Patrick McChristy
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2019
- Messages
- 250
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- 195
Just want to wish everyone here a Merry Christmas!
I posted my ML buck n the last day of ML season last year & want to share this bow hunt. Late October & early November in MO were above average temps. The magic for me happened in November 10th Thursday before MO rifle opener on Saturday. I shot a doe late October out of this stand - same 1 from ML last year I setup around Christmas in 2021. I had bounced around a lot I have a cell cam on a big scrape at this ridge soft spot where a lot of deer cross. I had pictures of 2 big bucks at the scrape early in the am & I figured 1 of them would show up that evening as a big front was coming in that evening. Getting the pics on my way in to a different spot made it hard not to change my plans. The evening before I hung a climber on a different ridge that should work with the south wind that had been going all week. I went to the climber & passed a 3 year old buck at 9:00am. At noon I decided to cut a load of firewood and it was 75 and I was hot & worn out. At 3 and left the truck knowing if I didn’t go back by the scrape a good buck would show up. At 4;30 I saw movement as multiple bucks were hitting the scrapes going down this logging road. I watched a smaller buck bending over trees rubbing as i saw this really nice thick beamed buck smelling along both sides of the logging road. It took him 45 minutes to close maybe 60 yards. Several times I thought he vanished as I couldn’t see the road really well but caught glimpses occasionally. Finally I saw his rack start to emerge past a big cedar & I lifted my crossbow for a 30 yard shot. But somehow he saw my movement and turned and ran - geeze I just blew it. I didn’t see him go back down the road or fall off ether side of the ridge - I waited a few minutes I thought I have nothing to loose and grabbed my call & let out a snort wheeze. Seconds later he stepped out about 80 yards in front of me. Instantly I knew he would try to get downwind of me & I watched him lay his ears back and head my direction. Some big oak tops are in the ground & I thought he’s gonna sneak around thru a 20 yard opening right by me. I shot him the exact same spot I shot the buck in January. He is my personal best gross scoring 149 as a 12 pointer with split G2’s on both sides. 15” inside spread
I posted my ML buck n the last day of ML season last year & want to share this bow hunt. Late October & early November in MO were above average temps. The magic for me happened in November 10th Thursday before MO rifle opener on Saturday. I shot a doe late October out of this stand - same 1 from ML last year I setup around Christmas in 2021. I had bounced around a lot I have a cell cam on a big scrape at this ridge soft spot where a lot of deer cross. I had pictures of 2 big bucks at the scrape early in the am & I figured 1 of them would show up that evening as a big front was coming in that evening. Getting the pics on my way in to a different spot made it hard not to change my plans. The evening before I hung a climber on a different ridge that should work with the south wind that had been going all week. I went to the climber & passed a 3 year old buck at 9:00am. At noon I decided to cut a load of firewood and it was 75 and I was hot & worn out. At 3 and left the truck knowing if I didn’t go back by the scrape a good buck would show up. At 4;30 I saw movement as multiple bucks were hitting the scrapes going down this logging road. I watched a smaller buck bending over trees rubbing as i saw this really nice thick beamed buck smelling along both sides of the logging road. It took him 45 minutes to close maybe 60 yards. Several times I thought he vanished as I couldn’t see the road really well but caught glimpses occasionally. Finally I saw his rack start to emerge past a big cedar & I lifted my crossbow for a 30 yard shot. But somehow he saw my movement and turned and ran - geeze I just blew it. I didn’t see him go back down the road or fall off ether side of the ridge - I waited a few minutes I thought I have nothing to loose and grabbed my call & let out a snort wheeze. Seconds later he stepped out about 80 yards in front of me. Instantly I knew he would try to get downwind of me & I watched him lay his ears back and head my direction. Some big oak tops are in the ground & I thought he’s gonna sneak around thru a 20 yard opening right by me. I shot him the exact same spot I shot the buck in January. He is my personal best gross scoring 149 as a 12 pointer with split G2’s on both sides. 15” inside spread
