OUTDOORS

Last week, I wrote about “opening day” of deer season and attempted to relate to all of you what this special day means to me and, I’m sure, many of you that love our time-honored outdoor traditions. Well, opening day has come and gone for this year but we still have many weeks of hunting ahead. Let me take you with me back a few days to my “opener”.

A flood of 14 inches of rainfall in 24 hours several days prior to opening day had the slough that crossed my friend’s land running bank full. While only a wide ditch with a thick growth of bull rushes on either side during normal conditions, heavy rain had caused to normally small stream grow to more than 80 yards wide and 29 feet deep while draining the surrounding fields and woodlands. But by opening day, the waterway had receded too close to its normal size. Across this little stream lies a portion of my friend’s land that could best be described as big buck heaven. It’s isolated from the ‘civilized’ area with houses nearby. The few acres are bordered by the slough on one side and create a ‘neck’ connection two large tracks of timber. When the rut is underway, any deer traveling adjacent the slough must cross the partially open field that years ago, was planted in alfalfa by my friend’s grandfather. Today, the field is covered with patches of cover and stands of new growth ash, oak, and hackberry.

A trail camera placed near a feeder a month prior to opening day had evidenced the comings and goings of many animals including hogs, raccoons, and squirrels, as well as a daily visit from several deer. During the rut or breeding season, doe are the hunter’s best friend; where there are doe, the big bucks will soon be! Our camera captured the image of several big bucks which really came as no surprise, as the area is well known for big deer and the landowners in the area shoot only mature animals.

Opening morning was clear and crisp, no frost the previous night but just enough ‘nip’ in the air to get a deer hunter and their quarry fired up! I showed up at my friend’s place a good hour before legal shooting light and we spent a few minutes sipping coffee and munching on some sausage biscuits I had prepared the evening before. Our plan was to take his golf cart part of the way to the slough and then walk in to avoid spooking any nearby deer. He had his 14-foot Johnboat tethered at water’s edge, and the stage was all set for us to cross the slough and gain access to ‘whitetail central’ on the other side.

The steep bank leading down to the water’s edge was muddy and extremely slippery. I went down sideways to help gain steady footing. Once in the boat, we paddled through the bull rushes into a now gently flowing stream about 50 feet wide. Breaking through the thick vegetation on the far side was the most difficult part, and we soon had the little boat tied to a tree and made our way up the slippery bank.

Years ago, my friend erected a tower blind elevated about 6 feet above the ground on high ground atop the bank of the slough. From this vantage point, it’s possible to cover most of the area we were hunting. There was enough vegetation left to make deer comfortable crossing at just about any point but also enough open areas for hunting. We both love antler rattling and after shooting light, began a soft series of rattles to see if we could get nearby bucks up and moving. No luck - sometimes rattling works, sometimes it doesn’t especially if the rut has been underway a few days. The first deer to approach was a young doe that came trotting through the center of the field, right behind her was a young spike buck. Nose to the ground, he was trailing her like a hound on the track of a raccoon. The two deer put on a show for a few minutes and kept us occupied, but we both continued to scan the cover for one of the targeted bucks we hoped would show.

Things quieted down after the doe and her young courter, the spike buck, disappeared, and we sat there taking in the landscape. A pack of coyotes howled from the nearby woods, probably telling the world their night hunt was over. A lone boar trotted toward the distant wood line and then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw what appeared to be a very nice buck trot out of sight. I didn’t see him long, but I made out some rather impressive antlers. I nudged my buddy and we locked in on the spot he disappeared, knowing full well he might show back up if he picked up the scent of the doe. In a few minutes, we both noticed sunlight on antler and a very nice buck walked out of the brush and stood still, broadside as he tested the wind for the scent that had pulled him out of cover.

The buck was one of those that most hunters will attempt to harvest instantly but we both knew the past record of this little parcel of land. We had taken some fine bucks here and, after all, it was only 45 minutes into the season. After reviewing a video I took, we determined the buck to be a 4-year-old and agreed that he was one of those that will really make us drool if he makes it until next season when he’s five. We judged him to be around 135 or 140 Boone and Crockett score. Later that morning, as we paddled back across the slough, we vowed to be right back in that stand later this week when the next cold front blows in. I’m hoping my buddy can take a buck even bigger than the giant 172-inch BC buck from a few years past, and my goal is venison and a fully mature buck, regardless the headgear!

Join Luke and his friend Larry Weishuhn on Nov 18 at the Bow Barn Archery Shop on I-30 in Greenville for free BBQ, a campfire and some outdoor talk. Contact Luke through www.catfishradio. org.