Hunting Trip 10/27/2014

In Loch Raven on a cold fall morning, nothing better.  Well other than I dressed for early fall and it felt more like late fall early winter this morning.  Opppps.   Either way a great morning to be in a stand and I had high hopes for seeing some deer and seeing some pre-rut bucks getting aggressive.  Well, this like many of my past few hunting trips started to look bad by about 9am went I hadn't seen or heard a single deer. Guess mornings just aren't their thing where I was hunting or at least not this morning. I finally gave up and went  home to warm up and make myself better with some tasty breakfast.

I snuck back out this evening to our private land..  Got home from work late, thought I could spend the last hour or so of day light seeing if the one bigger buck we have been getting on camera made an appearance before dark.  Well, around 5:45 I had a small button buck and doe come over the hill to me and walked 15 yards in front of me.  I wont shot does on our private land until later in the year because that is what gets the bucks to keep showing up. So, I let them walk on by and kept waiting. Shortly after that around 6:00 pm I heard something else coming down the hill and looked and it was the big 6 we have been getting pictures of fairly often.  Awesome deer, but needs to grow up one more year, still only 2 1/2 yards old and will be a super nice deer next year! As I watched him walk on by and was thinking man it's hard to watch him walk by, I heard another deer at the top of the hill and this one grunted. That got my attention, and I looked up the hill and hear comes the big 8 pointer I have been looking for.

Well he is a really nice deer and he sure didn't get that big being stupid. He came down the bill but stayed 60 yards away, he walked out into our food plot (which I cant shoot in from the stand location) and started making scrapes, and running the doe around.  Then he went and chased the 6 pointer around, then did rub on a little tree.  Well it was super cool watching him and he ran past me giving me 20 yard shots twice, but again running.  So, not shots but super cool watching him run around making scrapes, rubs, and grunting the whole time.  He was finally settled down and I thought I might get a shot as the end  of shooting light was quickly coming, but instead of coming over to me like the 6 did, he walked out another trail that took him over 100 yards away from me and I could hear the six following him.  They both walked off and I called it a night.  Exciting night in the woods!

Rut is coming, just never know when you will see what!

Anyway else going out this week or make it out today? See anything good?

6 Responses

  1. Colin Edwards
    I am going to try to make it out this week. However with just now getting in the state, i don't really have any idea where to go. I'm stationed at Ft. Meade, any suggestions would be awesome. Hopefully you can get that 8pointer next time. Would make for a nice weekend that's for sure.
    • admin
      Colin, There is a couple places around FT. Meade which Don whom replied to you as well pointed out. I cannot think of any better suggestions short of, I know they use to allow hunting on FT. Meade and there are some big deer on there. I think it's only a gun season thing and it may be by lottery only, but I would check into it since you are already there. Otherwise, Liberty is free you just have to fill out the permit, Patuxant you do need to do a shooter qualification that you are required to do. Patapsco State park which has many different locations but you are required to purchase the $40 public land permit. Personally, I would go do some scouting on a Sunday at whichever location interests you and then decide which one you want to hunt and then purchase/fill out your permit. Make sure you read all the regulations for each location which can be found on the public land hunting page on the DNR website. Good luck and let us know if you have any other questions!
      • Colin Edwards
        Hey thanks for the reply, i just recently found your website. Hope to get out to greenville in so md this week, as well as trying to get to patapsco. I have a friend who is a non hunter who likes to hike there so maybe she can show me around or something. Is there a specific ranger station i need to go to at patapsco to purchase the permit?
        • admin
          You can purchase the permit through the Maryland DNR along with your hunting license. Any local license agent or the on the website. <a href="http://www.dnr.state.md.us" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.dnr.state.md.us</a>. Just fallow the links for buying a license. Good luck to you and again let us know if you have any other questions!
  2. Don
    got out last saturday and shot a scrub rack 3 pointer at Patapsco state park heading back out this weekend same area hope to put another in the fridge seen a few scrapes last weekend and jumped an 8 pointer tracking my deer. Colin patuxent wildlife refuge near fort meade has some nice hunting I do know you have to qualify shooting to hunt there the other close places to you will be liberty resevoir property and patapsco state park land ptap land requires a 35 public land permit and a registration at there office off rt 40 liberty requires a mail in permit.
    • admin
      Don, Glad you made it out and congrats on the scrub buck, a lot of people say young bucks are the best tasting. Good luck getting some freezer meat this weekend. I am sure hoping to get something if not hopefully a buck this weekend, but I am not picky i'll take a doe for the freezer. Thanks for answering Colin as well, great suggestions!

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