Sat at the top of the 3 story diving tower my friend has erected on his place. From there, I can see the box blind (green arrow), the deer feeder that Old Man frequents (yellow arrow) 275 yards away, and the bush I plan to make a ground hide in (red arrow).
The feeder went off at 5p and Midge showed up about 15 minutes after. Late because I had just filled the Protein Feeder next to the corn feeder at 4:45p and probably set them back a few minutes.
Next, a young thin horned 8 point showed up and by 5:30p I was beginning to fear Old Man hadn’t made it through the night as he is pretty regular at this feeder. But, I finally saw him peek his head out of the brush on the far side he always approaches from.
He approached the feeder cautiously but walked fine. When the young 8 pt turned towards him, he shied away several feet. Not wanting confrontation.
I watched him lick the swollen part of his right flank which seems to have gone down considerably. I can see what appears to be an open spot at the bottom of the “cyst” and this is the point he licked vigorously. Possibly where an antler punctured him or where the cyst burst.
Approaching the feeder again, he gave Midge and the young 8 a wide birth and stayed on the outskirts.
That’s the Bushnell Spotting scope set at 15x viewing 275yrds away.
He seems to be moving fine. Looks rather skinny, and obviously wants no confrontation with other bucks.
So, I’m still at a stalemate. He’s obviously done fighting for the year and is in survival mode. Baring further injury and with good food supply, he might make the winter. But, will he be productive next breeding season........I have my doubts.
"To Hell with efficiency, it's performance we want!" - Elmer Keith
Rooting for him with a pom-pom in one hand; waiting with a rifle in the other . . yeah, I get where you're at.
Sounds like he may have beaten off infection from the injury. "Good food supply" is probably the major question on whether a comeback happens - if the young studs don't let him eat properly, that's probably it.
The euthanasia decision process SUCKS, but I have found that they have a way of clearly letting you know when. Another week's observation will probably tell the tale. Keep that .303 handy. You're running the poor man's version of the No.4 MK1 (T) sniper rifle - a leading contender in the classic game of knowing when to shoot and when not to. That fits.
Rooting for him with a pom-pom in one hand; waiting with a rifle in the other . . yeah, I get where you're at.
Sounds like he may have beaten off infection from the injury. "Good food supply" is probably the major question on whether a comeback happens - if the young studs don't let him eat properly, that's probably it.
The euthanasia decision process SUCKS, but I have found that they have a way of clearly letting you know when. Another week's observation will probably tell the tale. Keep that .303 handy. You're running the poor man's version of the No.4 MK1 (T) sniper rifle - a leading contender in the classic game of knowing when to shoot and when not to. That fits.
I like everything about this post.
:hatsofftoyou:
"To Hell with efficiency, it's performance we want!" - Elmer Keith
That lump draining is something in his favor....at least he's not retaining that nastiness in his body..and the likelihood of sepsis is diminished. Clearly he's not feeling his best but he could be on the mend...to some extent at least... Are the bucks in your neck of the woods still in rut?
Sharps Model 1874 - "The rifle that made the west safe for Winchester"
That lump draining is something in his favor....at least he's not retaining that nastiness in his body..and the likelihood of sepsis is diminished. Clearly he's not feeling his best but he could be on the mend...to some extent at least... Are the bucks in your neck of the woods still in rut?
Yes, they are still chasing does. Fighting has somewhat diminished. But, still see the occasional buck with a new missing time or section of beam.
I watched Groucho chase a young doe this evening as though his life depended on it and hers to get away.
"To Hell with efficiency, it's performance we want!" - Elmer Keith
-I kinda want to even the playing field. I don’t want to hide in a manufactured box blind and snipe him with a WWII rifle. I want to be on the ground. Closer. And use fieldcraft.
Sounds silly, but it makes sense in my head.
"To Hell with efficiency, it's performance we want!" - Elmer Keith
-I kinda want to even the playing field. I don’t want to hide in a manufactured box blind and snipe him with a WWII rifle. I want to be on the ground. Closer. And use fieldcraft.
Sounds silly, but it makes sense in my head.
Sounds like a good plan. He deserves an even chance to win, not a surprise death.
-I kinda want to even the playing field. I don’t want to hide in a manufactured box blind and snipe him with a WWII rifle. I want to be on the ground. Closer. And use fieldcraft.
Sounds silly, but it makes sense in my head.
I am good with that, seemed odd to not use an elevated blind they are used to being around, your logic is sound, this time
I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn away from their ways and live. Eze 33:11
No reason you can't study him at length from the blind though - after all, we're maybe trying to find a reason to NOT kill him. Still, classy methodology to take an accurate rifle into can't-hardly-miss range and using a bullet likely to leave very little question about the result. It's about as close to a morphine drip as any wild animal is likely to get.
Yeah, he and two other young 8pts are likely in the chopping block. He’s at least 8.5 years I believe and declining. While they are 3.5 yes with little potential.
"To Hell with efficiency, it's performance we want!" - Elmer Keith
Replies
"The Un-Tactical"
Sounds like he may have beaten off infection from the injury. "Good food supply" is probably the major question on whether a comeback happens - if the young studs don't let him eat properly, that's probably it.
The euthanasia decision process SUCKS, but I have found that they have a way of clearly letting you know when. Another week's observation will probably tell the tale. Keep that .303 handy. You're running the poor man's version of the No.4 MK1 (T) sniper rifle - a leading contender in the classic game of knowing when to shoot and when not to. That fits.
"Nothing is safe from stupid." - Zee
Are the bucks in your neck of the woods still in rut?
-The Enfield wears a 2x scope.
N454casull
"Nothing is safe from stupid." - Zee
Still a coin toss but he’s eating and gaining weight. Have you had eyes in him to determine ease of movement and demeanor?
Mike
N454casull
Our bull elk on the refuge got to the point that all that rutting just got to be too much work and spent the fall and winter in old bachelor groups...