East TN Public Land 8 Point

[Henry347]

I jumped this guy up Thursday at 1:30 in the afternoon checking out a new spot on some public land. So I picked me out a big oak; overlooking the flat that runs down below the ridge where I seen him and made a plan to be in the woods a hour before daylight the next day. 

Got all settled in at 6 Friday morning, about 6:30 I heard somebody pull up down the mountain a bit and around 6:45 seen a flashlight shining on the flat I was watching from the ridge above. He must have been hunting that spot for a bit because he done had a ladder stand put up.

I didn't want to move in on another hunter so slipped out the area and went up the mountain a bit. I set up in a spot I'd seen coming in Thursday. Knew the deer was using it pretty regularly, had a decent trial coming outta timbercutting into the hard woods.

Found a cluster of trees I liked and set up watching the old logging road below me. I always keep some tinks 69 soaked on a certain feminine product in a bag during this time. I hung the soaked feminine product out on a limb above my head and started out with a few contact grunts and then moved on to estrus bleats. Did two sets of calling and about 15 minutes after my last call; he came down wind of me working that road.

It was around 9 when he gave me a shot and I pulled the trigger. The trusty Hornady XTP did its job like always. Might have made it 50 yards before piling up.

I'm pleased with him and he'll put some meat in the freezer. I've shot bigger but for public land in Scott Co, it's a decent deer. Will say these high mountain bucks have some of the biggest bodies I've seen in East TN. Sure did a number on my back by the time I drug him out to the atv. 

[Grand Torino]

Good lookin' buck....way to go!!!!

[RED333]

Congrats!!!

 

[rugerla1]

Nice buck, congratulations Henry!

[Dirtshooter]

Nice buck,  that's what you get for being considerate of another hunter!! Kudo's

[Quavodus]

Nice buck you got. Respect you for giving the other hunter some room. I used to use 240 gr. XTP bullets. Nothing wrong with them, I just like to change it up sometimes. I been using 350 gr. Maxi-Hunters for a few years. I killed a 8 point this morning with one. 

[Dirtshooter]

Congrats David!!

[Henry347]

Congrats on the 8 point buddy. I try and be a respectful hunter and fisherman. I wouldn't want somebody to run in on me so I wont run in on somebody else. Way to many other spots a man can hunt. I didn't know he had a stand in there or I wouldn't even picked a spot above him. 

I've used those XTP bullets for years and like them. I also like the SST for anything over 100yds. I tried the traditions carnivore this year and while they shoot good outta my gun; I dont feel they expand like they should. I shot a doe opening morning and didn't like the results. It was a quartering too chest shot and didn't make a complete passthrough or expand. The bullet was stuck under the skin behind the left shoulder. So I switched back over to the XTP, I've had good luck outta them for years. Great expansion and passthroughs with good blood trails.