My lovely South Carolina buck.
Might 05, 2022
Though not essentially a whitetail vacation spot, the South has quite a bit to supply relating to whitetail deer looking. You simply might have to regulate your technique, gear, and expectations a bit.
Don’t get me improper, sometimes there are some whoppers that come out of the South, however as a rule, you shouldn’t depend on it.
As a boy, I grew up looking hard-pressured whitetails on public land in north Florida. After 35 years of dwelling within the West, I’ve now turn out to be spoiled by looking whitetails in Colorado and close by Midwestern states, the place it isn’t unusual to see a number of whitetail bucks each sit. One other plus is the bucks on this a part of the nation are historically a lot bigger in each physique and antler measurement. The extra open nation within the Midwest additionally often means extra steady wind circumstances, which is simply one other benefit to all hunters, however particularly us conventional bowhunters.
Regardless of all these benefits, I nonetheless take pleasure in heading to candy tea and boiled peanut nation after I can. Partially as a result of I nonetheless love the South, but in addition as a result of I benefit from the lovely little hard-to-hunt whitetails discovered there.
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This previous season, I headed to South Carolina to hunt with my buddy and President of Montana Decoy, CJ Davis. I went in the midst of October, and the climate was scorching. So scorching that mosquitoes nearly compelled me out of the stand the primary night — reminder number-one that I used to be again within the South. So was the truth that I didn’t see a deer.
The subsequent day I didn’t neglect my Thermacell, so I wasn’t swatting mosquitoes, however my deer sightings nonetheless remained at zero. CJ, nonetheless, was averaging seeing two deer a sit. I’m nonetheless unsure if that’s as a result of he was placing himself in a greater spot, or if I had turn out to be rusty at selecting out the small, elusive deer within the thick brush.
I did, nonetheless, hear a couple of deer blow at me my third sit, which is one other powerful factor about looking down south. The new and humid climate makes you sweat, and no quantity of specialised clothes or cowl spray can do away with sweaty human odor. When the wind isn’t blowing within the thick brush, your scent tends to only pool up round you in a large, 360-degree radius, eliminating the possibility of a deer coming into bow vary. The opposite problem is that since you possibly can typically solely see 20 to 30 yards within the thick cowl, it’s crucial to ensure your clothes, gear, and bow are tremendous quiet, as a result of when you do see a deer, odds are it’s already in vary.
In addition to the warmth, humidity, and lack of a lot wind, we additionally had a full moon to take care of, which made a lot of the deer motion we have been seeing on the path cameras happen in the midst of the night time.
On the final two days, the deer began transferring just a little higher and I nearly had a shot at a spike that simply wouldn’t give me the angle I wished. I additionally had a small 3×3 or 2×2 that issues simply didn’t come collectively on, and I had a doe that managed to maintain brush between us, although she walked by me at beneath 20 yards.
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On the final morning of my hunt, I noticed a pleasant buck that regarded enormous because it fed previous me, consuming white oak acorns. His antlers have been a fantastic light-brown colour, and his physique regarded darkish within the shade of the bushes.
As I watched him feed, I slowly lifted my recurve from its hanger. He bracketed himself within the thick bushes and gave me an ideal broadside shot. My Muzzy-tipped Easton arrow arched via the bushes, and I heard a thud however didn’t see my arrow join, so I began to doubt my shot. Was the thud my arrow hitting a lifeless log, a stick within the mud, or the deer? I puzzled.
I referred to as CJ as a result of I used to be my traditional nervous wreck after a shot and couldn’t inform him a lot, apart from I had shot and had no thought what had occurred. After he bought performed laughing at me, we waited some time and eased in to see what we might discover. We simply discovered the place the buck had been standing, as he kicked up leaves when leaving quick. Sadly, I couldn’t discover my arrow or any blood.
We eased into the comb about 40 yards, persevering with to seek for blood and my arrow, when CJ loudly referred to as out that he had discovered blood. I requested how a lot and if it regarded good whereas strolling towards him, and he responded that there was fairly a bit on the buck mendacity lifeless in entrance of him.
For these seeking to journey and take a look at one thing completely different, try one of many Southern states for a hunt. There are some nice public-land choices within the South. Or for an affordable value, you possibly can often get a guided hunt for about half the worth of a guided Midwest whitetail hunt. Whereas I ended up killing a fantastic buck on my hunt with CJ, I might have been simply as pleased with a small buck, a doe, or no deer in any respect. If that works for you, attempt a seek out south. If nothing else, it will possibly assist deliver you again to actuality if you’re used to looking huge bucks in one of many extra well-liked whitetail states. Simply ensure you deliver one thing for mosquitoes, in addition to rubber boots and a few light-weight camouflage. I might additionally ensure the whole lot out of your clothes to your bow is whisper-quiet, or you might wrestle to fill your tag.
