Friday morning called for SSW winds moving to SW. I decided to sit in the new stand I hung Monday evening past the bus near the flow well. I got settled at about 6:50 and tried to get quiet quickly. At about 8am I heard one of my favorite sounds of all... deer coming through the frosty woods. There were sticks breaking, grass rustling and I knew it was for sure a deer. I got the camera on and in position when all of a sudden the deer left the heavy trail leading right to me and cut across into the slough to my south. I turned all the way around in my stand and tried to get the camera ready for where I thought the deer was going to poke out. Suddenly, I saw his head dart under neath these little clusters of cedars in the middle of this slough and saw that it was a buck. At first glance I thought it to be an average two or three year old 8 point. It lifted it's head and it looked to be a more mature deer. It may have been older. I decided that he was on a mission and was going to miss my stand and keep heading east so I grunted at him. He locked up and turned around instantly and headed back up the trail he came in on. I turned around once again in my stand to get ready for a shot at 20 yards in front of me. Instead of him coming right up the trail in front of me, he continued to skirt north and east until he was directly downwind of me. He came within 35-40 yards, but was under some more cedars and I couldn't see him. Then I heard something else making its way through the slough grass and so I turned around again and saw a doe veering through the same gap in the cedars. I found this to be an odd move, but it makes sense for both a good bedding spot or a cutacross from west to east. All that said, the buck must've snuck out of there after he got my wind and I never heard him again. I'm not sure what deer it was. I might not even have a picture of him. You never know.
About an hour later at around 9am, I had another deer coming my way making even more noise than the first two. This second lone deer also cut east through the south end of the slough and I couldn't even get a glimpse of that deer. It had to be a buck. It was making so much noise. At about 9:45am I climbed down and moved the camera about 30 yards and I walked over to check the natural spring. My hunch for the last two years proved correct, especially on a dry year - The deer use the spring. There were trails coming in from every direction. It needs to be noted for a closer bow stand and/or camera location during post rut and freeze-up. I had to get in to town and head to Grand Forks, so that was it for my hunting that day. On my way off the top of The Hill there was a fresh buck track that ran the edge of the road and cut north. There is still a bigger buck up there.
At about 1:30pm, as we were crossing the overpass bridge in Drayton, ND, I got a picture text from dad of a dead buck with the caption, "Which one is this?"
Instantly I knew it was the two year old ten and, I'll be honest, I was a little upset. I understand that a deer is a deer, but when I've been so specific and repetitive: don't shoot this deer, it makes it hard not to be disappointed when he gets shot. Regardless, a buck was on the ground. Then as we took our seats in Whitey's Restaurant in East Grand Forks (recently purchased by a Roseau local), I got a text from mom with a picture of her holding Splitbrow! I was pumped for her. That is by far the best buck she's ever taken. I wish I could've been up there to take some decent pictures of them with their deer, but that's how it goes. They did manage to get a few:
I'll write more in depth about the life of Splitbrow later. Day 7 was a success. Rack up another eventful November 11th.
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