Well, it ain’t ideal, but a buddy of mine added another buck to his family’s freezer. Except he didn’t use his bow, gun or muzzleloader; he used his truck. Well, he did so accidentally. He was cruising down Cobb Road when a little four-pointer ran out in front of him and bounced off his grill.
I’ve been seeing a lot of that sort of thing, as I’ve encountered deer carcasses on roadsides from one end of the county to the other. The deer are in the third and likely heaviest rut of the year. That makes them stay on their feet, traveling night and day, looking for love. That restless wandering puts them at great risk when crossing the roads. So, be aware while you’re out.
That same restlessness amongst the deer herd signals the greatest opportunity yet to fill your cooler with fresh, organic venison. And Hernando County has really been producing some tremendous bucks. I know of nine harvested in the last few weeks that will easily make the minimum of one hundred inches of antler to be included in the state whitetail record book.
If you plan on taking to the woods for a Christmas-time buck, I recommend you bring some urine-based, estrous scents. Determine the dominant wind patterns for the day and place your scents upwind of bedding areas and heavily used travel routes. If a buck crosses that scent trail, he’s far more likely to investigate it than at any other time of the season.
I’ll be out in the field again, guiding hog hunts, and I’ll tell you, I’m loving this cool weather. We’ve been having great success on a farm near Istachatta. The landowner keeps the corn feeders running year-round, and the hogs have become a bit of a nuisance to him by not leaving any corn on the ground for the deer. So, he’s decided that they have to go!
Now, if you decide to join me on a hog killin’, just know, gun or bow, we’ll have fun! I can accommodate whatever weapon you choose to hunt with, but hogs were made to hunt with a bow. Solid, cut-on-contact broadheads are a huge plus. Few mechanical broadhead designs are ideal for the thicker, harder-to-penetrate skin on wild hogs. So choose traditional head’s by Muzzy, Satellite, or even Allen, so long as they are sharp and you can put them where they will do their job.
As always, give me a shout. If you have any comments or questions, reach out to me at [email protected]. God Bless, and good hunting. Have a very Merry Christmas!
