LAST UPDATED: May 1st, 2015
Weather can play a huge role in Deer movement and daytime activity. Some of the biggest bucks I have had the pleasure to lay eyes on have been immediately following or during large snow storms and major temperature drops. I know that it is very easy to hit the snooze button and sit by the fire while watching the snow and ice accumulate outside. Just remember that paying the price in the snow and the cold sometimes can pay off in massive antlers. This was just such a case for bowhunter Mark Music.
Hunt Details
- Date: Tuesday, December 10, 2013
- Time of Day: 4:45pm
- Weather: Partly Cloudy 35 degrees West wind 4-6mph and 2-3 inches of snow on the ground.
- Location: Logan County, WV.
As that Tuesday rolled around I had no plans on being able to hunt that day. However, during the night and early morning hours, an unexpected winter storm moved through the area. This storm dumped several inches of snow on the ground and caused numerous cancellations at my job. This allowed me to formulate a plan of getting out of work a few hours early. After seeing my last client for the day I quickly grabbed my gear and headed for the woods.
On the drive in, I decided to hunt a blind sitting on the edge of a small food plot. The wind was right for the spot and it was located near a feeder, which I thought would come in handy with the snow on the ground. The only drawback was that I hadn’t put anything in the feeder in over a month and suspected it was probably empty. I arrived at the blind just after 4:00 and as I feared the feeder was empty. However, with just over an hour of shooting light left, I was committed. So I went ahead and settled into the blind.
I had only been there about 30 minutes when I noticed movement in the woods just beyond the feeder. I expected a doe since it was the first deer of the evening, but was pleasantly surprised when a large mature buck stepped into the opening.
This is a buck I recognized immediately. I have hundreds of pictures of him, but it was the first time I had ever laid eyes upon him. He walked directly to the feeder and started milling around about 25 yards from my blind. I quietly opened the window, took aim, and let my arrow fly. The buck immediately turned and ran back the way he came, quickly disappearing from sight.
The only daytime trail camera photo of this bruiser, taken during the peak of the West Virginia rut.
Although the shot looked good, I was not sure if I had hit him since he didn’t act like he was hit when he ran off. After waiting for about 15 minutes, I could not wait any longer. I eased out of my blind and started the search. I looked around the area where my arrow first made contact, but I couldn’t find my arrow and I didn’t see any blood. However I was able to see his tracks in the snow. So I followed his tracks into the wood line and peeked down the mountain to see if I could see him. Although I didn’t see him, what I did see was a decent blood trail. The blood trail stood out in sharp contrast to the snow. It was an easy track and I had only gone about 50 yards down the mountain when I spotted him piled up.
Mark Music shows off his massive trophy, proving once again how imporant food sources can be during the late season.
Q: What were the major factors that helped you harvest this buck?
A: 2013 saw almost a complete mast failure in southern West Virginia. This coupled with snow on the ground limited the available food sources the deer had access to. Additionally the rut had run its course and bucks were trying to replenish their reserves. Even though the feeder was empty, the buck knew there was usually a food source available there. Although I rarely got any day pictures of this buck, the combination of snow, mast failure, post rut, and a nearby available food source resulted in the buck coming out earlier than he normally would have. That mistake cost him.
Q: Anyone you would like to thank, for their help with this harvest?
A: I would like to thank my family and friends, especially my friend, Leroy. Without his help, I may still be trying to get that buck out of the mountains.
Equipment Used:
- Bow = 2007 Bowtech Tribute
- Broadheads = 100 grain Swhacker
- Arrow = Beman ICS 400
- Clothing = ScentBlocker park in Realtree AP camo
