Rattled in GIANT and still is onešŸ¤¬

"OMG that was fun beyond belief! He left me shaking for 10 minutes!"

Thisā˜ļø This is why we bow hunters do it!
For me, shooting a deer/elk at 500to1000 yards is mechanicalI. still love to do it, but I've more or less put it on hold while I chase the adrenaline rush of close encounter bow hunting.
Coming to full draw on a mature ANYTHING at a distance that you're certain they can hear your heart pounding is mental.
I am with you, I haven't touched my rifles ( for hunting) in years, I have a couple that I have never even shot yet, and have had them for several years. Bow hunting is just in my blood. Now if I was staving, I would have to bust out the rifle, but luckily that's not the case, at least for now. With our government the way it is, who knows.
 
I hadn't used my rifles for over 25 years till I retired to Montana. I just loved thee thrill of arrowing something at 10-20 yards with my longbow or my recurve. Started gun hunting here in Montana because I love eating elk meat and I couldn't guarantee that with a bow. Thanks for the stories. I could feel your excitement.
 
Hunting on ground hunting hedgerows in IN farm. Did rattle sequence about 9 thus morning with grunt snort wheeze. An absolute GIANT 8 with at least 12-14" G2's and G3's not much smaller steps out 52 yards. Maybe 18-20" spread. Would not commit to follow hedgerow that he was on since I believe he could not see what was causing the fight. Turned around and went back in, soft grunted and he returned. Never closed inside 52 yards. After 10 crazy nerve wracking minutes, he slowly turned back into the hedgerow. OMG that was fun beyond belief! He left me shaking for 10 minutes! He was gorgeous! Bet well over 200 dressed. When you get one of these big boys to come in, they can unravel anybody!
I have had enough bucks react to grunting and rattling the same negative way I don't rattle much any more and only grunt if I see the buck isn't going to head my way.
IME grunting has scared off more mature bucks than brought them in. And I use care to grunt at a minimal volume and numbers of grunts.
 
I totally agree but when on private and a lease that you have sole access, vocalizations can work. Just cannot over use and be selective when. Decoys work pretty good but even then you may only have once twice chance. No different than scents, once twice is all you get with mature bucks. Same with stands, we rotate and put up new or use climbers. Too small of territory so you can get patterned fast.
 
So I thought I should close out the original posting of bow hunting our IN lease. I killed my biggest there with the .270TH. This was one of the bucks in the field that evening of bow hunting. He is the one that went full throttle by me at 30 yds instead of walking nicely after doe. Wished I could have arrowed him but shooting him with new .270 build was almost just as satisfying.

 
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