LFTT 12/03

Out at Wheeler with my buddy. In a good choke point but man is it crowded out here today. Good luck guys.

You aren't alone. I've got my bow today. Haven't seen anything yet.

My buddy and I are hunting wheeler also. Just had a doe give me a bj

I thought today would be a good one mild temps sprinkling rain, nothing

Nothing going today. There were 6 us out there in less than 200 acres.

Didn't go this morning. Just set up an hr ago trying to catch them moving before the rain. Spooked 2 walking in maybe they will get on their ft mid day

I forgot to post this morning, still out here in the rain.

Wheeler
Refuge

I only saw the one doe and my buddy saw 3 on wheeler. We got down around 12

I was late getting up (4:00 am) so I went to some land that I recently got permission on in town. Wind was not right but I knew that and went anyway. Figured I do the morning hunt and go to Cahaba this afternoon. Got set up, questioning everything the whole time, and determined I would get down at 9:00 do a little bit of scouting since I still am just getting to know the property and then head on out. This is basically 1 long ridge that runs along the Cahaba river. I get to the ridge top and start walking along the road to the other end of the property. When I get almost to the end there are 2 guys working with some kind of loader down near the bottom. I didn't go any farther just turned and started heading back to my truck. Got about 1/2 way back and caught a buck trying to cross the road but when he saw me he turned and headed back towards the bottom. So right or wrong it seemed obvious that he had been bedded and the two guys showed up and the buck moved out only to have me catch him on my way back. I had already, on a previous scouting trip found a buck bed further down the road from where my truck was parked and I figured all he really wanted this time of day was a nap and thought he would be heading in that direction which was away from everything that had happened to him so far this morning. I didn't run but I get down the road as quickly as I can and try to get set up. No time to climb this is strictly ground assault. I don't know if he's already there or not so I have to take the quietest route which actually takes me into the bedding area but I felt like I had to do it. Once I'm there I'm exposed to the hillside going to the bottom so everything has to slow down dramatically. I'm thinking "this is all wrong, I shouldn't be here". This spot is basically a little knoll with a strip of tall, thin, dense pines behind it, with the road behind the pines. To the right, as you look down the hill, the knoll drops off to a pretty deep drain going down the hill. In front of the knoll is a fairly short bench and then off down the hill. To the left is another, more gradual drain going down the hill. So I'm moving very slowly at the downhill edge of the knoll, above the bench. I'm not certain where I might see him or if I will at all but I'm mostly checking the bench and the more gradual drain to the left. I had actually sat in a white oak in the left drain about a week ago and saw nothing. Sure enough he comes walking right under the tree I had sat in before. I'm downwind, above him, and trying to hide behind a 6" pine tree.

Bet you thought there was a deer kill in here somewhere but there's not. Sorry. He was about 30 yds from me but I had no shot through all the little saplings. Had he turned left, and came towards me I might have had a chance but he went the other way. If I had made it to the left edge of the knoll before he arrived I would have had a 20 yard broadside shot but I didn't. They say close only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades, and when you're dancing. I guess it's true.

He looked to be your average sort of 8 pt., nothing special, but he was big and fat and I would have liked to have put him in my freezer. Sneaking up on one is the coolest way imo. Guess I'll have to work on sneaking just a little bit faster.

Great story smells. Wish you would have got him but I bet it was fun trying.

Good story smells. Sounds like your on them.. not sure where your property is but if its along the cahaba river, the odds are in your favor! Good luck