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3 Day hunt, Mad but my own fault. Still have a great story & success for Public Land #5995524 10/26/15 11:01 PM
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So I do only public land hunting for now. I go to a place around Lufkin, Texas. I went Thursday for 1/2 day (afternoon), Friday for 1/2 day (afternoon) and Sunday for a full day.

Thursday I get to my stand, and someone has stolen it!!! I know its public land, but it has been there for a while and the regulars look out for each other, and this time it got past everyone. Fortunately we know who it was, as they made a comment before they left to one of the other hunters a few days earlier they "found a stand," and they were the only ones back in the area I hunt. So after I got over being mad, I set up on the ground by a tree and made a makeshift ground blind out of brush, with no chair haha. About an hour later 2 Does walk in to my right and I could not turn to get a shot with my compound. After watching them for 15 mins they start to walk off (and at this point they were only 15 yards from my old tree stand with a clear shot!) so i tried to get to my knees slowly to turn to make a 30 yard shot, but one heard me and busted me and they took off. They came back 15 mins later but stayed in the same area. I thought I shifted enough to get a clean shot, but there was a small twig I did not see which my arrow clipped and off they went again; this time they did not return arrrg! I saw 2 more Does about 3 hours later , but they never came closer than 50 yards, and my ethical kill zone is only 40 yards, so I did not shoot.

Friday I drove back and got there around 12pm to set up for the afternoon. This time I came with a chair and burlap to complete my make shift ground blind. As I was walking in I jumped 2 deer int he brush, could not tell size or gender. About 20 mins later here walked in a spike, very young and small so I decided to pass, and he came within 20 yards and was just minding his business. I took the opportunity to test my blind and went to full draw on him, and he never spooked. I did not see anything else until about 4:30pm when two small does, maybe 1.5 years old came rolling in, but once again was just out of range. Even if in range they were small, but I may have been tempted at the larger of the two.

Saturday I had the kids while my wife was at work so we just watched it rain and watched the hunting channel while the kids played Mickey Mouse on their I pad and toys haha. Then wen to academy to spend a little money before mommy got home.

Sunday I arrived just before light, but I waited until light before I headed out due to all the rain, and still raining. This place tends to flood and I did not want to go walking into any soft spots through the slues while going to my spot. About 8:30am a group of what I thought was 2 does came to within 40 yards, but never cleared a cluster of brush. Because of the rain, I decided to try my luck at a possible stalk to get in a better position. So I got up and used the same cluster of brush as cover and kept it front. My plan was to get within 30 yards and slowly step into a clear lane, while they were looking the other way. Come to find out it was 4 does int eh group and the other 2 ended up being 20 yards to the left of them in a lane, and busted me! the whole group took off. HAHA If I would have only waited...

I saw one more deer about 80 yards away cruising by in the thick stuff but could never see what gender it was, and it never even turned at me. Then an hour later a decent 4 point came RUNNING in after I did a doe call and then a tending grunt set not even 3 mins after the call stopped. He came straight within 10 yards of me and then stopped. He was not an AR buck so I could not shoot. but was cool to see him responding this early.

HERE IS WHAT MAKES ME REALLY MAD AT MYSELF! So sine it worked for the 4 point I decided around 3:30pm to try the doe call, followed by clicks and a tending grunt again. Not even 2 mins after I see GOOD horns coming at a good pace through the thick stuff. THIS IS IT BABY!!!! Then jumped a down tree and came into my clearing looking for some action, and as soon as he made his way behind a small pile of brush I drew back. As he emerged he was only 30 yards away, and I saw it was a beautiful 8 point about 4 years old, awesome public land buck! I lined up, and made a small doe sound to get him to stop, and boom stopped. I released the arrow, and as the nock lit up so did my eyes, THIS IS IT!!!!! The arrow was right on target, and then THUD!!!! And the deer took off, and my nock went flying through the air! WTF just happend???? Dumfounded I walked over to the glowing light on the ground, that represented my glowing disappointment. It was only the nock? Where in my arrow? Did it hit the deer and the knock fell off? I walked over to where the deer was standing, and there it was, my arrow laughing at me!

I didn't notice but when I lined up there was a small 1.5" wide treeling right there, and I had thought the deer was behind the tree, NOPE the tree was right in the kill zone, and there was my arrow, dead center in the tree with the broadhead protruding out the other side. At this point I was cold, soaked from the non stop rain all day, and mad at myself for not seeing this tree in front of the deer...

I packed up and called it a weekend, and now I am sitting in my office dreaming about what coul dhave been!

I may not have brought anything home, but seeing 16 deer in 3 days (not even 3 full days) is my best for public land. I will be back at the end of the week!!!

Sorry for the long post but I needed to tell my story!

Below is the view I had in my spot.



Last edited by jtprocaddie; 10/26/15 11:03 PM.

Joseph Trousdale
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Re: 3 Day hunt, Mad but my own fault. Still have a great story & success for Public Land [Re: TXGH] #5995667 10/27/15 12:20 AM
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Anytime in the woods is better than being stuck in the house. Fun read. BTW must be nice to have the hunting channels. Verizon FIOS took all of them off list this year. I'm PO'd.

Good luck next time and hopefully you get your stand back.

Re: 3 Day hunt, Mad but my own fault. Still have a great story & success for Public Land [Re: TXGH] #5996114 10/27/15 04:52 AM
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Great story. Bummer about the stand being stolen. Sounds like you did fine for hunting off the ground and seeing tons of deer. I hunt public land also and sometimes hunting off the ground is just more fun than dragging or carrying stands around. Good luck to you on the next hunt.

Re: 3 Day hunt, Mad but my own fault. Still have a great story & success for Public Land [Re: TXGH] #5996122 10/27/15 05:01 AM
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Great story, thanks for sharing!!!

Good luck on your next adventure up


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Re: 3 Day hunt, Mad but my own fault. Still have a great story & success for Public Land [Re: TXGH] #5996272 10/27/15 12:51 PM
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Great story. Just think, It can only get better. While you were hunting I was putting sandbags out in front of my garage. Got a little more rain than I needed.


Sometimes it's hard being me! But somebody has to do it.
Re: 3 Day hunt, Mad but my own fault. Still have a great story & success for Public Land [Re: TXGH] #5998877 10/28/15 07:55 PM
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Going out this Friday so we will see what happens!


Joseph Trousdale
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Re: 3 Day hunt, Mad but my own fault. Still have a great story & success for Public Land [Re: TXGH] #6000126 10/29/15 02:43 PM
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That's a good hunting story, even if you didn't bag the deer. But, what did the tree score?, LOL

Re: 3 Day hunt, Mad but my own fault. Still have a great story & success for Public Land [Re: TXGH] #6000468 10/29/15 06:15 PM
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Great story. You still did better than 90 percent of most folks. You'll make it happen.


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Don't text and drive.
Re: 3 Day hunt, Mad but my own fault. Still have a great story & success for Public Land [Re: TXGH] #6000630 10/29/15 08:11 PM
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REALLY enjoyed reading that! Thanks for posting. great story

Re: 3 Day hunt, Mad but my own fault. Still have a great story & success for Public Land [Re: TXGH] #6001288 10/30/15 04:19 AM
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Good story, I wish you could have got that buck. Stories like that is the biggest reason I come on the forum. Thanks for sharing.

Re: 3 Day hunt, Mad but my own fault. Still have a great story & success for Public Land [Re: TXGH] #6001323 10/30/15 05:13 AM
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JT clear your pm's. Got a question about your stand.

Great story! Sounded like a great weekend to be in the woods!

Re: 3 Day hunt, Mad but my own fault. Still have a great story & success for Public Land [Re: DesertDog] #6001491 10/30/15 12:59 PM
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Originally Posted By: DesertDog
Good story, I wish you could have got that buck. Stories like that is the biggest reason I come on the forum. Thanks for sharing.


Originally Posted by Sneaky
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Actually, BBC is pretty damn good

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Re: 3 Day hunt, Mad but my own fault. Still have a great story & success for Public Land [Re: TXGH] #6001498 10/30/15 01:06 PM
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Dude!!! I feel your pain because it has happened to me as well. Just learn from it and make sure you 'see' all these potential hindrances before the deer shows up because you never will once he does show up. Best of luck on your next opportunity.


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Re: 3 Day hunt, Mad but my own fault. Still have a great story & success for Public Land [Re: TXGH] #6002089 10/30/15 06:36 PM
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Originally Posted By: jtprocaddie




I think I know that spot. In fact, I just found a nice tree stand out there!

Just kidding, good luck next weekend


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Re: 3 Day hunt, Mad but my own fault. Still have a great story & success for Public Land [Re: jdk1985] #6002266 10/30/15 08:48 PM
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Originally Posted By: jdk1985
Originally Posted By: jtprocaddie




I think I know that spot. In fact, I just found a nice tree stand out there!

Just kidding, good luck next weekend


A$$ Hole! HAHAHAHA

Its the Risk I run on public land.

Yesterday I went out. Did not get in the ground blind I made until 10:30am

- 11:45 am a doe came within 20 yards right behind me, but could not turn to get a shot. 45 mins later, another doe crossed in the same spot behind me.

- 12:30 I did a doe call, then some clicks, then a tending grunt and 5 mins later a BIG buck walked in with a wide rack, could not count the points. He was crossing to my front left at 60 yards. Everytime he stepped behind a tree I grunted, and NOTHING. He did not even pause or look up, and each grunt I made got a little louder. Right before he was out of sight I did a loud snort wheeze to try to at least pull his attention. He acted like I was his ex who cheated on him and ignored me! Come on big daddy don't due pappa like that!

- Pissed off I waited 15 mins, and decided to do another group of calling blind. Then I followed these up with a rattle bag and took my aggression out on the rattle bag. 2 mins into rattling a pissed off 4 point came charging in to my right 15 yards from me, and I never saw him until it was too late. He took one look at me Blew at me like I owed him money and took off!

- It was not until 4pm when I saw more action, I was actually nodding off with the warm sun hitting my face with a slight breeze, and then I heard some rustling. A doe came running in like a hooker running from her pimp, and 10 seconds later a 4 point came charging after her, and both were about 50 yards with no clear shot. I grunted to see if I could pull him off her, he stopped looked my way, as if to say, where did the hooker go? Then he took off after her.

Then it the sun went own, and with the last little light I enjoyed the nature sounds and then went home.

I will head back out sunday to try to get her done! In the last 4 hunting trips I have seen 22 deer! This is starting to remind me of high school with seeing so much and getting no action.

Last edited by jtprocaddie; 10/30/15 08:49 PM.

Joseph Trousdale
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