what seemed like an eternity, they slowly made their way over the ridge and out of sight. While they were still on private when they disappeared, they looked like they might head back onto the public, so I dropped down and crossed the draw to the next ridgeline. When I picked them up, they were joined by another 3-4 bucks and a half dozen does. I watched the largest buck from the first group stand broadside at 300 yards, but I thought I had caught a glimpse of a larger buck when I came over the ridge that had disappeared before I got glass on him. Unsure if there was a larger buck, I sat tight until eventually they whole group got wise to me and disappeared over the next ridge. The larger buck I thought I had seen turned out to not be as big as the first buck, but by the time I realized that, the first buck was on his way out of range. At this point I still wasn't sure I wanted to take this buck, but every time he disappeared over a ridgeline I couldn't help but follow.
So I hoofed it down another draw and up another ridge. I caught up to them again, and they were 600 yards away at this point. Not moving quickly, but they were beyond where I felt comfortable shooting, and there was no good way for me to close the gap. So I watched the herd move up the next ridgeline over, when this buck stopped right as the sunlight hit his antlers. While he wasn't the biggest buck, watching him stand there on the ridgeline with the sun shining off his antler tips, I decided I was going to try to take him.
Once again, I hoofed it down a draw and back up the other side. When I got to the top of the next ridge, I found the group in the top of a draw. The biggest buck disappeared down out of sight, but after 5-10 minutes came back up at 404 yards.
