chasing ghosts...

[hawkeye625]

http://vid772.photobucket.com/albums/yy7/jeffsmith111/but_zpsntswxbg4.mp4

http://vid772.photobucket.com/albums/yy7/jeffsmith111/IM000006_zps6nx5ku83.mp4

http://vid772.photobucket.com/albums/yy7/jeffsmith111/9-4623a_zpsicou2geq_1.mp4

 

I was cleaning up my computer and came across these trail cam videos from the 2009 season.  I hunted these bucks all season long.  The second one was under my stand in this video while I was at work.  After the season I found he was hit by a truck less than a hour after the video was taken, actually got my hands on the rack and we scored him at 137.5".  The other 2 were shot by a poacher prior to the season...again, I found out after the season ended.  The biggest of the 3 had 19 scoring points and a 25 inch spread.

 

The videos brought back memories of sitting long hours waiting for these guys to walk by while letting others pass....only to find after the season they were already dead.  I still try to harvest mature deer, but I kind of got away from targeting specific animals....sometimes we really are chasing ghosts!

 

 

[sectvchamps1113]

Those are some really nice ones. It's what keeps us going out even when it's easier to sit on the couch.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[tough luck]

I live in the wrong county lol they are studs!!!

[kev]

That last one is an unbelievable whitetail. I hope you reported the poacher who would take an animal like that illegally, what a shame.

As far as chasing ghosts go, i say as long as it motivates you more and gets you out there in your stand, its a good thing, even if the specific deer you've seen on camera (or better yet, in person) is dead or has moved on to another area.

I guess the big downside is overhunting an area where you've seen a giant on camera and not hunting your other spots with fresh stands. My buddy spent the last two years hunting a specific 150-160 class buck in mendon that he only saw at night on camera, and probably would have done much better mixing it up a bit with some other spots.

Once the rut is on, the next buck you see very well could be from the next county.

[Xxx]

Man those are slammer bucks!! You must have felt anger when you found out that 2 of the 3 were shot illegal!! On the other hand it does seem like when the rut starts around home there are a few big bucks killed by vehicles, defiantly a let down either way. Those bucks would have made a handful of guys or young guys/ girls very proud. One thing I don't understand is those guys that shoot the big rack bucks illegally is you can't even show off your harvest!! I know if I shot any of those bucks you have on camera I would of paraded around proud as a peacock. Just don't understand why or what they get out of killing a buck like that illegally?? I would have to say greed is the issue. Thanks for sharing. PAP

[Chas0218]

http://vid772.photobucket.com/albums/yy7/jeffsmith111/but_zpsntswxbg4.mp4

http://vid772.photobucket.com/albums/yy7/jeffsmith111/IM000006_zps6nx5ku83.mp4

http://vid772.photobucket.com/albums/yy7/jeffsmith111/9-4623a_zpsicou2geq_1.mp4

 

I was cleaning up my computer and came across these trail cam videos from the 2009 season.  I hunted these bucks all season long.  The second one was under my stand in this video while I was at work.  After the season I found he was hit by a truck less than a hour after the video was taken, actually got my hands on the rack and we scored him at 137.5".  The other 2 were shot by a poacher prior to the season...again, I found out after the season ended.  The biggest of the 3 had 19 scoring points and a 25 inch spread.

 

The videos brought back memories of sitting long hours waiting for these guys to walk by while letting others pass....only to find after the season they were already dead.  I still try to harvest mature deer, but I kind of got away from targeting specific animals....sometimes we really are chasing ghosts!

I have a feeling that a nice 10 point in our area was poached before the season this year. We were seeing him almost everyday in the field next to my aunts house now he vanished no longer getting trail cam photos, no sightings, no sight of him while spot lighting at night. We have a few around our area that have been asking if we have seen him as they also had photos of him. No one has seen him in quite a while. Of course that is how the big guys get bigger.

[hawkeye625]

The poacher was caught with one in the truck, the other on his garage floor. 

 

A little angry about the poaching, but more disappointed that none of my friends got a crack at one of them.  Passed a few good shooters waiting for one of the giants...but hey that's a choice we make, right.

 

Chas, keep the faith.  We have one with 3 legs around that never shows up until the end of October.  Haven't seen him since December, and he showed up last night.  No one sees him...anywhere. 

[EsoxAC3]

Poor bas$?@d!!! As if being a whitetail isnt challenging enough!! 3 legs. That must be an impressive animal to admire.