Man, what a fantastic weekend deer hunting and I did not even take a shot or even see a deer that I wanted to shoot. 
I have been hunting a farm down by Mankato for the past 5 years. When I started hunting this 160 acre piece it was farm crop land with a very small finger of woods that ran through it, with a tiny swamp area. It used to hold maybe 2-4 resident deer on it. Well that was 5 years ago. It now is a 160 acre Deer and Pheasant Haven. 5 years ago this property was put into CRP land. Every year a different area was planted. Well this is the 2nd year of the entire property having mature CRP on it. And BOY what a difference. 
I’m now seeing 8-10 deer on a good sitting. Also this will be my 3rd year of chasing what is now a Monster Buck on this property. I’m guessing he is now 5.5 years old and have yet to seen him this year, but the adjacent farmers have.
I had an encounter with this Local Legend late season in December last year as he was working my way one morning and made a little J hook and bedded down 60 some yards from me. 
Well, I decided right then and there no matter how cold I got or how long it took I was going to wait him out. Well, I waited and waited and noon was slowly approaching. 
When faintly I could hear voices in the distance. They seemed to grow louder and louder as the bucks ear s perked up below me. Then I saw movement on top of the hill 250 yards away. I knew then stuff was going to happen quickly. With the bucks attention focused the other way I slowly raised to my feet and got ready. Well my suspicion was right as I watched 3 blurbs of bright orange crest the hill and it verified my biggest fear. Trespassers were hunting the piece I call the Honey Hole. 
Well, the buck now popped onto is feet and it was Truth time. Would the buck flea up into the wind and the draw I was in or would he take an alternate route?? Well he returned slightly the way he came and up to the top of the far ridge and down the wood line away from me. Skirting my shooting lanes the whole time at 40-50 yards and just like that he was gone. 
My stand off with this brute had ended as depression, anger and some relief had set in. I just had my closest encounter with a buck I had spent the whole season and a good chunk the previous chasing. At this time I estimated this buck in the 160” range with a typical 5×5 frame not great spread but average, with good tine length. There is a rumor someone had shot at him already this year, but missed. I don’t care if I harvest him, I just want someone in my hunting party to put him down.
That brings us to this weekend. I got set in my stand early on Saturday morning, but got up even earlier. My alarm went off @ 3:10 am on Saturday and I was on the road by 3:45 am in route to Madelia. 
Some days I wonder why I do all this, but I am quickly reminded as the light slowly trickles into the sky and the anticipation builds as my senses become very sharp. Those first few moments just prior to and just after shooting lights are very intense as I am trying to make out every little sound I hear. Was that a twig snapping underneath the hoof of the buck I have been chasing?? Yet it is still too early and I am only able to see so far. Is that rustle of leaves a deer coming my way or is it a pheasant, coon or squirrel?? It seems like forever but sooner or later you are able to confirm those sounds. Well this particular cool, calm, crisp morning I was set up on top of where two ridges come together to make a draw and right on the edge of a CRP and Cornfield. So this spot is usually pretty good. Kind of like a spot on spot for fishing. A couple key factors coming together in one area make this a deer magnet. I would have to wait but I would not be disappointed. I did not see my first deer until about and hour after shooting light, but then it was steady action until I got down shortly after 9am to meet my pheasant hunting buddies. Once on the ground, I went to pull my card from my trail camera that was very close to my stand and observing the same trails. I was just about to pull the card, when I heard footsteps and these steps were very close as I slowly reached for my bow, a deer’s chest came into view. Now this thing was on top of me and looking eye to eye with me @ about 8 yards. I seen it was just a small forker and I see another one about 25 yards out. Well now I had his attention as he was burning me down looking to see what I was. He could not pick me out and began to move again. I slowly reached for my camera and took a short video clip. He got spooked not sure why?? He was looking over at something else and the other small buck jumped first. That is one thing I have noticed, the small bucks have been on Edge and my guess is the Big Boy has been doing some pounding on them??? Well I saw 9 deer that morning (5 bucks and 4 does & fawns) which is good for this piece of property. I did have a nice encounter with a 115” eight point that I never got the camera on. 
I did not sit Saturday night as bird hunting was on the agenda and Sunday I did sit but man was the wind blowing and I only saw one small 8 pointer. My guess is the weather and wind had the deer not moving that morning.
Well I’m anxious to get back down there and hunt an evening set. I believe I will be back down there this weekend pulling double duty with Birds and Deer after I fish Mille Lacs on Thursday and Friday nights. My search for my Madelia buck down there is now on it’s 3rd season. Time will tell the outcome, but my guess right now is no other buck will catch my trigger fingers attention as he is the one I’m after, but you never know. I hope everyone enjoys the video clips.
Click Here for Small Buck Encounter
I hope to keep catching video of my hunts and hope to catch some great footage of some cool deer activites. The Rut is right around the corner and my insane schedule becomes even more hectic in the weeks to come. I hope everyone is getting a chance to get out in the great outdoors and pursue what ever makes your heart thump. Until next time, shoot straight & true!
**CLICK ON PICTURES TO ENLARGE**
Great report Rob! That doe in the first picture looks really skinny? Just me used to those corn fed Iowa does, I guess…?
Way cool Rob
Luke that one was skinny?? Not sure why? The other ones look good.
If you notice in the Doe encounter video when the 1st doe reaches all the way to the right you can see the trail camera in the lower right hand of the screen. In the video she stops and looks at it. Here is the pic it took, when she looked at the camera!
The date is off by one day I see. 
Need to get that fixed. 
It could just be me, but that first picture, I can see the ribs really well, and the hip bones and back quarters look skinny as well. Maybe she was tense? I have seen a doe “flare” up before and look like a skeleton when a coyote spooked her.
Nice videos Rob, nothing like seeing what the hunter does and being right in the tree with him.