Mud's Big Illinois 8


MUDRUNNER

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Saturday was one of those mornings that reminds me why I love bowhunting. The last few weeks have been warm, and deer movement has slow. We have been hunting hard, despite hardly seeing any deer, knowing that the switch would flip eventually, and the activity could pick up any day. I had a vacation day Friday, so headed to the woods with one of my good hunting buddies. The weather was good, and I had high hopes, but the morning hunt was pretty well a bust for us both. I seen one forky, and he seen two does in the distance. We ate some lunch, and decided to head out for the evening hunt. At 3:30 I had my first deer of the afternoon in the food plot. By the time dark came I had seen 7 bucks, all working every scrape within sight. Finally the bucks were on their feet during daylight hours! We left my house the next morning at 4:30, and after the action the previous night, I couldn’t wait to get in the stand. Due to the wind direction I had to switch stands, and hunt a set I hadn’t sat in since last season. I saw my first deer at the crack of sunrise…a spike. After that I had a steady stream of buck activity. It seemed like every 20 minutes or so another buck would show up. All young, but still great to finally see some activity. About 20 minutes till 9 I decided to do some calling. I like to blow into my can call, so that I can make the bleat a little longer. I gave a long estrous bleat, followed by a few short tending grunts from my True Talker. Within a few minutes I hear a deer coming down the ridge from the bedding area across from me. I catch a glimpse of him, and immediately know that if he gives me a shot, I’m going to take it. He walks straight toward me, all puffed up and stiff legged…ears pinned back. He stops at 40 yards and looks directly at me, but after a few seconds puts his head down and keeps coming. At 30 yards he lets out a long grunt-wheeze. Brrrrrrrrrrrr-fffffff. I could see the drool dripping off his mouth and the steam from his breath when he wheezed. At this point I’m about ready to lose it. He steps into my lane at 18 yards….baaaa….I settle my pin…..SCHWACK! His rump dropped immediately, tail tucked…I knew I drilled him. Within 40 yards I see him crash. The Slick Trick ate him up! He’s my biggest bow buck, and a hunt I won’t soon forget. His chest and neck were huge. I can still hear that grunt-wheeze in my head. Just an awesome experience and a great hunt. Some mornings, when the alarm goes off at 3:45, I’m tired, don’t want to get up, and I haven’t been seeing much, I wonder why I do this. This is why…this is what drives me to hunt…this is why I’m ate up with bowhunting. This one’s for you Pop!

Sorry I got a little windy there….I’m still psyched. LOL

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