Pennsylvania Game News - November 2022 - 6

tether to the tree, I started the short climb.
As I reached the lowest limbs, I detached
my hand climber and reattached it above
them to get a little higher, then locked in.
It was while pulling up my bow that
I heard deer running in the leaves on the
ridge across the creek.
A couple of loud buck grunts followed.
Quickly getting my gear in order, I
pulled my can and grunt calls from my
pack. Tipping the can a couple of times
brought no response, but the grunt call
seemed to provoke a reaction.
It was 3:57 p.m.
I heard the buck coming closer, down
the side of the ridge, but numerous evergreens
and some still-hanging leaves kept
him mostly hidden.
He took his time, too, stopping for what
seemed like minutes every few steps to
rub trees and make scrapes.
Finally, he appeared, standing on the
bank across the creek. My first good look
revealed him to be a wide 7-point, and
obviously an older deer. He peered across
the creek, seemingly looking right at me
the whole time.
After several minutes more, the deer
started paralleling the creek downstream
to get on the downwind side of me. I had
to do something quick or get busted.
Throwing a grunt-snort-wheeze at him
did the trick.
The buck crossed the stream and
climbed the bank. Still obscured by brush,
he moved cautiously, but all bristled up
and walking with that stiff-gaited walk
bucks use to intimidate others.
He stopped and thrashed every small
sapling in his path, one after the other.
When he at last entered a clear spot I
shot, putting an arrow through him. The
buck ran past the stand toward my truck
- something I appreciated later since he
weighed 171 pounds dressed.
6
And I knew this new spot was the reliable
one I'd long been looking for - one
I'd simply come to call " The Tree. "
REPEAT PERFORMANCE
I didn't hunt The Tree the following
year, having taken a buck elsewhere the
first week of that season.
But I did put a trail camera there to
monitor deer activity and whether anyone
else was hunting the area. That showed a
few deer, but no hunters, which I hoped
would remain the case the next fall.
Warm weather and bugs kept me from
hunting The Tree until one dreary afternoon
very late that October.
Running late, it was after 4 p.m. until I
settled in, so I waited only a few minutes
to use my can call and grunt tube.
The last note had just stopped ringing
when I heard something on the bank
across the creek.
I swiveled my head, this way and that,
looking for deer in all directions, but still
was surprised when a wide-racked buck
materialized across from me, looking
my way.
I already was standing, and he started
moving on a path that would take him
behind and very close to me. Armed with
a crossbow, I'd need to turn 180 degrees
to get a shot.
The buck followed the trail up the
ditch. When he got to an opening at 20
feet, I made a slight noise to stop him and
put a broadhead where it needed to go.
The buck took off before crashing just
30 yards away. I had been in the stand less
than 15 minutes.
THREE FOR THREE
The next season, my first day in The
Tree didn't come until early November.
Why? Who knows.
But with signs of rutting bucks plenti
Pennsylvania Game News - November 2022

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