Tresspassing Season & the State Land Buck Bet (w/pic)

[chowder]

I take one of my kid's out to one of our blinds deep inside our land and find somebody's candy bar wrappers and a spent shotgun casing inside-yeah I'm pissed right? Next day I'm going off about it while getting coffee at the general store and I guy I don't like very much say's "well if you were stuck hunting public land you'd probably look at it different!" After a brief pissing contest I challenge him to a bet; Give me 2 days and I will come up w/ a buck on State Land, winner gets $100. Day 1, Dead down wind body wash + brush teeth w/ baking soda, all camo in back pack & hike into the wind up to the top of an old inpenetrable blow down. Camo on sit & glass for 3 hours, nothing + stuff I gotta do. I hike back out. Day 2 same program but I got a little snow to work with. 2:30 pm catch something, yup the head & horns of a bedded buck at 200+ yds yds(there is no shot past 60 yds in this mess of upturned trees and massive raspberry patches (a buck refuge paradise). An hour later I watch 2 guys get w/in 100' of this buck & he doesn't even move his head once. At 4:00 he gets up, stands motionless/watching. I rattle 2 times, he moves into some stuff I can't even begin to see thru- but I know enough to very slowly position myself for him to approach down wind. It only takes 10 minutes tops and he appears, like smoke, at 50 yds and I can see most of a shoulder. I haven't seen the $100 yet though!

[on the lam]

Great story Chowder Congrats on a great buck

[Justin]

Great job on that buck. Seems like tresspassers are a problem everywhere you go. Any idea what they took out of your blind?

[chowder]

If it's the guy's I think it was all they took was my privacy. The thing is I kind of accept that people come into our farm acreages and kill deer, in fact I can't say it really even bothers me that much anymore but it does bug me that someone would treat my blind w/ such disrespect. They left most of the windows wide open- no mesh up, so for all this time it's probably been spooking the does we're trying to manage so that everybody who hunts the bedding areas around our crop acreage can get some well grown bucks! Oh well...

[Legacy]

Love the story!

[coswamp]

good story , i like the way you put up the challenge to that guy.

[chowder]

good story , i like the way you put up the challenge to that guy.

My wife told me I acted like a horse's ass and that I was lucky I got away with it. I'll agree to the last part.

[seasquirrel]

Chowder, too bad we cant just shoot a couple of those repeat tresspassers! That would get the message across. Really pisses me off. I could have a lot more extra things if I didnt buy property so I could have the luxury to walk out my back door and hunt. There are thousands of acres of really good state land where I live that is within 10-15 minutes drive also. Really pisses me off when they brag to others that they will hunt anywhere they please.....

[seasquirrel]

EXCELLENT CHOWDER! Great story and a job well done. Would that be the McDonough general store or the Smithville general store? Great we live in an area that still has general stores. gotta love it.

[Yankee Troller]

Nice story bud! Nice deer too!

[L&M]

Hey: Don't be knockin McDonough. I lived right behind the little country store when it was little. Let's see I was in the 3rd or 4th grade & I'm how old now? O'well nevermind it was a long time ago. Ended up & grad. in Oxford. Brings back a few memories

[seasquirrel]

L&M, not knockin it, I love the small towns like McDonough. Great place to grow up. These small towns are going to become more and more desirable places to raise a family.

[chowder]

Hank, come on back down and set up a little temporary shop in my machine shed for the winter time. We'll keep you busy tinkering & deer hunting!

[L&M]

The knockin part was in jest SS. Great area, good people & your 100 percent right about the more desirable areas.

[L&M]

What time ya want me there Andy.

[kingslamon22]

state land is way harder to hunt, man i know. i dont have any property and kill all my deer on state land and i have never seen a buck like that on state land. Not that there not there, i just dont have what it takes to outsmart or out wait these educated swamp donkeys. u da man! GREAT state land buck. you shouldbe very proud of yourself that that u could outsmart that deer. i sit on the ground in different high percentage areas and for every deer i see, my brother sees 10 on his land. im very impressed you shot him on command basiccaly. WOW!!!

[1adkpeaks2]

Awesome Story! You do have to work at it but pay attention to the details including food sources and cover. Add in a little patience and a practiced eye and you will be rewarded!

Thanks for sharing!