| Muzzleloader Hunting Kentucky Bucks - A Late Season Story |
| By Brad Blaine |
| I decided to stay put and wait for a few hours. The blind was set up in a matter of about two minutes and I was sitting comfortably and dry. About an hour later I kept hearing something from the direction the deer ran off from earlier, except this time they were from the opposite side of the spur. The wind was favorable so I decided to wait. Sure enough, three deer approached - all skinheads. Not something I wanted to shoot but I definitely had them dead to rights at a mere 40 yards with my 50 caliber hawken! They eventually spooked and headed back the direction they came. I decided that as windy and rainy as it was that I should probably try and check out another spot as I could move easily and quietly. Later, I would be proved right in that decision. I worked my way south down along the logging road atop the ridge. I again marveled at all the buck sign that I had seen the day before, honestly not knowing if the rubs I saw were ones I was able to keep count of previously. Like I said, after 60 some rubs, I just gave up! I came along a narrow portion of the ridge and decided that I'd try setting up the blind again but this time with the addition of scent-bombs, 35 mm cannisters filled with cotton balls and doe-in-heat which are then hung from tree limbs. It looked like an ideal setup. I set up the blind, dropped my gear and busied myself with setting up the scent bombs when I noticed an old ladder tree stand. Apparently, I wasn't the only one who thought this to be a good place! Of course, nobody was there but it confirmed that the spot was at least setting up a stand or blind in. Though the setup seemed ideal after 3 hours I didn't see anything at all. It was at this point I decided to make my way down to a heavy pine thicket that looked like a good bedding area for my mid day hunt. As I worked my way down the ridge, I kept hearing dogs barking across the valley in the direction of the private proeprty I had crossed. As I kept stillhunting, the barking kept getting closer and in front it sounded like the running cadence of deer. So, I quickly headed around the slight curve in the logging road and got behind a small thicket of white pines. Sure enough here came two deer not 30 yards away - again both skinheads at a strong gallop. I blew my grunt tube just to get their reaction and the lead doe stopped right smack dab in the middle of the logging road! Dead to rights - again! But alas, with a freezer full of venison I wasn't meat hunting but hunting for horns. Safe to say that I had yet another shot opportunity! She eventually spooked and headed down into the opposing valley. Not long thereafter the two dogs showed up and though tempted to see if ol' zeke wanted to try some kimbles and round balls served with blackpowder and a cotton patch bun, I was reminded that I wasn't in West Virginia and let them go about their fun. I'm sure O'Bannon will give me hell over that decision when he finds out! I continued to work along the ridge, admiring the sites and deer sign but I would not get any further shooting opportunities that day. I did meet up with the guys again around lunch to have a bite and there were a few does taken off Ryan's place but nobody saw anything with antlers. On my way out from an evening hunt by a greenfield I discharged my muzzleloader like I always do before loading it into the Jeep for safety and law's sake, I bumped into the hunter I saw the first day scouting. He had indeed brought his boy as they both were approaching me. I couldn't figure out why they were coming all the way uphill when they were nearly at their truck just to check on me. When they approached, the ol' boy simply asked, "Was that you who shot?" I replied, "Yes, just unloading my muzzleloader." "Oh," he said. "We thought you might need a hand dragging one out that's why we came up here." Amazing! Just goes to show you the fine people that are down in Kentucky. How many places do you hunt where a complete stranger offers to help drag your deer out for you? I'd venture to say not many if any! That evening, we all met up at Ryan's house for a most excellant dinner - fresh venison backstraps, wild turkey (the kind that you shoot, I mean the kind with feathers!), dove wrapped in bacon, and pork chops - a virtual meat-fest! It all gave us the lazies and so we opted to drink a few beers to help settle things down. A game of Texas holdem and 5 hours later I finally made it back to the cabin! Boy did the next day come early and had the weather been poor I'd probably have slept in. But, it was the best day of weather so far. I decided I'd hunt my initial spot I had found the first day where I jumped the doe. Though, again, lots of sign, no further shot opportunities. When I told Ryan of this, he said, "Well, you need to just shoot a deer, I know you don't want the meat but I have a neighbor who'll take all he's given!" With that, he invited me to hunt one of his stands. He had taken a 160 class buck out of it a few years ago and though it held promise I didn't see any deer that evening. Nor did anyone else. The evening's discussion revolved around what great people we had met and future group hunts. Great folks and great times we had. We had all decided that such an unselfish guy like Ryan, who invited folks to invade his house and property to hunt, needed some token of our appreciation. We all chipped in $10-20 and bought him a new gas grill. He was happy to say the least! Even his wife like it, who showed up on the last evening to check up on him. First class people all the way! Well, at least in personality. Ryan unfortunately admitted a true redneck story that he pulled a few years prior with the group. On another group hunt during late season it had snowed really bad, making the driveway very slick and hard to get up. So, much like my father, he decided he'd scrape it clear with a grater blade and tractor. It worked wonderfully all the way up to the point where he tried to climb up the driveway with the tractor. Old bald tires and slick pavement just wouldn't let it go uphill. So, what does he do? He decided he'd take an old barrel of used diesel fuel he had drained out of the tractor when replacing the rusted fuel tank and pour it on the driveway to melt the ice. It didn't melt the ice so he decided to light it. This time it did work, he said, but it was a sight to behold. With all the diesel fuel he poured on the driveway there was still plenty of it to stick to the tractor tires! So here he is driving a Massey Ferguson with a grater blade on the hitch with tires on fire uphill on his driveway in the middle of a December snowstorm! As our fellow hunting buddy, Keith from Arkansas said, "Now that is some redneck shit right there!" I'd have to agree. Nonetheless, we all had a great time. The deer are there, good weather was not. I especially was content as I had two shot opportunities on deer on a place I had never set foot on or scouted until then. That is a true test and challenge. One that I suspect I'll be repeating, God willing, for many years to come wherever trophy whitetails are reputed to be. Hmmm, maybe I better check on those Ohio bucks too! Besides, I've got a cousin up there who I need to visit more anyway! |
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