A HOT one, Bow Hunting in ND

Well, I finally made it up to ND this past weekend to do a little bow hunting and man was it HOT on Saturday. I rolled into Kindred, ND about 12:30 am on Saturday morning. I found my bed and quickly tried to make the best of my short sleep. Well, I laid down but could not sleep due to the excitement of my first sit in ND. I finally dozed off just after 3 and 5 am came too quickly. However, when that alarm went off I popped out of bed like a kid at Christmas and started my ritual of being as scent free as possible by hitting the shower. After getting everything ready Paul and I headed to the “Pines” a farm that we both love to hunt and always holds a few decent deer each year. After getting upwind of the truck and pulling out our clothes bag and gear we got dressed and did not take long as it was fairly nice out and not many clothes were needed. After spraying each other and our equipment down with scent eliminating spray we headed to our stands. I was excited at first, but then as we were walking I had a flashback of last time I hunted this farm last January and the buck I hit too far back and never recovered. So I asked Paul again if that buck was ever found and he replied no and we both know this area gets very heavily swept from shed hunters. So that made me feel better and just like a good corner back in the NFL, my short memory of a bad situation was gone and my confidence was restored.

Well, that first morning was the best sit of all 3 I had this past weekend. We chose to sit in some very productive stands that we have had some great encounters in the past with. They were located in between a food source (corn) and 2 bedding areas. One is a big timber and the other is the pines itself. This area has some real cool topography as little ravines and deep draws are right on the edge of this property and the deer tend to funnel in them. Well we got to our stands with plenty of time to get in and let things settle down. This morning was fairly cool compared to the rest of the weekend and with the moisture from all the rain there was a fog haze. The haze was kind of cool looking and mysterious. The other good thing the moisture and rain made the woods real quiet and hard to hear anything. Made for easy and stealthy access and to the stands. Well shortly after shooting light I had my first encounter and what an encounter it was. I first noticed the narrow but heavy racked 8 pointer that popped out of nowehre as he was looking in my direction about 50 yards out. He then turned back looking away from me and I really got to see his mass. He then stepped behind some trees/brush with another buck that with the haze I did not get a good luck at. About 10 minutes later I look back and just to the right where I saw those two bucks they stepped out into my shooting lane. This time they were about 20 yards closer and I got a better look at the other buck that I now nicknamed Freak Nasty Jr. This buck is a very unique and weird looking buck. He had a main frame 10, with a few extra points coming off. However this buck was probably only 14 inches wide, but very tall, gnarly with decent mass. What made this buck even more interesting was his VERY long brow tines. I would estimate them to be around the 8 inch mark. Looking at this buck made my heart race, but I knew this was an immature buck and not a shooter for me. It appeared this buck was 2.5 perhaps 3.5 years old. Very well could be the off spring to the 22 pointer that was harvested by a local a few years back that I had encountered about 23 months ago on this very farm. So from this day forward he will be known as Freak Nasty Jr. and hoping to call him just Freak Nasty one day. How big was this buck??? Not exactly sure, but if he can make it one or two more seasons he will be a BRUSIER and a buck I will be keeping my eye out for the coming yers. These two bucks finally worked out of range and down out of sight into an area we call the “bowl”. The rest of that morning was quite uneventful as only a few does and fawns worked past my stand.

Saturday nights sit was interesting as it was blazing hot (87 degrees) but you could feel something was about to shift. Scent control was very difficult, but I tried my best but had no confidence in my ability to fool a deers nose that night. I sat in my stand most of the evening sit with my socks on, boots off, Under Armour long sleeve heat gear camo shirt on, and in my camo undies. I did this knowing the deer movement would be minimal in the heat and was the only way I would not sweat. Once the sun hit the horizon and just as I was putting my pants, boots, head cover and gloves on I spot 2 does walk out of the corn 60 yards from me and into the woods to my right. That evening was jsut aobut done with the light was fast diminishing and I had just about given up, when I heard the sound of leaves crunching as deer were fast approaching me and coming closer to my stand. I figured movement this late would be a buck and I was right on as I see horns come into and stop in my shooting lane less then 15 yards away. The only problem is he was a high racked spike. Well he mosey’s off into the corn and I hear another one coming. Now my thoughts are racing. Is this a big buck following the little buck out to feed??? It takes the buck for what seems like forever as the leaves are crunching under every single footstep. The crunching sound continues to grow and get louder and louder. He follows the same route as the tall spike and he too stops well within range as I struggle to size him up. The very low light, overcast conditions, and being in off the field edge in the woods makes it tough to see but I can barely mae out that he has a decent main beam. I quickly pull up my Nikon Monarchs to see that he is is just a small 8 point in the 100 inch range. As he too mosey’s off and into the corn. My day ended the same way it started with my heart racing again.

Well overall the hunt was just what the doctor ordered. Hunting up there just has a weird effect on me, it really recharges and focuses me. Well most to of the beans (85%) were harvested with about 10% of the corn being taken off already. The weather was not favorable, but it was not a bad weekend hunting considering the conditions and time of year. I’m itching and can not wait to get back in the first week of November when the crops will be off, the bucks will be up and on their feet most of the day searching for those first does to come into esterous. There is no place I rather be then up there during this time. Like I said, there is just something about this place that is magical and really gets my heart a thumping. Well that is it. This weekend I will be chasing bucks and ring necks as the Pheasant season starts this weekend in MN. I will be down in SW MN down just West of Mankato as my best buddy Rufus will be rev’d up and ready to rock. Let’s just hope some cooler weather moves in as it will be a positive for the Dogs and Hunters. Not to mention it should also help out with deer movement. Looking forward to sitting in my stand down there and checking cameras to see what has been sneaking around down there. Everyone have a safe Pheasant opener and hope you connect with whatever you are pursuing this weekend! Until next time, good luck waytogo:

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