Two Shooters, One Fight.

[phade]

I’ve been hunting deer since I was 12. Today’s hunt though, in Ohio, was the wildest 2.5 hour sit I have ever had. Cams have been up ticking and gun season starts Monday. I shot down here and got in town this afternoon. Hoping to beat the guns.

I got some daylight images this morning on a ridge with a now empty apple grove. I have a few stands in the bottom, one in the middle of the bottom and one low in a field corner. I snuck into the field corner one and within 10 minutes noticed a doe, then two, then three, and a deep guttural grunt behind them. Immediate shooter about 60 yards out.
 

For the next thirty minutes this wide 8 that we have pics of tends these two adult does while a doe young of year hangs out. A satellite basket rack was kept at bay the whole time. The wide 8 made scrapes, rubbed a tree, and while doing so one of the does bedded 20 yards from me in the clear in a shooting lane through the brush. The wide 8 finally came toward her but was behind a large oak. All of this over 30 minutes. By now my blood pressure finally settled and ready to go. One. More. Step.

Out of the corner of my eye I spot a sixth deer drop down the ridge. Immediately I could see it was the buck from the morning images. A true giant. He was 60 yards out, closing fast. 

The wide buck immediately turned around, and those two bucks hit antlers so hard it sounded like a .22 going off. The other deer scattered as if I had sent a slug down range. These two bucks get into an Ali-Frazier brawl 35 yards from me and I have no shot through the brush and branches. I kept trying to find a hole but every time I did, they moved. Eventually after 30 seconds-minute, the wide 8 gets run off with the taller buck en route. I sat there dejected and in shock. 30 minutes later, the taller 8 comes back with the two does and makes a U circuit around my other stand that is in the bottom. They disappear into the thick stuff and it was silent again. Two more does in the field to close out the evening but in the end, I saw two very mature bucks get into a huge brawl. I still cannot believe I couldn’t get a shot. Never seen anything like it and doubt I will ever again. Would have been nice to send it.

[WNYTRPR]

5 minutes ago, phade said:

I’ve been hunting deer since I was 12. Today’s hunt though, in Ohio, was the wildest 2.5 hour sit I have ever had. Cams have been up ticking and gun season starts Monday. I shot down here and got in town this afternoon. Hoping to beat the guns.

I got some daylight images this morning on a ridge with a now empty apple grove. I have a few stands in the bottom, one in the middle of the bottom and one low in a field corner. I snuck into the field corner one and within 10 minutes noticed a doe, then two, then three, and a deep guttural grunt behind them. Immediate shooter about 60 yards out.
 

For the next thirty minutes this wide 8 that we have pics of tends these two adult does while a doe young of year hangs out. A satellite basket rack was kept at bay the whole time. The wide 8 made scrapes, rubbed a tree, and while doing so one of the does bedded 20 yards from me in the clear in a shooting lane through the brush. The wide 8 finally came toward her but was behind a large oak. All of this over 30 minutes. By now my blood pressure finally settled and ready to go. One. More. Step.

Out of the corner of my eye I spot a sixth deer drop down the ridge. Immediately I could see it was the buck from the morning images. A true giant. He was 60 yards out, closing fast. 

The wide buck immediately turned around, and those two bucks hit antlers so hard it sounded like a .22 going off. The other deer scattered as if I had sent a slug down range. These two bucks get into an Ali-Frazier brawl 35 yards from me and I have no shot through the brush and branches. I kept trying to find a hole but every time I did, they moved. Eventually after 30 seconds-minute, the wide 8 gets run off with the taller buck en route. I sat there dejected and in shock. 30 minutes later, the taller 8 comes back with the two does and makes a U circuit around my other stand that is in the bottom. They disappear into the thick stuff and it was silent again. Two more does in the field to close out the evening but in the end, I saw two very mature bucks get into a huge brawl. I still cannot believe I couldn’t get a shot. Never seen anything like it and doubt I will ever again. Would have been nice to send it.

Do you lease property there?sorry if you mentioned it prior .I’m looking into doing something Midwest next year or 2 

[suburbanfarmer]

The reason I got hooked with bow hunting is because of witnessing the sparring match with similar outcome as yours. Sure gets the blood pumping and I remember like it was this morning.