Buck standoff (sorry,no pic)

[chowder]

With my archery/mzzl ldr tags filled I was able to watch a classic rut scene yesterday w/ out needing to kill anything. Ok, Im on stand (got my dmps w/ me); in comes a young doe w/ a 1.5 6pt. They are in front of me for about 2 hrs and he is just being a real gentleman while she is truly overheated w/ no clue as to how this goes. Suddenly out of the brush charges a massive 2.5 9pt. He's closing to 25 yards w/ his head down when the 6 steps in front of the doe and lowers his head at an angle. The 9 stops and just puffs up his chest. The 6 checks to see if the doe is still behind him and lowers his little rack and paws the ground twice(I'm really starting to like this guy!) The 9 does the stiff legged walk about 90 degrees and tries to close the distance to the doe again. The 6 quarters around checks on the doe and lowers his head again. The 9 moves off and back, nibbles something as a face saving gesture and moves off...

In addition to the sympathetic glow I felt when the little guy held onto his girl, I thought this whole scene showed something else interesting as well. Once bucks get to be 2.5 and better I think they are very economical about their breeding efforts when a fair number of does are in heat. In seconds after finding the source of the estrous trail he was following the 9pt 'knew' several things; 1. This doe has most likely been bred at least once, 2. She's been bred by this other mean spirited little s.o.b., that's gonna require some real effort to get out of the way. He quickly 'added' up this equation and concluded that w/ many other does in heat, his time was better served finding a situation w/ a better looking outcome. Pretty cool!

[on the lam]

Nice story, too bad this action is only a couple weeks a year. Thats what makes it so much fun i guess.

[W.W.IV.]

Hey Andy,thats better readin than Sports A Field

[Capt Vince Pierleoni]

Andy, awesome story. A very successful archer friend of mine said he learns more after he scores than any other time in the field. I too, accepted a suggestion to hunt the afternoon with our DMUs out here in the orchards of Niagara. They hold deer, but human intrusion is commonplace. I gave up setting up my brother in such areas, because although convenient to set him up, he always saw more humans than deer. How about suvs driving through your shooting lanes at last light? Yep, that just for starters.

Yesterday was no different, but wow, what a learning experience. We walked way out of the way to prevent NE wind from hitting most likely bedding area with our climbers on our backs. The fog that has been plaguing the lakeshore this week was coming and going, it was 1:30pm.

Set up by 2:15pm, the Sun came out. On one side of the strip cover in an open area of the orchard, hobby plane enthusiasts showed up. Enjoying their hobby, laughing, yelling and screaming their planes, they were oblivious to our presence. Not 20mins later, less than 100yds away to the other side of the strip cover, a gang of joyus shotgunners decided the new sunshine made for a great impromptu time to sight-in! Yikes! talk about feeling like we were just out for fresh air! Their shooting quickly put an end to the model plane fliers fun. They took off. The shotgun blasts annoyed me, and surely we wouldn't see a deer. My 1st mate Nick, much newer to bowhunting, was downright unsettled as the blasting and hooting and hollering went on. His text simply read-- WTF???!!!! My response was, the only thing we may see are some abandoned fawns. This party atmosphere went on and on, even though slight fog returned. Not being as intense on watch as usual in all honesty, I watched the squirrels in front of me chase each other around. Around 4:30pm, with the shooting still going on behind us, I catch a ghost, I mean an absolute GIANT "skyscraper" buck fast trotting through the orchard. He got to within 30yds of me and locked up. He stood still about a minute, and then spooked quietly off sneaking through the orchard. I think he simply hit a scent pool, that was growing around me as the increasing fog brought the air down. Knowing the area pretty good, I think he was a true wanderer, no way he has his core area nearby. It is probably in one of the many 5 acre backyard posted properties. My lesson was, no matter what the noise and human activity, timing is EVERYTHING. Not sure if I had a tag if I would have had a crack at him, even if I was more prepared mentally. I think the gloomy, dense air made him feel comfortable as he started his night cruise early. Like Ted Nugent says, most human movement is a piece of cake for the deer to pattern, and we are much more unnerved by it.

All in all, I feel privlidged to see one of the "ghosts" of November, and even in heavily pressured areas they can make a mistake.

[chowder]

Nice story, too bad this action is only a couple weeks a year. Thats what makes it so much fun i guess.

Pete, speaking of stories, I'm expecting some real good ones from you and Grey after next weekend. -Andy

[Gator]

Great stories, guys! I've filled out, but not been privileged enough to see any shenanigans thus far...couple of wanderers with noses to the ground is all. I had a buck blasting stuff apart yesterday morning, but had to cut out early to help a buddy drag a huge doe out of the woods. Strangely enough, a couple weeks ago on the way to work, my daughter and I saw a doe mounting a buck. I wonder if this is akin to your "clueless gentleman", Andy, and maybe she was trying to show him the ropes? Can't say as I have a problem with that approach

[on the lam]

Nice story, too bad this action is only a couple weeks a year. Thats what makes it so much fun i guess.

Pete, speaking of stories, I'm expecting some real good ones from you and Grey after next weekend. -Andy

LOL its always fun Andy. We have a great time thanks to Gray and his family. My buddie and I have been luckey to take bucks every year we have gone up there. Gray took a slammer 140" last year. Hope the luck continues.