A North Dakota Deer Named “36” has left the Farm!

Well, if you read my last report from ND you might remember we had a new buck show up on the food plot two nights after I left there two weeks ago. Paul had dubbed this new buck “36” who we thought was a 6×6 and was around 150”es. That last mid October hunt featured a ton of mosquitoes, 86 degree temps and one mature buck sighting for me. Well during the insane Wind storm the Mid West was experiencing last week, I was keeping up to date on the Weather and knew that when that storm subsided, I had to be in the stand even if I had to give my left leg. I think this is a condition many of us overlook and miss out on, but the back side of the weather fronts can be just as good if not better than the front side. According to weather.com that front and wind would move out sometime Thursday afternoon, cooler temps were set to move in and the wind was predicted to be Westerly allowing us to hunt our best stands in North Dakota. With this information there was no doubt I had to move my hunt up a day and be in ND early Thursday afternoon. So I called my Mom, talked my wife Stacie and rearranged some schedules to allow me to get up there and hunt with my buddy Paul who had just gotten back from Colorado on an awesome Elk hunt. Early Thursday morning Rufus and I dropped Gage off at my Mom & Dad’s and headed West for North Dakota.

As we made our way up River to the South we were forced to walk the River bank edge due to the unusual high water in the Fall when all of a sudden within 20 yards of us pops up another buck out of his bed. There was no mistaking what buck this was as he also had no idea what got him out of his bed as he stopped at 30 yards and stared in our direction for what seemed eternity as we stood frozen like popsicles on a stick. All I could do was stand there in awe as this 150” 6×6 that we call “36” scanned for the possible danger well within bow range of both Paul and I. Somehow he did not see us and felt comfortable enough to slowly stroll off to find another bed. We slowly with the utmost caution walked behind him along the River bank and watched him head South. He strolled by at least 4 of our stands and 3 of them were perfect for the wind (NW) we had today. With the recent Red River Valley area floods and high water the area has been experiencing, it has filled up a few old River Oxbows that have been dried up since the flood of 1997. These filled up oxbows create some excellent pinch points and travel bottle necks in Paul’s woods. Knowing this, these good stands along the River have become excellent stands as it dictates deer travel routes right by them. So we picked and climbed up in two proven stands fairly close to each other but knew as long as he (“36”) got out of his bed during daylight on the South end of Paul’s property, one of us would have a crack at him. So now my already fever pitched excitement for this evening hunt somehow jumped even higher. Man was the stars starting to align for us. The weather, wind conditions and now we just “escorted” this new buck called “36” to the South end of Paul’s property knowing the chances of seeing him again that evening were extremely high. So Paul leaves me and heads another 120 yards up River as I climb into my favorite stand the Knobby and he goes to the Double set Ladder stand putting on our suicide squeeze play on this buck.

I did not even get set up in my stand and I had a doe coming my way from the South already as I quickly buckled my release as you never know what may be following her. She comes past me on the 31 yard trail but was alone as I get settled in. The sun is out and the high pressure blue bird crisp cool evening was upon us as a 4×4 travels past Paul and down to the water hole75 yards or so from me. The sun was making it’s way down in the sky and just before sunset I hear Paul grunt two times on the borrowed grunt tube I gave him in the woods back at the boat. This set of grunts put me even at a higher alert status. After five minutes or so past and I could hear some faint movement as I struggled to look Paul’s direction. Then just as the sun disappeared, I heard a soft mouth grunt and I had to ask myself was that a mouth grunt??? Just as I confirmed to myself that it indeed was a mouth grunt, I picked up a deer moving and stop in front of Paul. Then I hear that sweet music as Paul’s bow unleashes it’s pent up “Rage” and I hear the good echo through the woods of a “WHACK”, confirming Paul has hit this deer as he thrashes through the woods and immediately piles up within 30 yards. I come unglued as I start doing a buck jig dance in my stand knowing that he has just put down “36”. A few fist pumps fly from me and the next 25-30 minutes slowly drag by as I cannot wait to get down to congratulate my best bud and see “36”. A few texts were sent out to some friends and IDO members to help pass the time. Finally, I hear Paul working his way towards me in the darkness, so I start to get down and make my way back to the River bank. After a few high fives and a hug or two I had to ask him if that was indeed “36”?? He said, “Yes” but I could hear the 2nd guessing of himself in his voice. I tried to reaffirm that he made the right call by harvesting “36”. I then again told him that Rifle season is right around the corner and the odds of “36” staying on his 100 acres and not being taken by a rifle hunter was slim to none.

We walk back to Paul’s stand and there was no tracking job needed as “36” expired less than 50 yards from Paul’s tree. On the way we stop and Paul explains how it all went down; He had grunted at a buck that was to the South of him and a decent 120” 4×4 worked his way right in front of his stand @ 15 yards. But looking at the 4×4 Paul read the body language of the buck and knew something else was coming behind him. Sure enough on the same trail “36” pops out and make his way towards Paul and he walks past Paul’s stand on the 15 yard trail. I asked and you didn’t shoot him there??? He said he was going to pass him there but as he worked past him, “36” started to work a scrape and then started to rake his antlers in some brush. When “36” started to leave, Paul could not take it any longer and the show got him worked up and he put a “Rage in the Cage” @ 25 yards as the buck that took Paul to his boiling point made it not even 30 yards before piling up. This giving Paul his 2nd buck in as many years over 150” off his 100 acre farm and his personal best buck with a bow!

We quickly roughed scored him @ 155” gross and that does not include the other two points that are over an inch that actually officially gives him 7 points a side to his 6×6 frame. After Paul seen the rack up close he knew he had the shed from the year before. There is no doubt in my mind that it is the same buck. Same beam, gnarly bases, G3 longer than G2, G2’s and 4’s match etc. The surprising thing to me is that this deer packed on well over 60” and just goes to show you what year around feeding can do and gets those bucks into antler growing time healthy and able to pack it on! Congrats again buddy on your personal best and I’m glad I was finally there when you dumped one with your bow. To be your best is just a bonus. A well deserved buck for someone that does their homework, knows his land, knows the deer patterns, spends all the time with food plots and year around feeding. Paul harvested this buck “36” out of the same stand, 3 years to the day that his wife harvested her personal best. This was the 4th buck taken off their farm in the 3 years they have owned it that has scored over 130 gross inches! I think you got something good going buddy!

This week is the Rifle opener here in MN and ND but I will be up at the Family Ranch to share deer camp with my Dad and Family! Until next time, everyone be safe out there and Lip is Outie!

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