We drove over on Saturday the 21st and set up camp. This took until dusk so our first hunt would start on the 22nd, well past when I like to rattle but still in the "zone". We got to our hunting spot a little later than we'd have liked but headed out excited. The first area we rattled wasn't ideal but due to my impatience we gave it a try. About 200 degrees of view was blocked by heavy timber and wouldn't you know it a buck comes in to 30' and I never see him. He came in hard so I wish I'd at least glimpsed him. On our way to the next spot we spotted a buck that my son wanted and he made a nice running shot after missing him clean standing still.
Nothing that night or the next morning and after a midday break at camp and not having much time left in the day we hit a good area close to camp. Well I had forgot my coat on the drying rack and knew I wouldn't be able to do extended rattle sessions. The first one hit the 20 minute mark and it was time to move to warm up. I'd planned on one session of about 40 min but couldn't make it. We hurried about 100 yds up to the top of the ridge and with 15 min of light left I did a short, violent session. About 2 min later I hear crunching in the snow about 80 yds below. He exposes himself at 60 and I can tell he's a mature buck. Normally a deer I would pass on on the second day but with my son tagged out and the thought of being home for Thanksgiving I smoked him. Spent too many T-giving dinners away from home in hunting camps.
