On to new frustrations...

[diggerson]

With 2013 archery elk season a thing of the past, it's time to turn my focus to new frustrations. Particularly, deer hunting. Archery deer hunting on the eastern CO plains. Been a good season so far.

1st weekend out (10/5) saw one little buck on a Saturday evening hunt, then not a thing on Sunday morning. Lots of antelope hunters in the area. Did see a lot of sign, which is promising...

2nd Weekend - Saturday evening went out to one hunting area I know of that has a heavily brushed fenceline in one section, figured I might find deer bedded here, or transitioning to feeding areas from here. So off I went, slowly walking and glassing the fenceline and surrounding area. About halfway across the property, I found myself looking at the ground for tracks and other sign, when I thought to myself "I am spending way too much time looking down for deer sign instead of looking for deer." No sooner that I had that thought and looked up, a respectable 8 pt whitetail buck jumped up at 40 yds. He ran 20 and stopped to look at me, but the gig was up, as I was busted in the wide open. We stared at each other for about 4.3 more seconds, then he turned inside out. Lesson learned, when in the heart of where one expects deer to be, expect deer to be there, and be ready. On the walk back to my truck, I saw two more little whitetail bucks that must have crossed the fence within sight of my truck. Interesting side note - while this is classic mule deer country and nowhere near a riverbottom or major creek, we are starting to see A LOT of whitetails in the area.

Sunday morning had me going out a little over an hour away from the previous nights property. I arrived before first light and hiked in 1/4 mile to a glassing spot. As soon as the sun came up, I spotted what I believed top be antler tines. They were almost illuminated by the sun, and looked nothing like the surrounding vegetation sticking up. But they didn't move for nearly 35 minutes. So after being convinced right away that there was a deer there, then being convinced that I was crazy and seeing things, the buck finally started to move around and I had a feeling he was about to get up. Good thing too, because he was 200 yards away with little cover between us. I needed him to make a move so I could make a move. He got up, stretched, and began to feed down hill to the bottom of the draw we were in. He looked to be a smallish 4x4, but a shooter in my book nonetheless. As soon as he was out of site I made my move, heading to the cedar tree he was closest to when I lost sight of him. I had a feeling he would stay in the bottom due to the increasing wind, so my plan was to slowly work in behind him, wind in my face, wearing a Be The Decoy hat. Either spot him first and work in on him, wait him out til he moves again, or be seen with the decoy hat, and hope his curiosity kept him around. I reached the bottom and cedar tree I had focused on, and as soon as I peeked over the steep edge, he busted out from under the tree, 15 yds away. He ran a little ways down the bottom of the draw, but then turned 90 degrees up the other side and STOPPED. Broadside. All in one thought/motion I guessed 50 yards, drew, anchored, took a step uphill to get clear of some vegetation, settled the 50 pin and let er rip. I watched my arrow sail right under his chest and stick in the dirt. Round one over. Actual distance was 61.3 yards... The buck ran off down the draw but then did come up out about 150 yards further down, and did stop for a while. I still had that goofy decoy hat on, and he didn't immediately bolt, but hung around for alittle bit as if trying to figure out how that doe flung a stick at him

Spent the rest of the morning slowly working down the main draw I was in, plus all of the little side draws. The wind continued to be quite stiff, so I figured the deer would bed down in these bottoms. Bumped a coyote out of one, but he was out faster than I could draw and shoot, and there was no stopping and looking back for that doggy. It occurred to me as I got further down the draw that the buck I had the first encounter with may still be in here, as he didn't blow out hard. As I finished a pass up through one side draw and started down another, something came out crashing below me and I immediately recognized it as the same buck from earlier in the morning. Without a further thought I drew and hoped he would stop as before, and HE DID! Not perfectly broadside this time, but quartering hard away with vitals open and clear. He looked closer than the previous shot, but I guessed 50 again and released. It was a good guess, except I didn't account for the strong crosswind. My arrow was on track elevation-wise this time, but I watched as it veered left, cleanly passing in front of the buck's front shoulder and sticking in the dirt again. Up, out and gone was the buck. Again. And all I had to show for it was two slightly blunted Slick Trick chisel point tips.

I finished out the day hunting the draw to the end of the property that I could hunt, then due to the wind, would have to back track to hit another draw in the same manner. As I crested the rise between the two draws, I was immediately busted by deer across the draw. It ended up being a bachelor herd of 8 bucks, including a 4x4 slightly larger than the one from this morning, two smaller 4x4s that were very similar in size and shape to the one from this morning, a few 3x3s and fork horns, a spike, and one very deep-forked fork horn. If I hadn't seen the buck from earlier in the morning on a third occasion (1/4 mile away and moving another direction) I would have sworn he fell in with this group. I was running out of time to hunt as I had to be back in town for other commitments, so I looked in a few locations I thought the batch herd would go, but to no avail.

All in all, a great weekend! A little disappointed in my shooting, and yardage estimating, but I'm almost happy I missed, and missed cleanly. I'd hate to have my deer season cut short due to early success!

I intend to post back here as the season progresses. Good luck to all of you that are out hunting deer!

[cnelk]

Keep at it Jeff!
Looking forward to your txt with a pic!

[mtnmutt]

Thanks for posting. I hope you keep posting your stories.

Next year, I will be doing my first ever CO eastern plains archery deer hunt. I do not know what I am doing. My only deer hunting experience was a mule deer hunt for 2 days in September and I had a blast at spot and stalk. Your hunting details will help me figure out plains hunting which has less cover.

Good Luck to you.

[Huntography]

Great encounters. Thanks for sharing your stories.

I've seen more and more whitetails here up in the Foco area than ever before.

They sure get big on the eastern plains.

I'll be on the Eastern plains for whitetails Nov 6th &. 7th. Then off to Iowa to film an all Iowa , all archery DVD.

http://www.huntography.com/elktour/deertour-iowa/

Good luck to you.

Rudy

[bnsafe]

I cant understand walking across the street to shoot a whitetail, but good luck an stay after em.
oh yea, whitetails are 8 pts, 10 pts, etc, not 5x5s. lolol. just kiddin, I know yall do it wrong our here

[diggerson]

Uh, yeah, Scott. That's why I referred to the WT as an 8 pt, but the mulies as 4x4, forkies, etc. I know you easterners and southerners count every nub as a point.

[bnsafe]

lol, where im from you need every nub, lol. good luck

[diggerson]

Quick update as I sit out the rest of the 1st archery split closer, while the rifle guys get their early crack at 'em. Didn't have to be in my office til 9 on 10/24, so went back out to the spot I described on the first hunt of the second weekend. Spotted what could potentially be the same whitetail buck from that evening, 1/4 mile off the fenceline, but literally in the same path he took the evening I bumped him. He wasn't alone this time, had 3 girlfriends and 2 of their kids with him. He wasn't pestering them as if he was getting rutty, but maybe it was still a bit early for the wt rut (they do rut a little earlier than the mulies, right?). Let them go (they were already off the property and headed the other direction) and sat over a shallow draw that I believe to be a travel corridor between water and bedding area. Didn't see anything most of the last hour I had to hunt, so got up and walked further down into the draw to see a portion I could previously not see. Sure enough, after moving about 30 yards, I see a wt doe and two fawns sneaking up this draw, about 100 yards away. Suspicion confirmed. They didn't see me and the wind was right, but they hurriedly worked up the draw, hit the fence, took a quick look around, and up and over. Headed generally in the same direction as the other buck/does. Hunt over for the morning, but encouraging.

On the drive out of the property, I saw three mulies at the top of a tilled wheat field 1/2 mile away, the first mulies I've seen in this spot all year. Two fork horns and a doe. The spot is promising. Waiting for the corn in the area to be cut, and the bigger bucks to start showing themselves.

Second archery split opens 11/6. Have a weekend long hunt planned starting 11/8 in more classic mule deer sand hill country. Hope to report back greater success than I have to this point.

[Jaquomo]

Good luck in November, Jeff. Be careful with that hat then - show it at the wrong time and you'll have does on top of you before you can get out of the way. I only show mine when there are no does looking my direction. Lessons learned the hard way too many times.

Even committed the rookie mistake last year, when four does ran over and pinned me down for nearly an hour while the 180" buck marched back and forth behind them at 30 yards. I was lying behind a small cutbank, took a short nap, woke up and peeked over the rise and they were STILL there, looking at where they'd seen me. After they finally wandered off, they kept looking back.

The 8th is a great time for rattling and calling muleys too. Don't be shy with that. Rattle loud and hard and be ready.

[diggerson]

Lou, what call do you use? Something that sounds like a doe, or a buck? I have a Primos deer call that supposedly can be used for Mule/Blacktail deer, but honestly don't know how that differs from whitetail. You blow to grunt, and can change a rubberband position to change the tone of the grunt. Or can turn the reed body around and makes more squealy noises like a doe. Never really used it. Where could I find info on calling mule deer?

[Jaquomo]

For muleys, I've never had much luck with grunts. I have that same Primos call, and it's a great predator call. Not so much for the deer I hunt except to make them run away.

The "can" works pretty well and I carry the smaller one and the "Great Big Can", but the very best muley call I've ever used is the little K'Meer Deer plastic bite call. Sounds like a soft buzz. Works great for bucks and does. My buddy who guides for rutting muleys in Mexico also uses it and says it's golden down there too. The big buck I killed on the Bowsite live hunt two years ago came right to me from the Kmeer call. Actually called him away from a hot doe.

Lohman's makes the Kmeer Deer. They're cheap and easy to lose, so I order them six at a time. Call me and I'll give you some tips on calling. Call to get their attention, show yourself with the deer hat or a Heads Up, and when he starts coming drop down and get 30 yards downwind in a hurry. Sometimes they run to you. I'll tell you about the last two 180+ bucks that were on me at less than 5 yards before I could get into shooting position. One was at 5 feet. Couldn't get a shot at either.

[Swede]

Good luck on your deer hunt diggerman. Every morning I am seeing forked horns in my yard now. I expect the big boys to start showing up soon. Too bad this area has no late season hunt. On the other hand, I suppose it does not matter as I do not have a tag anyway.