Coleman's Eagle Bait

The evening of the 21st we hauled home so I could get in the treestand at Coleman's. With snow on the ground, I figured it would make for a beautiful sit. I sat in the stand close to the road as I was still getting in a little later. There was a group of deer bedded across the creek from my treestand when I got in. They did not completely bust out of there, but they got up and walked directly away from me when I got it. I later saw a buck pushing a small doe around in that same chunk of timber and I knew there was still a little rut going on yet. As shooting light waned I was bombarded by giant pytadactyls. Six bald eagles decided that they wanted to roost in the trees around me for the evening and they were not going to be quiet about it. With the weather being snappy cold, I was ready for a break. I don't know how many more of these hunts in the teens I could handle.

The next morning was much milder with temps in the upper 20s and 30s. I worked my way into the prairie stand on the north side of the creek. I ended up busting a group of deer at the corner but it was still early and I got in quietly.

45 minutes after legal a small doe appeared about 200 yards into the field. Right behind her was a buck. she was only about the size of a border collie at best, and he was chasing her around the field. At 80 yards, they stopped and looked at the prairie corner I was in. A very small buck we have seen multiple times was making his way towards the pair. The two bucks proceeded to spar while the doe slipped away passed the creek away from me. After she was out of sight the buck that was with her would not let her escape. At 45 yards he came through a shooting window but do not stop. At full draw I opted to not shoot.

I sat for another hour watching the bald eagles swoop around and the pheasants bounce around in the corn field to the west.

A flash along the creek.
I immediately stand up as I know this is the same small doe from earlier. She blasts back from whence she came.
I see her again and this time she s running full bore at me along the prairie edge. She comes to a complete halt when she gets to my boot prints. She sniffs but never busts. I was hounded earlier for not using some sort of scent control, and before this trip I prepped everything I had

I look up and I hear him coming down the trail. Grunting the whole way, he came to about 20 yards and stopped. There is a stem to the maple blocking my view so no shot opportunity. I don't know if he will left or right.
The doe for whatever reason busts and runs to the field edge. I knew the buck would follow her every move. He pivots a little and comes to the prairie edge at 12 yards.

I come to full draw and wait for him to take one more step to give me a broadside chip shot.

Instead I slip the arrow through two small trees while he is hard quartering too...

I watch as the buck takes off into the prairie and then cross the fence to the west.

He stands in one spot for 10 minutes before bedding down in the corn field.

I watch him try and get up and lay back down 3 times before he finally makes it to his feet. The whole time those damn eagles are pulling loops around him. For an hour he was in the field and I honestly believe that it was because of the eagles he got uncomfortable enough to get up and get into the timber line. He walked closer to about 70 yards and bedded down again. I could see him clear as day before he got up once more. At this point I could no longer see him. I figured he couldn't have gone far because I never saw him walk the creek edge.

I backed out as slowly and quietly as humanly possible and then headed for Dad's place.

We had gone over the scenario many times, and it was reassuring that my hit, and his body language indicated a fatal hit. I was even able to enjoy a late breakfast with Michael and Dad. We waited until 1pm before heading out to see if we could find this buck.

When we arrived, the four eagles I saw earlier were perched in the trees above where I saw him last...

 We walk a total of 80 yards before I see a large hairy rock about where my buck is. He went ten feet from when I saw him last before he bedded down for good.

We eventually dragged him out of there, all of 50 yards, and brought him to the Freeseman Farm where Jerry prepped the skid for me.

Michael said it was cheating...I disagree and now I want one.

He was by no means a monster buck, but there is a special meaning for me to harvest any animal off of this property. The last buck to come off of Coleman's was from 2010, so this was a long time coming. He will look good on the wall next to my wife's. 2014 is turning out to be a real dream season.



Stay Tuned