Archery Report: Clutch Tree

With the season coming to a close on Saturday I only had one last chance to put in a good day of hunting for the year. That day was yesterday, the "Rut Moon" as archery hunters like to call it. This day has brought me luck in the past so I decided to try and test my luck at TSI one last time. The morning started off rough.....as I walked into the "Oak Flats" I jumped 3-4 deer, one being a big buck, the closest I have come to horns all year. I still got up into the tree in hopes of some sightings. At around 7:15am the first horns of the year popped up over the sawmill. I couldn't get a good luck at him through the brush but when I let a grunt call go he walked the other way and I assumed he was a smaller buck. By 8:30am I was getting bored and decided to take my climber below the hill where I saw that buck. When I crested the hill a 4 or small 6 point was standing on the main trail looking at me. He spooked but ended up coming back before I got up in my climber. He spooked one last time and I didn't see another deer. I got down around noon and decided to hit my money spot for the afternoon and evening.

I got into the "twin tree" around 1pm. I have shot 1 nice buck out of this tree and two others very close by in the last few years. Right when I was about to call it quits I saw a deer in the field to the left of me. He started walking down the trail then veered off to the field. I let out a few grunts and doe bleats and he came right up too me. I got a look at his rack to make sure he was legal......at this point in the season as in years past I made a commitment to fill my buck tag in archery rather then mess around with riffle season. Since I had no opportunity to get a bigger buck this season....let alone see a shooter buck I quickly decided to take him. He spooked a bit when he got close, but he then quartered away at 25 yards and I let an arrow fly. I knew I hit him but wasn't sure how good. He ran about 40 yards and stopped. While watching him another buck which was much bigger (that's how my season has gone) came out of the same spot and started walking around. I loaded my crossbow again thinking I didn't get a good hit on my other deer. By the time I looked back to locate the bigger buck mine had laid down. So I watched the bigger buck put his nose to the ground and walk off. I climbed down, went up to my deer and he wasn't in the same spot. I looked to the left and he was laying there but not dead. He then jumped and ran off. My brother and I went back out to track him, saw where he was laying and left him for the night. Got there this morning and he was dead.....but coyotes got to him first!!!! his butt was eaten away but we still gutted him and took him home. Not sure if we are going to eat the meat or not....kind of weird that another animal at him for breakfast. Anyway, I am this is the 5th year in a row I filled my buck tag in archery.... Can't say enough about this place there were lots of bucks out there this year, just took A TON of time in the woods this year for it to pay off for me.