01/03/2022
My 2021 NH Buck
My 2021 season had been going as usual. I had taken a few does by archery and was seeing a few lesser bucks off and on at my pinch point stands. This morning during muzzleloader season I was up on the ridge above the pond on my woodlot where I had over the years taken several very nice bucks. All that was required was to sit dark to dark, day after day during the rut and wait for the big one. Around 10:00 am, a three pointer closely milled around me and wouldn’t leave for some reason. Then he looked to my left and started to chase two does in heat. I filmed them on my phone camera as they kept running around me then up from behind a wide racked buck trotted practically under me and stopped at the does 15 yards in front of me. I let him have it and he trotted off about 50 yards and stood still for 5 seconds then ran off downhill. The small buck and does just stood there not knowing what was going on. My buck acted hit so I waited about ten minutes then shooed away the remaining deer that were still right in front of me. I found a few spots of blood at the shot location then worked my way to where I lost sight of him. The blood was very spotty and difficult to follow. After 10 minutes of searching, I had to leave for an important appointment that would take me over an hour to finish. On arrival, I explained to the lady my situation and we quickly wrapped up our business, her saying she was from a hunting family and understood. I finally got back to looking for the buck and was losing blood but there was a loud ruckus by ravens below me. I worked my way down towards the ravens and found more spotty blood. The birds took off and there in the brook was my buck. I had hit him straight in the shoulder taking out the lungs but the buck had still managed to run 200 yards.
For a little of my background, I manage my woodlots intensively for mature deer. Where the habitat isn’t to the best advantage to the deer, I change it with the use of my chainsaw or hire loggers. I grow food plots, planted mostly in clover, to improve their diet. Many deer in New England are stressed and don’t waste their energy on growing big racks if they are struggling to get by. With the right forest management, they can now put their energy on top of their head. My many guests (neighbors, friends, strangers on Facebook, wounded vets, etc.) and my family are required to not shoot any buck with less than 8 points and a rack spread less than their ears. I make exceptions occasionally for guests. This is working well. Yearly scouting and planning improves our luck. I have many cameras out on my woodlots but I do not put them on my best stands as I know there are a percentage of deer that will avoid them. I have areas used as sanctuaries, where no human activity is allowed except for setting up cameras occasionally. I checked my camera in one sanctuary a week after my son and I got our 2021 mature bucks. I found both bucks on video for several days before they were shot. At this point we had no evidence of them being around this year.
I hunt mostly pinch points/funnels/saddles. There is a lot of land out there. To expect a deer to randomly walk by you isn’t always the best way to go. If you have stands where the terrain/swamps, etc. concentrate the travel of deer, you will have many more sightings.
Due to the constant parade of irresponsible “hunters”, I posted many of my woodlots after around 10 years of abuse. The thievery of my cameras and tree stands, or just plain disrespect shown by these people made it unbearable. Being able to control what is shot and where people can go has made a huge improvement. To those who complain about posted land, food plots, and game cameras, you can eat my shorts!
During the rut I sit all day. The older I get the more I sit and the more shootable deer I see. It gets painfully cold and boring. It is much more fun to hunt other ways, with probably more deer seen (mostly tails of running deer.) I have taken deer by many different methods- tracking, rattling, calling, still hunting, drives… My methods work for me. Hunt the way that works best for you. Good luck!
