DEERHUNTINGREPORTS2001

Nov. 1-3
Craig and I went down to Hocking Co. and hunted Thursday evening through Saturday. Craig hunted Thurs. eve. out of his ladder stand located on the eastern end of the North ridge. He had a decent size buck come up the hill and rub its antlers on a tree about 70 yards from him. It walked off just below his stand about 40 yards away eating acorns as he went. He did not get close enough for a shot. Craig could not see how big the buck's rack was.

I hauled my climbing stand up the hill opposite the campsite and set it up in a tree near a saddle on the South ridge. Just as I was ready to climb down at dark a deer came up over the saddle and stopped broadside about 10 yards from my stand. It was a perfect shot but it was too dark to shoot.

Friday morning Craig spooked a doe and two yearlings while walking to his stand. Later that morning he had about 25 turkeys around his stand for about 1.5 hours. No more deer sightings that morning.

On the other hand, my Friday morning was rather active. As I was climbing up my tree a doe walked by about 25 yards. My bow was still on the ground on the end of my string. As soon as I settled in two small deer rim the ravine on the south side of the saddle. I grunted at them and they stopped. Eventually they went on up to the green briar patch on the knob to the east. I short time later a small buck crossed over the saddle to my right. I grunted and rattled at him to get his attention. He eventually swings down below me and started coming closer to my stand. Suddenly he spooks and bolts.

That evening Craig hunted the east end of the South ridge. He had a few deer blow at him but didn't see any deer. I hunted my same spot in the saddle. I saw a few small deer cross the head of the ravine. Also, later on, three small deer crossed the hillside below me and headed towards Craig. A few minutes later they came running back. They must have winded or spotted Craig. It rained for a couple hours.

Saturday morning was exciting for both of us. Craig slipped up the hillside west of camp above the little waterfalls. He found a spot where three trails came together and sat down. It was only a few minutes later when he spotted the back of a deer coming towards him down one of the trails. Craig could not see the deer's head. The deer was closing in on him when it put its head up. Craig then saw that it was a big buck with long tines! It was only about 10-15 yards away! Craig wasn't sure whether or not the deer was going to charge him or what, so he raised the crossbow and click off the safety. At the sound of the clicking safety the big buck bolted.

Meanwhile I was covered up with small bucks for the first hour and a half! At 7:00 two deer came across the head of the ravine. I grunted at them and they stopped. They stood around for a few minutes and as it became lighter I could make out that they both were small bodied, small racked bucks. I kept grunting at them and one of them, a pencle thin racked 7 pointer came up to about 10 yards from my stand and stood broadside. A perfect shot, but he was too small to shoot. They eventually wondered off to the greenbriar patch on the knob to the east.

I was cold and damp from the wet clothes from the afternoon before. I was about to grab another shirt out of my backpack when I spotted a buck crossing the saddle about 80 yards to my right. A few minutes later two more deer come running across the ravine head and I grunted at them. They stopped but seemed more interested on what was behind them. One was a small doe and the other a small six pointer. I rattled and grunted some more and the doe worked her way towards me and bedded down about 20 yards from the stand. She was too small to shoot.

Soon I caught movement to my right and another buck eased towards the other two. I was hoping it was a bigger buck but it turned out to be another little six pointer. I was still standing up in my stand and shivering, just dying to get into my backpack to put on the other shirt. The doe finally got up and started heading toward the greenbriar patch and the other two bucks followed her.

I sat down and started to reach for my backpack when I noticed the doe and the two bucks were now running back across the ravine head. I then saw another buck hot on their trail. I stood up and grabbed my bow and grunted. The buck stopped. I could see that he was a small 8 pointer. Just then the first two bucks that I saw at 7:00 came out of the greenbriar and walked down the hill behind my stand. The 8 pointer came within 20 yards but again I chose not to shoot. He was just a pup.

That was 6 different small body, small racked bucks around me and not a one of them big enough to take!!! I think that I am in a good spot and hope that maybe the next time we go down there the big boys will be out chasing the girls..