Intothewindoutdoors
New member
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2011
- Messages
- 104
Good luck Fin!! If anyone is going to find where the deer are its gonna be you!!
Kansas Deer - ACT III
- Thread starter Big Fin
- Start date
Ten mile loop. Three mule deer, no whities. Hardly even any sign. Going to look for some winter wheat that is somewhere near the WIHA grounds. Gotta find food sources. The cupboards are bare whee I hunted this morning.
Sitting here watching a big four by four who has found sanctuary on the private land west of this WIHA property. I need him to come east and scale that fence.
Lawnboy
Well-known member
I'd just rattle the grain bucket and be done with it. 
By the time it got dark, five more bucks joined that buck. The only deer on our area were three does. Any of the bucks would get shot if opportunity arose.
Lots of walking today. Had to cover a ton of ground to see what was going on. Found one wheat field on the private that must be doing well, as all the deer were in it. At daylight I will be directly east of that field. No bedding cover in the field, but about a half mile of cover between the field and the WIHA ground. Need them to come over that fence and all will be well in my little world. Last year they came right to the boundary and bedded within a couple hundred yards, one way or the other from that boundary. One buck is a real good one. But, given how unpicky I am, I doubt I will get a chance for him.
Forecast is for slightly warmer and low wind. All good. Just need the deer to cooperate and it will be even "gooder."
Lots of walking today. Had to cover a ton of ground to see what was going on. Found one wheat field on the private that must be doing well, as all the deer were in it. At daylight I will be directly east of that field. No bedding cover in the field, but about a half mile of cover between the field and the WIHA ground. Need them to come over that fence and all will be well in my little world. Last year they came right to the boundary and bedded within a couple hundred yards, one way or the other from that boundary. One buck is a real good one. But, given how unpicky I am, I doubt I will get a chance for him.
Forecast is for slightly warmer and low wind. All good. Just need the deer to cooperate and it will be even "gooder."
FishN4Eyes
Well-known member
Things are looking up. Expect pictures tomorrow. Good luck, BF!
pointingdogsrule
Well-known member
Let him know that you want him to be on TV.
good luck to all
the dog
good luck to all
the dog
StrutNut
New member
Good Luck and have fun!
Sometimes you zig when you should have zagged. Came in from the north, hoping to intercept them if they came this far to bed.
Unknown to me they had fed north last night. They were only a half mile from where I parked the truck in the dark. I walked right past them. Saw them heading out once it got light. They had moved over a mile while feeding last night.
Good news is that I saw where they bedded. They bedded on private, but they cross a corner of the WIHA grounds to get to the feed from where they bedded a short while ago. Absolute wrong wind to go after them right now. Can't afford to bump then, as they may leave the country.
Pulling out for the morning. Know where they travel if they go to feed on the same fields. Going back on this afternoon and gonna be setup in the big drainage they used to go back and forth to feed. The cross the WIHA ground for about 3/8 pf a mile. That will be my chance. The one buck is very tall. Would love a shot at him.
Going to do some scouting for more food sources. Need some fall back options in the event I mes up on these ones.
Unknown to me they had fed north last night. They were only a half mile from where I parked the truck in the dark. I walked right past them. Saw them heading out once it got light. They had moved over a mile while feeding last night.
Good news is that I saw where they bedded. They bedded on private, but they cross a corner of the WIHA grounds to get to the feed from where they bedded a short while ago. Absolute wrong wind to go after them right now. Can't afford to bump then, as they may leave the country.
Pulling out for the morning. Know where they travel if they go to feed on the same fields. Going back on this afternoon and gonna be setup in the big drainage they used to go back and forth to feed. The cross the WIHA ground for about 3/8 pf a mile. That will be my chance. The one buck is very tall. Would love a shot at him.
Going to do some scouting for more food sources. Need some fall back options in the event I mes up on these ones.
Walked in here about an hour ago. Flat as flat can be. No cover, so I scooped up all the dead tumbleweeds I could find and built a little wall to sit behind.
Like one smart Hunt Talker told me when a camera guy bailed on us in New Mexico - Do the best you can, where you're at, with what you have. Building this little makeshift blind from dead tumbleweeds made me think of just that.
If they go to water first, I am out of luck. Watering takes them further away from the WIHA grounds. If they come to eat first, and eat where they ate last night, I might get my chance. I will know in the next two hours.
Like one smart Hunt Talker told me when a camera guy bailed on us in New Mexico - Do the best you can, where you're at, with what you have. Building this little makeshift blind from dead tumbleweeds made me think of just that.
If they go to water first, I am out of luck. Watering takes them further away from the WIHA grounds. If they come to eat first, and eat where they ate last night, I might get my chance. I will know in the next two hours.
Not a single deer was spotted tonight. I could see every escape route and have no idea of where the went. They could still be bedded at dark, but ii doubt it. Scratching my head after that one. Now I am scrambling to get a plan together for tomorrow.
Hmm. Maybe it will come to me while I sleep. Sure hope so. Three days to go and Sunday is going to be a windy one. Need to get it done tomorrow.
Hmm. Maybe it will come to me while I sleep. Sure hope so. Three days to go and Sunday is going to be a windy one. Need to get it done tomorrow.
stillkickin
Well-known member
Go Fin! Tomorrow is the day
Well, today should have been the day. Can't believe I let that opportunity slip away.
Walked in way before daylight. Had to get south of the feeding area so the north wind would not mess me up. Stayed up on a ridge and hunkered down in an eroded cut to prevent any skyline issues.
I am hunting a one mile section where the food source is west and northwest of this WIHA section. To my south is where they bedded yesterday. To get from feed to bedding, they had crossed this WIHA piece, yesterday about an hour after legal shooting light.
I have a mile long boundary that runs east to west. I am on the north side of the fence, right against the boundary. North of me is where I expect the deer to come from, trying to get to the bedding cover to my south. I have picked a spot that is about half way along that mile-long boundary, hedging my bet of where they might cross. Figured I could drop off this ridge and scramble out of the deep cuts on either side of me, if the deer came across here again this morning.
Within about a half hour, it is getting to where I can barely see something in the fog. Far away to the west I see two deer hustling south. They are headed to the private. I cannot make out if they are bucks in the low light, but I know I better start on the run to get within range before they get to the fence.
Mike, the camera guy, is on my tail. In short order when have covered five hundred yards and scrambled out of the coulee. I am at the lip of this barren flat and trying to decide where the deer will show up.
Doesn't take long. I can now make them out as the two good bucks from yesterday. They are just an hour ahead of schedule. I worry we don't have filming light, even though it is twenty minutes into legal shooting light. Mike says we are good.
The first buck is the wide one. The broken buck is behind him. I am at the cusp of a little cut in the otherwise flat ground. Bipod is out. Loaded and dialed to 10X.
I range them. 300 yards. Makeable, but they are now only 75 yards from the boundary fence. I have now lost sight of the lead buck. The second buck stops to pee.
I tell Mike I want to get closer. Being that close to the bounary fence and heading that way, I need to drop him where he stands. 300 yards, rushed, and with a 15 MPH crosswind, after having just run a good distance, is not what I want.
I ease towards to a better shooting position. I peak up and the lead buck is walking at a 45 degree angle toward me. He is getting close to the fence. The buck in the back has seen something. He is on high alert.
As I ease the rifle into position, the lead buck pays no attention. He is 180 yards and closing toward me and the fence. The buck in the back is not happy and gives the nasal snort. Without even identifying what is wrong, the lead buck whirls and is now fleeing away, trying to catch up with his smarter buddy, who took off a second or two earlier.
Mike can only film the tails waving over the horizon. I have messed it up. The chance that took two days to scout and put in place has slipped through my fingers.
I should have taken the 300 yard shot, in retrospect. But, I don't want to deal with a buck crossing the fence and dying on private. I did not think they would see me in that low light, with the low profile I had. But, the trailing buck did. When he snorted, the gig was up and I has just screwed up what might be the best chance I will get this hunt.
I am ticked at myself for not being more patient. But, given how fast they were getting to the fenceline, I felt I needed to take the chance to get closer and a better shooting angle. All of us have done it - worked our tail off for an opportunity, only to take a chance and lose the gamble.
Pulled out of there, not wanting to mess it up further. All the deer came out way early today. Not sure why. North wind, fog, or what. Will be back in early this afternoon, trying to cover the trails it looks like they use to get to the feed.
Whether they will come back, who knows. If so, will they come back before dark? Only way to know is to be there every morning and evening until the hunt ends. Could have shot a small buck on the way out, but I have a soft spot for dumb year and a half old bucks, so he got to walk away.
Sorry guys. I thought we had it. I rolled the dice on getting closer and it came up snake eyes.
Walked in way before daylight. Had to get south of the feeding area so the north wind would not mess me up. Stayed up on a ridge and hunkered down in an eroded cut to prevent any skyline issues.
I am hunting a one mile section where the food source is west and northwest of this WIHA section. To my south is where they bedded yesterday. To get from feed to bedding, they had crossed this WIHA piece, yesterday about an hour after legal shooting light.
I have a mile long boundary that runs east to west. I am on the north side of the fence, right against the boundary. North of me is where I expect the deer to come from, trying to get to the bedding cover to my south. I have picked a spot that is about half way along that mile-long boundary, hedging my bet of where they might cross. Figured I could drop off this ridge and scramble out of the deep cuts on either side of me, if the deer came across here again this morning.
Within about a half hour, it is getting to where I can barely see something in the fog. Far away to the west I see two deer hustling south. They are headed to the private. I cannot make out if they are bucks in the low light, but I know I better start on the run to get within range before they get to the fence.
Mike, the camera guy, is on my tail. In short order when have covered five hundred yards and scrambled out of the coulee. I am at the lip of this barren flat and trying to decide where the deer will show up.
Doesn't take long. I can now make them out as the two good bucks from yesterday. They are just an hour ahead of schedule. I worry we don't have filming light, even though it is twenty minutes into legal shooting light. Mike says we are good.
The first buck is the wide one. The broken buck is behind him. I am at the cusp of a little cut in the otherwise flat ground. Bipod is out. Loaded and dialed to 10X.
I range them. 300 yards. Makeable, but they are now only 75 yards from the boundary fence. I have now lost sight of the lead buck. The second buck stops to pee.
I tell Mike I want to get closer. Being that close to the bounary fence and heading that way, I need to drop him where he stands. 300 yards, rushed, and with a 15 MPH crosswind, after having just run a good distance, is not what I want.
I ease towards to a better shooting position. I peak up and the lead buck is walking at a 45 degree angle toward me. He is getting close to the fence. The buck in the back has seen something. He is on high alert.
As I ease the rifle into position, the lead buck pays no attention. He is 180 yards and closing toward me and the fence. The buck in the back is not happy and gives the nasal snort. Without even identifying what is wrong, the lead buck whirls and is now fleeing away, trying to catch up with his smarter buddy, who took off a second or two earlier.
Mike can only film the tails waving over the horizon. I have messed it up. The chance that took two days to scout and put in place has slipped through my fingers.
I should have taken the 300 yard shot, in retrospect. But, I don't want to deal with a buck crossing the fence and dying on private. I did not think they would see me in that low light, with the low profile I had. But, the trailing buck did. When he snorted, the gig was up and I has just screwed up what might be the best chance I will get this hunt.
I am ticked at myself for not being more patient. But, given how fast they were getting to the fenceline, I felt I needed to take the chance to get closer and a better shooting angle. All of us have done it - worked our tail off for an opportunity, only to take a chance and lose the gamble.
Pulled out of there, not wanting to mess it up further. All the deer came out way early today. Not sure why. North wind, fog, or what. Will be back in early this afternoon, trying to cover the trails it looks like they use to get to the feed.
Whether they will come back, who knows. If so, will they come back before dark? Only way to know is to be there every morning and evening until the hunt ends. Could have shot a small buck on the way out, but I have a soft spot for dumb year and a half old bucks, so he got to walk away.
Sorry guys. I thought we had it. I rolled the dice on getting closer and it came up snake eyes.
