By James M. Chastain
It was September 2013, just before deer season in Wyandotte County, Kansas, when I set out deer minerals and my game cameras. When October arrived, I set up deer feeders. When I checked my cameras, I was pleased to discover there were a lot of deer using them.
I was most interested in the 10-pointer that consistently appeared on camera. That buck showed up every morning and every evening for two weeks. By the end of October, I decided that buck would be mine.
Not so fast, my friend.
If I was in my stand, the buck, accompanied by does, would wander past my blind. If I was in my blind, they would go by my stand. I was always in the wrong place at the wrong time.
When the buck started chasing does, I started watching their habits. For the next four days, the buck and does always traveled in the same area, so I put up a blind 20 yards off their travel path.
I hunted that blind for a week and watched the buck with two does moving in the same field for next four or five days.
Finally, on Nov. 11, my first day of vacation arrived. I was ready and watching as four does and the buck started coming my way. I grunted lightly and then watched as the does continued my direction, leading the buck.
I was trying to stay calm. The does were about 25 yards away before they turned into a bean field, and the pattern held as the buck continued to follow them. When the 10-pointer was about 22 yards out, I pulled back my bow, put my sight on him and shot. He went just 50 yards before he crashed to the ground.
I was so excited! I called my best friend and told him I had taken the 10-pointer, but I waited until dark before I went to see it.
I was so happy my hunt had worked out the way I’d hoped. It was a great way to start a vacation!