My son (non-hunter) and I got our first shot at the rut this weekend. We put a Primos decoy in the middle of a food plot at Cathole and hid ourselves downwind at ground level at the forest edge behind a thin little evergreen, about 80 yards away. We rattled and bleated, watching the far end of the field, where deer usually enter the plot. Less than an hour into the hunt we hear something big crashing its way up out of the ravine directly across the narrow part of the plot and a big buck charges out less than 30 yards away. He was mad as hell and didn't care a bit for stealth. We watched through the evergreen and all I could see at first was the steam shooting from his muzzle like dragon's breath. I leaned into the cedar to study him and brought up the MLII. He didn't have a clue about us, so intent was he on the decoy. The 300 grain Barnes MZ spun him around and dropped him straight down.
We got home early and added a movie and hockey game to the weekend. I love the rut!
Tennessee Muzzleloader Rut 
Linear Mode
