Almost Had Him

  Check out this buck I got on video on Veteran's Day.  When I first caught glimpse of this pair, he was breeding the doe.  I only got about 30 seconds of video because I was anxious to put on a stalk.  It took me more than an hour to close the distance from 275 yards to 45.  On the way, I spooked another doe and a coyote.  The breeding pair was bedded on a low flat next to a strip mine lake.  It was a blind stalk, but the wind was perfect and I was as quiet as a church mouse.  Once I got to the top of the little hill next to them, I saw the doe, but not the buck.  I backed down my side of the hill, moved to my right about 5 yards, then inched back up to the top.  This time, the doe was standing.  She never saw me, and know she didn't smell me, but she knew something wasn't right.  Maybe the grass didn't sound right, I don't know...  Then the buck got up a moment later.  Before I could draw back, he took a few steps and went behind some brush.  They sauntered off, away from the unknown danger...

   I had such a sinking feeling.  If that doe would have held tight for another minute, I know I'd have got a shot at that big boy.  To make matters worse, I did a little more looking around after the fact and found a much easier, faster path to take my stalk.  It would have got me within 60 yards within 20 minutes.  Oh well.  I'll know to take the express route next time I see a wall hanger bedded out in the middle of the brush.