SBH Thread about "Basinhunter"

[Professor T]

10/21/07...Professor T
I hunted the 3 Trees stand this evening. It was uneventful until just before dark. I saw 2 deer coming onto the plot from the Ridge Runner Trail. The first looked pretty good size and when it turned I could see antlers. I didn't pay much attention to the second. It came about 30 yards then the second one joined it. I had a better look at it then. It was big....no BIG! I could see heavy antlers with a decent spread. the G2's and 3's looked tall also, about 8". Good mass and he was pushing 200 lbs.

The smaller was a 7 or 8 point with a good spread. Looked like something for the wall. But the big one may have been P&Y. Had a shot at the smaller but passed because the big one was moving closer. Well finally he was 20 yards, broadside and head down feeding. I drew and put the pin on him. I couldn't pick my spot anymore. Light had faded to where it wasn't ethical to shoot. Believe me I thought about it. HARD!!! I was wanting to shoot really bad. I put the bow back on the hanger and watched the show for another 20 minutes.

Both bucks and another deer fed on the plot but the other kept it's distance. The big buck ran it off once and it came right back. Then they all fed together. Then both bucks ran to the west side of the plot fast and the big one stopped right on the edge and bowed up. Then he gave a snort wheeze....man I thought that was B*** Sh**. They do make that sound. He paced back and forth at the edge of the cutover and then plowed right into it full force going after something. The other buck was right in the same area but I lost track of him and the third deer entered near my stand and went north.

About 1.5 minutes after the deer left while I was gathering my stuff my SIL called on the cell phone and it rang on the plot. Boy I'm glad the deer were gone by that time. By a lot of people's standards it would have been a bummer of a hunt but it was great. How many times have you let a P&Y walk.

My Cuddeback TC took 3 pictures while they were on the plot but none of the bucks were close. I believe that the big one was in the background for one of the pictures. I can't wait to pull them tommorrow to see exacty what he looks like. It was pretty dark and my eye sight is not the best. BUT I CAN TELL BIG!!!!

Man it was a great day!

10/21/07...pchunter
I have been waiting on your report. I knew it was going to be good. I just hope to have a hunt like that. So how was the old heartbeat and legs?
Get him tomorrow. Hope you can go when the cool weather comes mid week. Good luck DonT.

10/22/07...hankjr
DonT, you did right by passing on a questionable shot. If you didn't spook them bucks, they will be back to give ya another chance. Good Luck and you will be posting a pic soon.

10/22/07...basinboy
It's just a matter of time! That was a great hunt in my book!

10/22/07...Rambow
That was a great story Don. Don't worry, you'll get another chance. And remember to put your cell phone on vibrate next time. I just thought of something. I wonder if you can get a ring tone with a buck grunt?

[Professor T]

10/22/07...Professor T
Thanks guys, I know I did right and have no regrets. I pulled the pictures this morning and the smaller is a good 7 point that has been visiting the plot regularly. The good one is a main frame 9 point with 2 good stickers. I believe it is the buck I called Clifford last year. He is mid 130's I'd guess but I haven't est scored him yet.

Later last night there was another visitor to the plot. This may be why that buck snort wheezed and got so agrivated. It is a much bigger main frame 9 point with 2 nice stickers and I'd guess 6" bases (or close). He's da man. I believe this is the buck I called basinhunter last year. I figured him at 4.5 last year so he is a good one. Really gnarly on the bases. I'll post the pictures later if I can upload them.

10/22/07...cro
I can't wait to see them, good luck with the big boy.

10/22/07...educote
DonT - Man that was close! What time was it? And was it cloudy just curious?

Ed

10/22/07...thehooks
Don T, sounds like a good hunt to me. I agree that if the shot is not there don't force it, they'll be back. Just be patient, I know I don't have to tell you that though. GOOD LUCK

[Professor T]

10/22/07...Professor T
I don't know the exact time I thought I't get that off the trailcam but I forgot to reset the time. They walked out close to 7:00 pm and my cell phone ran at 7:35 pm. At 7 I could have shot. I had a good shot at the 7 point but I made the choice for the big one. The extra 3 or 4 minutes it took for him to give me a shot made the difference in light conditions. The afternoon was cloudy but the sun started breaking through just before it went under the trees. The moon was out strong so I could see them very good (bodies) while watching them. They did exactly like the big deer do while I watch them at work. They stay to the darker areas most of the time. The shade from the trees against the moon.

The way that big boy ran at the cutover I would hate to have him mad at me. He gave the impression he wasn't scared of anything and went full force/speed at it. If he came at me that way there would be no defense. Pure Power!!!

10/22/07...Professor T
Here's the pictures:
First is the 7 point that gave me the shot early enough to shoot.

The next 2 pictures are of the deer I call Clifford. The first picture is not from last night but the second one is. They give you a side and front view of the deer.


Here is a picture of "Basinhunter" who showed up for the first time this year last night.


10/22/07...cro
WOW

10/22/07...BigW
Be patient Don, you'll get one of em!!!
Any of those would be a nice bow kill.
I remember hunting one time, had a spike and an 8 point come out on me. The spike was about to get down wind of me and spook, so i opted to shoot the spike. The arrow hit a twig about half the size of a pencil. Needless to say, i missed. Then something stranger happened. Instead of running off, the spike ran about 40 yds down wind and started blowing like there was no tomorrow, and the 8 point ran straight toward me, turned broadside at 20 yds. Drew back, put the pin in the crease and hit another limb. Oh well, it was still exciting! Not often you get 2 shots seconds apart at 2 different deer.

10/22/07...Rambow
You know Don, usually the bucks come to the plots at last shooting light, and by the time they come into range, it's usually too dark. I know you can shoot about 10 minutes later in the plot than in the woods, but I would suggest hunting on his trail about 100 yds from the plot. If there's an oak dropping acorns on it, he probably stages there until fading light before walking into the plot. IMO, your chances are better there.

10/22/07...educote
They are nice. WOW. Do you practice shooting late? My Dad and I developed and practice a shooting system to max. shooting hours called the TET (Two-eyed tritium). WHen the light fades and the peep gets blurry, we open the other eye. PRoblem or solution is there are two pins. We are right handed and use the right eye to maintain alignment with the peep and the left eye to aim. Now, your dominant eyes must be accounted for or you'll be aiming with the wrong pin and hit about 2-3 feet off left or right - bad, bad, bad. But I have practiced this enough to know nad use effectively - may be something you can do too.

Oh, the other part is the Tritium pin which produces light and glows 24/7 as opposed to transmitting light. If you can't see the pin you can't line it up or aim with it.

[Professor T]

10/22/07...Professor T
Rambow, it's all cutover in the area. The only other option is a road that dead ends just before going down to the creek. You are 100% right about the last light. If I would have hunted the TRAP stand I would have had a pass shot at 20 yards with enough light. Although I only have 45 acres sometimes picking the right stand is hard.

Ed, my sight pin had plenty of light but I have a hard time making out the silouette of the deer in that little hole. I had a larger peep but that's the one that I had to replace. I am still very hesitant to shoot unless conditions are perfect because of the previous losses.

The game I'm playing is hunting deer when they aren't supposed to be there. They do show up now and then. Most of the time it's after hours. hopefully this little cool snap will get them up early.

I made the shortest hunt in history this evening. I watched the 4 pm news and the weather and it looked like I might miss the heavy rain and it was light rain all afternoon here and it stopped. I decided to go to Trader Park. I walked very slow sliding all the way down hill. Then I cut through the edge of the woods uphill . Climbed up the stand , pulled up my by, sat down and it started pouring down rain. 30 seconds to 1 minute of hunting.

10/22/07...grocerygetter
speaking of dominant eyes....I shoot right handed,but,I'm left eye dominant...whats up with that? ::)DonT in the words of Micheal Waddel=====you got more action than the playboy mansion!Won't belong before you stick one!

10/22/07...Widowmaker
PATIENCE GRASSHOPPER!!!!!!!!!...

10/23/07...educote
GG - me too! But that means that while using the late shooting method I use the left pin and it is easier to see with dom. left eye-Ha

Don - No doubt. Nothing will make you more conservative than a few lost deer. I also know that the only medicene for it is a clean kill. SO I think this one should be titled "Almost got my chance" because that wasn't it. These kind of cooler windy days have been good for me to see bucks at odd times and with the full moon this week it won't surpise me if you get some middle of the day pics if things have been quiet enough.

10/23/07...Elmo
The left eye thing. I started shooting left handed when I was 21. Now its just natural. It helps when gun hunting the most. I have high mounts on my scope. That will let me shoot left or right handed with the left eye. Don't have to turn when the deer comes in from the wrong side.

10/23/07...Professor T
This morning was beautiful. I hunted Rock Ridge and on the way down the hill I sprayed my boots with Hyper Estrous X and when I got to the bottom I pouredout a little Hyper P. I didn't see anything but I believe I heard a buck rubbing a tree up the bottom a little. I tickled the antlers and grunted and it stopped. But didn't come.

When I was walking back up hill I noticed some fresh big tracks coming down the hill. I don't believe they were there when I went in. I never saw the deer. I actually got a little cold on the stand this morning. Felt good.

This afternoon is back to 3 Trees in hopes the bucks return.

[Professor T]

10/23/07...Professor T
This afternoon I went to Kolton's Korner to bait up the TC and there were 2 fawns on the East Plot. As I walked up to the TC another fawn ran right in front of me towards the box stand. I whistled and it stopped about 25 feet from me. We just looked at each other for a while then I went about my business at the TC and then went back to my 4 wheeler. When I started it up it left the plot.

I baited up the TC on the T-Plot and set out some Hyper Estrous X in the upwind corner of the plot. About 5:30 I saw a doe on the West Plot but it went south, away from me. A little later a doe with 1 fawn came out on the T-Plot and she was VERY NERVOUS. She was upwind of the scent but the winds swirl on the plots alot. She walked straight across the plot and out the Ridge Runner Trail. I got dark early so I left the stand around 7pm.

On the way back to the camp I passed Kolton's Korner and the TC flash went off just as I rounded the bend in the road. I'll see what it was in the morning.

I should have worn more clothes on the stand it got cold about dark. Winds were 10 - 20 mph.

10/23/07...pchunter
Ok DonT, I am tired of waiting on you sticking something to put on the board. Tomorrow pm is my turn on stand #2. I would not know what to do with the activity you get. I have deer but they make it called hunting and hunting and hunting. You never know when but you have to be there.


10/24/07...Professor T
PC, go get 'em. I keep doing everything wrong. I chose the wrong stand last night. While I was watching the oats grow at 3-Trees stand the bottom that I have been hunting had the activity. First to show at 6:08pm was Cro (big 8) and Jake (8). Then came Floppy (6) and Pabst (6) and then at 6:48pm came the bif guy Pitch Fork (13). The does were at Kolton's Koner before dark and then the big boys moved over there. Pitch Fork found a new friend. A new 9 point I'll call "Tank" est score 132".

Now, where do I hunt this evening? EENY, MEENY, MINY, MOE!!!!!
I haven't seen any bucks show up before dark in the same place 2 days in a row. BUT! If it's really eindy again I guess I'll go down in the bottom again. If it's fairly calm I'm going back to 3 Trees.

10/24/07...pchunter
I was interested in some of those scents you have been putting out. Now I know it is making them go to the other plots.

I have never heard of such a herd coming out like that. What would you do with all of them on top of you. I sure hope it would be sticking the biggest one.

This evening should be good as well as tommorrow. Let's go tag team some deer this evening and put the Boyz on the board.

Good luck!

10/24/07...grocerygetter
yea yall do that man!I'll show yall what I been doing later when I get time.I got a feelin' the "BoyZ" will be on the board 2nite....................Then it's no turning back
>>>>------------------------------>> #deersmiley# #deersmiley#

10/24/07...Professor T
Well it's still windy so I'm going to the bottom. Hope they come out again. I'm ready!

10/24/07...pchunter
Too bad rabbits and coons don't count. It was very windy until sunset. Maybe tomorrow.

[Professor T]

10/24/07...Professor T
Yes, If chipmunks and possums count we'd had this thing won already. First time I've seen 3 possums at the same time. The chipmunks had 90% of the corn gone in less than 1 hour. I just saw the same 2 fawns on the way going in again. They are starting to run when they see me now.

10/26/07...Professor T
GG you missed it by one night. Details later.


10/26/07...grocerygetter
woooooooooooooohooooooooooooooo!"soggy bottom boyz"are on the board....With a freakin' beast!!!Awesome Mr.DonT

10/26/07...hankjr
Nice deer Mr. Don......congrats

10/26/07...Professor T
Man it was a awesome hunt. I saw deer from the time I left the camp until I went around the creek to pick up the deer with the 4 wheeler. He is an 11 or 12 point (I'll have to put the tape on him this morning because the one in the back may be as wide as it is tall which will disqualify it. It'll be close but it is longer than an inch.

All together I saw 1 7 pt., 2 8 pts, and the big guy. I let a doe with a fawn walk. saw 2 fawns on the way out on the east plot, had 2 on the west plot when I got there, saw another on the west while hunting, saw 2 unID deer by the TRAP while hunting.

I missed the 7 point. Let the 8 point walk. Let the big guy walk past me the first time because of a questionalble shot. Then he did exactly what I thought he would do. I did exactly what I was supposed to do. The bloodhound did his job.

We waited until 10 pm to go look for the deer and when we found him he was still alive. The dog jumped him and he jumped and I believe broke his leg at the time. I had to make my way back through the cutover to the plot get on my 4 wheeler and go back to the camp to get my bow. Ride back to the plot andfind my way back to the bottom through THICK cutover. Sneak up to the deer quietly and shoot it again twice. The first at the base of the neck and the second in the bread basket. He still took 5 minutes to die.

Then I couldn't make it down the hill to him and make it back up to go get the 4 wheeler to bring around the creek to pick up the deer. So Kevin and Brady went to the deer and I went around. Then I traveled up the wash and met then. That was one HEAVY deer. He weighed 205. There was no way we were going to bring him uphill and that's why we went around the creek.

All I have to say is thank God!
Thank Kevin, Brady, and the bloodhound.
Thank Southern Whitetail Scents for allowing me to field test their products. (IT WORKS!)
Oh! and thank my wife for allowing me the time to hunt.

[Professor T]

10/26/07...pchunter
Awesome!
I can not think of any one who deserves such a fine buck then you DonT. Your investment and diligence has paid off. Looks like I need to change my thoughts on those scents.
Strange thing is on the other side of the river the guys hunting there did not see any deer moving before dark Thursday evening.

Congrats, now you have motivated me to get back in the woods sooner instead of later.

Unbelievable!!!!!!!!!


10/26/07...rcg1679
don will you be my daddy? haha you are the man!!!

10/26/07...BigW
I talked to Don on the phone a few minutes ago, man is he excited!!!! He's already got the meat at the processor and got the Taxidermist on the phone. I think he told me that it green scored 141. Nice deer, and a good job Don. Now go get the big one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

10/26/07...bowonly
Congratulations on a fine deer Mr. Don! He should make a nice addition to your trophy room. I'll bet you're glad you missed that 7. Keep up the fine work.

10/26/07...cro
Awesome I am so excited for you and you deserve him.

10/26/07...Professor T
Man I can tell some stories about this guy. When a plan goes right .... It goes right. When you say pet deer.... I mean pet deer. I actually called it before going hunting yesterday.

First let me say that 99 out of 100 of my plans don't work, but this one did. I started getting pictures of these bucks about a week ago on the T-Plot just off the 3-Trees Stand. I started baiting with corn and rice bran daily in front of the cuddeback camera which is now a piece of junk. Then I hunted this stand which is mentioned at the start of this thread "Had my Chance". Man that was a great hunt and a very good teacher. The bucks came close enough but only after shooting light. Where was my problem? I put the bait where I could get pictures and not deer.

After this hunt I started adding my secret ingredient. Not such a big secret "Iron Clay Peas". I had purchased an extra sack with hopes of replanting shortly after bow season began to give the deer new growth. That didn't pan out. So at $35 a sack I started feeding my little pets a little at a time. "Here Kitty, Here Kitty....BOOM!" The big change was I left the rice bran (now second choice for the deer) at the camera and moved the corn and IC Peas from 20 yards to 10 yards from the stand. Now when the bucks came out at the last minute they came directly to the shooting area.

Of course I cannot forget the contribution of the Hyper-P. This "Valium for deer" as I like to call it gave the bucks the go ahead that it was safe to come out and eat. After missing the 7 point at 30 yards (which I was nailing at the target) I was completely blown. The 8 point walked the saame path and then came to feed and I let it walk. Nice 8 point. I didn't want to shoot it. Then it was leaving by the same way it entered and I said NAA! It stopped. But it didn't stop for me it had a 205 lb obstacle in it's path. They both came back out and within a minute he was standing broad side at about 18 yards. I wasn't going to let this one pass. When it hit him it sounded like I hit a 2 x 4.

Anyway, this is one plan that worked. Let's see, I lost the arrow I shot at the 7 point in the brush pile. the 12 point broke the 1st arrow I shot him with. One of the other arrows that I shot him with in the bottom broke. I lost 2 arrows off my quiver trying to get out of that cutover. $350 for the taxidermist. $189 est for deer processing. Heck yeh! It was well worth it.

Thanks for all the encouragement all along guys. I really appreciate it.

10/26/07...grocerygetter
diffently worth it....a hunt and a deer like that is priceless!

10/26/07...basinboy
I just knew it was going to happen! Great Job Mr Don. You worked hard for that deer. P&Y Baby!



The Beast is dead! Long Live The BasinHunter!


10/26/07...pchunter
I haven't seen where said what broadhead you used.

You are now in the top 50 of La. bow kills. 50th is around 130 class. I hope the score comes out good after the curing period. Take him to La WLF and score that bad boy in the record books.

[Professor T]

10/26/07...Professor T
PC there are a lot of deductions because of being a 9 point main Frame. His 9th point is 4 4/8" which is deducted. "I HATE THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!" It's a typical point and shouldn't be but that's the rules. Then all 3 of the non typical will be deducted. It will bring it down to around 130 4/8 green net. It shouldn't lose more than an inch in drying so I'll still be P&Y and that was my goal.

Now for the rest of the story. The big boy walked across the back side of the east plot at 6 pm this evening. About 50 yds from Brady, our guest. He also said that pictures don't do him justice and he estimates him at 250 lbs.

I was supposed to make a quick trip and go back to the camp tonight for a BBQ steak dinner and a celbration with some Miller Light. I left and went to talk with Mr. Bill, my neighbor and showed him my buck. Then to the taxidermist (Whitetail Specialties in Jackson, LA). From there to Bowie's to get my 6 new arrows. Then to Tremontes to get the deer processed and of course one of their famous hamburgers. Then home to get my clothes washed for another week of hunting. When on my last batch my wife comes home with my daughter who has a toothache "OUCH!!" and 2 small kids. Kevin is hunting at the land. So I volunteer to stay home with my daughter and the kids and let my wife go to a meeting that she wanted to go to. That's ok, man my season is made. Even if I don't get to see the big boy I've had the best kill of my life. The entire thing planned and the deer actually followed the plan. AMAZING!!!! Now that's 2 bucks I have killed that I was hunting for and this one with a bow. I'm still pumped and I only got 2 hours sleep last night.

10/26/07...Cooyonboy
Congrats again on a fine buck Mr. Don.

10/27/07...Professor T
I misunderstood my SIL this evening, Our guest also killed a doe.

Still babysitting but hope to be in the tree by this afternoon.

No rush to shoot now. I may still try for a smaller buck but I also may just watch and learn

10/28/07...Rambow
I just got in from my lease today, been there since last Tuesday, and read your story Don. A big CONGRATULATIONS to you. I'm excited for you. I saw lots of deer, but I've been passing small bucks waiting for a good shooter.

[Professor T]

Permission given by:
Grocerygetter
Basinboy
Cro
Bowonly
PChunter
Rambow
Cooyonboy