Steve Bartylla
Day 1
This year’s hunt actually began in early July. Tom had acquired a new lease and had generously volunteered it as a location for us to use for our next habitat improvement video. After scouting the property, it was obvious that it not only held trophy bucks, but could be very effectively setup to intercept their movement patterns. A location was selected between existing bedding and feeding. The bottom contained three strategically placed openings that, with a little clearing work, could be planted. As importantly, they would all offer undetectable access routes to potentially outstanding stand locations. The first plot was planted in beans. In this region, July is well past the preferred time to plant soybeans. However, assuming enough rain, it is the perfect time to plant them for deer. By planting so late, the bean plants remain green and highly desirably well into bow season. When given the choice, deer will go for the green beans over brown and dried almost every single time. With that done, we waited until late August to plant one other bottom in a mixture of www.antlerking.com Fall Winter Spring and Trophy Clover Blend and the last in Buck Forage Oats. The farm itself already had corn and alfalfa on one of the tops. With our 3 plantings added to the mix, they would have every crop they could desire. Furthermore, they would have ample food throughout the year, as well as a feeling of security while feeding on our remote plots. The last step was to hang treestands. With that, all I could do was wait for opening day to come. Day 2
Because of the hot weather, sign of feeding on the Fall Winter Spring and Trophy Clover Blend plot and surplus of acorns dropping around the water hole, I selected it for my first sit. A lack of a good tree resulted in the need for me to hang the stand in a poor tree. The position was right, but the lack of cover was an issue. Luckily, slapping up a Cover System unit allowed me to feel comfortable with the setup. They give me the needed cover to setup in trees I never otherwise would. The afternoon consisted of seeing 2 does and 3 fawns stop for drinks before dropping down to feed on the food plot. Because of the Cover System unit, they never had a clue I was there. Frankly, I was very pleased with the results. Both the Buck Forage Oats and Fall Winter Spring increase their drawing power throughout bow season. To see the Fall Winter Spring was already drawing deer to feed showed great promise for October, November and December hunts. Day 3
After shooting some footage of the bean field, I crawled into the stand. I had no more than got settled in when I noticed my camera had somehow gotten moisture inside and would need a night of air-drying before it could be used again. That came back to haunt me later. Before nightfall came, I had seen four 1.5 year old, two 2.5 year old bucks, along with passing on a clear shot at a perfect 140 inch ten point. That is where the camera problem bit me the worst. The only reason I didn’t take the shot was because I couldn’t get it on film. Besides that, I missed the opportunity to get some awesome footage. It didn’t take long to realize that several bachelor groups of bucks had all laid claim to the food plot. It began with the first 2.5-year-old showing up with 2 of his younger buddies. Next, the 140 incher came along with his two young friends. They all fed peacefully enough until the last 2.5 year old began to stir things up. From across the field, I heard a grunting buck approaching. The act of grunting seemed to get the 140 incher’s dander up a bit. However, it flat out upset him when he heard the buck making a rub. His hair stood even straighter on end when the lone 2.5 year old emerged and began making a scrape. The 140 incher started thrashing his antlers in the beans and urinating repeatedly, in an attempt to intimidate the lone 2.5 year old. The effect was lost. The 2.5 year old made the foolish error of going to one of the 140 incher’s little buddies and trying to spar with him. That sent the 140 incher into a rage. He then spent the next 10 minutes chasing the foolish 2.5 year old around the field in circles. Having the intelligence not to go toe to toe with the bigger guy, the 2.5 year old finally fled the flied in fear. Wow! What an afternoon to be sitting in a stand!! Day 4
Returning that afternoon, I was in for another great hunt. Before the light vanished, I saw 11 different bucks, one of which was a copy of the ultra wide 8 point I harvested last season with www.bluffcountryoutfitters.com and a 160 inch monster ten point that would make anyone drool. The big guy emerged real early, with three 1.5 year old buddies. Slowly, he fed his way in my direction. As tempted as I was to try to hurry him along with a couple grunts, I decided not to take the risk. After all, he was slowly, but steadily making his way straight for me. That is when it happened. At 60 yards out, he froze, hearing some commotion in the woods. He and his young buddies stood there, frozen still, for around 4 minutes, staring a hole into the woods. Finally, one of the young ones had enough and fled, taking the rest with them. Moments later, the 3.5 year old, 8 point, with a solid 22 inch inside spread, emerged from the woods. As he worked a scrape less than 20 yards from my stand, all I could do was wish he hadn’t lingered in the woods so long. If he hadn’t, the 160 incher would have been introducing himself to him – Right under my tree!!! The 8 was a nice buck. He had decent mass and great spread. However, his points were fairly short and dagger like. All in all, he would have measured right around 130 inches. A nice buck, but I wasn’t quite ready to fill my tag on him. So, I spent the rest of the afternoon watching him and six other 1.5 year olds feed, spar, make scrapes and rubs right around my tree. The move was definitely the right choice. I got loads of outstanding footage and had a blast being right in the thick of all this activity. As I said yeasterday, Wow! What an afternoon to be sitting in a stand!! Last Entry
The last day was spent mostly helping Tom. Lance, one of Tom’s guides, and I went out scouting and hanging treestands for his clients. As is often the case when scouting and hanging stands, time blew by too quickly. Next thing you know you’re racing to get in a shower and get out for the afternoon hunt. I arrived at my stand late. I had decided to give the bottoms a break and hunt the cornfield up top. The stand was one I hung earlier that summer with Pat Reeve. Pat, one of the co hosts of NORTH AMERICAN WHITETAIL’s new TV show, had hunted the farm in years past. He suggested we check out this knob that filtered into the cornfield. Arriving there, I quickly understood why Pat liked it. From that vantage point, a buck could overlook the entire field. It also lent itself to catching movement from the deer that lived in the corn, as they filtered down to the food plots on the bottom. I jumped all over it and hung a stand. The oddest part of this afternoon’s hunt was that, despite being late, I was supremely confident that I was going to shoot a buck that afternoon. I told myself over and over that it didn’t matter how late I was. Today would be the day I filled my Wisconsin tag. I even went so far as to tell myself that 6:45 was the time. As coincidence would have it, at exactly 6:45 I looked glanced at my watch and told myself matter of factly that now was the time. No more than a minute later, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. The nice nine pointer was working his way towards me. Reading myself, I prepared for the shot. On the way in, I had placed a Scent Wick, laced with Active Scrape, in an attempt to draw a buck into the woods that may be working the edge of the corn. As he approached, he caught a whiff and stopped, posing beautifully at about 20 yards. With my Mathews LX already at full draw, I sent my Rocky Mountain Ti 125 tipped Easton flying. Slicing out behind the opposite side’s shoulder blade, the buck took off on the tear. From my stand, I could hear him come to a crashing halt. The buck was mine, and so were the priceless memories of yet another amazing hunt with Tom Indrebo and Bluff Country Outfitters!
Equipment
Golden Key release and fall away rest
TruGlo sight
Easton arrows
Rocky Mountain Ti 125 heads
Wildlife Research Center’s Scent Killing sprays and soaps, along with
Select Doe Urine, Select Buck Urine and Active Scrape
Scent-Lok suits
Rivers Edge treestands
PMI Cover System
Antler King Trophy Clover and Fall Winter Spring
 For
those looking for every advantage in understanding whitetail deer, Steve
Bartylla's column Becoming
A Student Of Whitetail Deer is a must read. |
I
have found that one of my favorite aspects of being an outdoor writer is
becoming friends with people that share a similar passion for whitetails.
Over the years, I have formed numerous bonds with people all across this
country. One that I cherish most is the friendship I have with Tom Indrebo,
owner of 
