Michigan hunter pulls off a rare double on public land.
Even though it sells many more hunting licenses than many states here in the U.S., Michigan does not receive a lot of love as a deer hunting state. Except from those of us who live and hunt here anyway. It's understandable to a degree. Michigan has a lot of hunting pressure and that makes it a challenging place to hunt, especially if you're on public land.
For determined hunters, it is still possible to fill your freezer full of venison and your walls with antlers with a little hard work. When things do work out, it can make for an extremely memorable hunt.
In this video from YouTuber Smackdaddy Outdoors, Ryan is out for the third day of the season in Saginaw County. When he finds a hunter already situated in his preferred spot, he reverts to his second choice. It ends up being a wise decision, as he fills his tag on two dandy bucks with a .350 Legend only two hours apart!
It would be easy for most hunters to discouraged and give up early after finding another hunter in their spot. In this case, the perils of public land ended up being a blessing in disguise. We know that some hunters in other states may not think these bucks are very large, but in Michigan, this is impressive, especially for public land. Personally, I've been hunting private land for nearly 20 years here in Michigan and have only managed a tag out like this once.
This video illustrates why it's a good idea not to rush your follow-up after a shot. His patience in deciding to sit a little longer allowed him the shot at a second buck to tag out and help stuff that freezer full. Who says you can't have success on public land?
The hunt also serves as a reminder to always follow up on shots that you think are a miss too. Ryan thought he missed the first, larger buck completely. It turned out he simply did not bleed near the point of impact. From one Michigan hunter to another, congratulations Ryan, this ended up being one of the most exciting hunts we've seen online all year.
For more outdoor content from Travis Smola, be sure to follow him on Twitter and check out his Geocaching and Outdoors with Travis YouTube channels.
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