Hunter: Greg Ferguson
Points: 9 (4L, 5R)
County: Randolph
Season: 2018-2019
Hunt Story
I only had a 4-day hunt. I hunted this stand my first day. I sat all day saw a lot of rut sign, saw does and small bucks. I waited a couple of days to hunt it again. I used a drag line using Black Widow Hot N Ready. I saw the scrapes had not been freshened after the current rain. I got settled in my stand and immediately saw my first doe. Around 4 p.m. I saw several does and their yearlings. A small 8-point came out chasing another doe. The mothers started chasing their young ones away. Unfortunately they ran under my ladder, I thought for sure I would be busted. A larger 8-point came out chasing another doe past my stand. The two bucks started eating from the feeder, and the does and yearlings were running back and forth. I was watching, looking at the larger 8-point deciding if I wanted to take him or let him walk. I was taking pictures and videos, just enjoying the woods and seeing mother nature in action. About that time I caught a doe to my left running down a trail that had several scrapes. She stopped about 20 yards of my stand, I then saw a large body deer nose down following her. He got behind me and I lost sight. The doe took off back on the same trail, and a moment later so did the buck. He was still nose down, then raised up and I knew I had a shooter. At that moment I did not have an ethical shot, but that changed when he turned right and I had a split second. I shot and he traveled out of view. The larger 8-point and his doe stayed, the shot didn't effect their plans. He actually made two scrapes before leaving. After waiting about 10 minutes for the 8 to finish and not wanting to get busted, I finally got down and found my 9-point 50 yards from were I shot him.
