Got about as close as you can get and not be able to sling an arrow tonight. Evening started pretty slow, with the wet ground it was hard to listen for movement, not good for a guy who hunts with his ears more than his eyes. At one point around 445 or so I could hear some movement and could have sworn I heard a grunt. So I figured I’d try grunting back to see if I got a response. Nope. Fast forward to about 545 and I decide I’m going to beat the horns together for a bit. Just in case there is one close I don’t know about I started with just some grunts. After waiting a few minutes I was just getting ready to crack the horns and I catch movement up the draw I’m in about 60 yards out. Here comes a 1 year old 8 point coming in my general direction. As he works his way in I also notice he has a Martian friend (spike). The 8 point kept coming, right to the base of my tree. He looks up at me but doesn’t spook, then starts walking up the hillside to my right. Keeping an eye on him so he doesn’t bust me I swivel my head back left to find the martian, still standing down in the bottom of the draw, about 30 yards away. Finally after his buddy is already up and over the top of the hill he let’s out a few grunts and starts heading up the hill too, walking directly under my stand also. He looked up at me a few times as well, didn’t spook but didn’t really leave me much room to move (I was still sitting and bow on the hanger). Now is when all heck breaks loose. When the spike is about 25 yards or so to my right (the ‘off’ side for me to shoot mind you) all of a sudden there is a rustling of leaves farther up the draw and then a very load, very deep grunt. In comes charging Mr big, making a b line for the spike. As he gets close to the spike all the hair on his back stands up and he starts doing that stiff legged walk they do when posturing. Holy cow I thought, I’m about to witness this buck kill this little guy. Taking advantage of the distraction I get my bow in hand and position myself try and stand up if the opportunity presents. Well, the little guy saw me but after a brief stare down he goes back to concentrating on the big boy who is now nearly nose to nose with him. No big fight ensued though, he gave him one ‘love tap’ and they just stood there looking at each other for what felt like an eternity. Eventually the big guy just trotted off back the way he came, the small buck is still there so I didn’t dare move or try a grunt to bring the big guy back. After about 15 minutes the spike had finally wandered up and over the hill and then I tried a sequence of grunts just hoping the big guy was still in earshot and wanted to come back for round 2. He didn’t though and it got dark soon after.
Even though I didn’t get a chance to try and get a shot at the big guy, it sure was nice to have that rush again (first bucks I’ve seen this season). Would have been nice for Mr big to charge in before the spike crossed over to my off side, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. I had been thinking about bringing my pov camera with me for the evening hunt but decided not to, really wish I had now. Bucks are getting tuned up, this phase is personally my favorite as bucks are, in my opinion, the most receptive to calling. Once they start chasing in another week or so all bets are off it seems.
Tomorrow is another day.
