A blind squirrel does in fact find a nut once and a while. That was the case as luck was on my side on opening morning.
With the full moon on Friday it was still fairly high as the sun was coming up Saturday morning. The skies were clear to the west and overcast to the east so it was one of those rare mornings where the transition from bright moonlight to daybreak is undistinguishable. So as the day was starting I stood up in my stand to prepare for what might come my way a few minutes before opening.
After standing for about ten minutes I turned my head to the right just in time to see a buck approaching on the trail 15 yards in front of my stand. He stopped with his vitals behind a tree and started to work over the overhanging leafed out branch. After about a half minute I got turned to face him and he paws the ground twice and takes a couple steps clearing the tree but now angling towards me. In the low light it was tough to see very many details of his rack. His long tines stood out and when he faced me I could see the spread and some significant mass.
I had to make a decision fast on whether to try and fill my tag this early in the season and decided that he would fulfill my requirements of a shooter. Turning back on the trail he moved slow as I came to full draw but the clump of leaves in front of me were of concern. The shot just did not feel right. As he passed by another tree he entered the spot that would be my final chance to get off a shot and the arrow was on it's way. The illuminock made it look like a green laser right to the center of the chest.
He took off to the south running straight away from me along the side of the corn field. His tail was tucked tight and at about 75 yards away he stopped broadside and looks back my way. After about five seconds he gone but replaced by a big white spot on the ground just in front of the spot he stood. Checking my watch it said 6:17, just six minutes after opening. The low light prevented me from seeing details of his collapse. Looking through the binoculars didn't provide a much better look either.
Had he been in more of a hurry and was just walking past me and not stopped at the overhanging branch I never would have even attempted to shoot. There just was not enough light to process everything that fast.
Just to be safe I sat to enjoy the morning. After 20 minutes the light was better and confirmed that he was down for good. After waiting ten more minutes I climb down and piece together all that just happened.
As it turned out the arrow passed through the heart making a very visible blood trail with huge splashes on each bound.
The buck was sporting a 5X5 rack with a 13 ΒΌ inside spread and weighed in at 165 lbs. I couldn't have been happier as this is my personal best with traditional gear. The Robertson recurve, Wensel Woodsman broadheads, and Traditional Only carbon shafts had done a super job.
On a side note, this stand is essentially the same one that I got my first traditional kill 22 years earlier. That stand however was a ground blind 30yards to the south. On that hunt I used the most miserable longbow know to man (my first build) with mismatched arrows. But I can tell you this much, a fawn at eye level makes them appear much bigger and in fact very exciting. Heart shot as well she came to rest not far from where this buck did.
This is what the bloodtrail looked like.
(http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/gszalewski/DSCN0234.jpg) (http://s252.photobucket.com/user/gszalewski/media/DSCN0234.jpg.html)
(http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/gszalewski/DSCN0269.jpg) (http://s252.photobucket.com/user/gszalewski/media/DSCN0269.jpg.html)
(http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/gszalewski/DSCN0288.jpg) (http://s252.photobucket.com/user/gszalewski/media/DSCN0288.jpg.html)
Here We Go :thumbsup:
:campfire:
Beautiful deer! Congrats to u sir!
Great story. Nice shot.
And may I add the your Hero Pic is exceptional!!!!!
The colors are so vivid against the foggy morning and look at the chocolate rack :thumbsup:
WOW - Nice Job Greg! Good on ya buddy!! :archer:
Bob.
That's a nice one . :thumbsup:
Very nice deer. Sure didn't take long to fill that tag!
Very very nice Wisconsin buck! Great shot too...not so sure about that "blind squirrel" part :archer2:
QuoteOriginally posted by 23feetupandhappy:
And may I add the your Hero Pic is exceptional!!!!!
The colors are so vivid against the foggy morning and look at the chocolate rack :thumbsup:
X2
Congrats on a beautiful buck! That's one heck of a way to start the season.
Love that dark rack! Congrats!!
Nick
Great shot and Well Done Sir......
,,Sam,,
:thumbsup:
Well done, Congrats!
Beautiful buck! Congrats
Wow, congrats! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Great job beautiful buck!!
What a gorgeous buck! Congrats!!
Great job Greg!! Loving that dark rack!
congrats Greg!! A 6 minute season!!
Very nice buck, Greg!
With this buck and your son's bear, the Szalewski freezer is already begging for mercy.
You probably still have a doe tag or two in your pocket, but don't rush back out there yet. Enjoy this accomplishment for a while. You deserve it.
You certainly centerpunched that heart
Top shot and a beautiful buck
Well done Sir
Great buck and awesome shot! Congrats
Way to go sir! Beautiful animal! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
And I will call "BS" on your thread title...
Beautiful buck buddy.
Nice congratulations!!!
That dark rack on that fine buck is outstanding!
Congratulations!
Very happy for you!! Congrats!
very nice congrats
Not a bad way to start the season. Good job! That is a very good deer.
Congratulations on your beautiful buck, and I wanted to thank you for the excellent write up!
Well done, sir! Great hero pic. Just like it should be done.
Congratulations Greg, well done
Beautiful animal Greg,meat in the freezer!
Leland
Great way to kick the season off, congrats.
Well done, love the dark rack and the picture certainly is excellent...
Great story and great shooting!~
Mighty fine ... congrats :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Beautiful buck love those chocolate horns!!!
Nice deer
Great shot and congrats! Thanks for sharing.
Congrats on a fantastic buck
Jeff
Wow, that was a quick season. Congratulations Greg!
-Jay
Everything about that hunt is superb!. :clapper: :clapper:
Congrats on a great buck Greg! And nice shot with your Robertson! :thumbsup:
Congratulations on a beautiful buck and great shot!!
Well done but You robbed yourself of many weekends of buck hunting. Great buck.
A beautiful deer. I like your thought process as shared in the tale. I sure miss hunting the edges of cornfields (when I lived in Indiana and Missouri). I'm going to check with a local farmer to see if I could get 5-10 acres planted on my property, just for hunting so it would have to be high yield.
Beautiful buck...Love that dark rack!! Congrats!!
Hey, that is great! And thanks for allowing us to enjoy it with you! Great deer!
Congratulations Greg! Great story and great buck.
Well done.
Thanks for all of the kind comments. I really appreciate it. As I said I couldn't be happier.
I have to make a clarification here I guess. I never said that this ends my season, in fact I am just getting going. I intend to hunt every weekend and two full weeks between now and the middle of Dec. I have doe tags here, going to Indiana for week, a Door county turkey hunt planned, and a week in Iowa in Nov. So stay tuned, this isn't over yet.
I also have to share the reply that I got back from Barry Wensel:
"Blind squirrel?? Blind squirrel??? What do you mean? Didn't you attend Barry Wensel's Trophy Whitetail Bootcamp in the spring of 2016? And now... you shoot the biggest buck of your life?? Coincidence??? I think not! You are now a fine tuned trophy harvesting machine and we'll expect this from you EVERY year from now on. Good job buddy. Way to keep your cool. Congrats. BW "
Barry does get some credit for his sound and in depth whitetail hunting practices that he shared.
Thanks again,
Greg
Woo Hooo Greg, Well Done! Congrats on a fine buck with neat chocolate antlers.
hope you still have room in your freezer and tags to fill so your season isn't over hardly before it started..
Great Job sir!! Love that chocolate colored rack...Hell of a shot!! :shaka:
Beautiful buck..! Thanks for sharing.
Well done!
Wow!
Congratulations!!
He's beautiful
Great buck. Congrats.
Nicely done he is a dandy. Thanks for sharing your story.
Well done Greg! Excellent shot at a beauty of a beast! Congratulations!
Kenny :clapper:
awesome job. fantastic photos!
Very Nice Buck !
Very nice!! Congrats!!
Outstanding, Greg! Congratulations!
Tremendous! What a gift.
Dan in KS
Congrats....excellemt
Nice buck, and great shot too!
Congrats,
Bisch
Well done. Beautiful deer!!
heck of a deer! great shot :noteworthy: congrats!
Nice work!
It always feels good to make a great shot too!
Thanks for sharing.
Nice job Greg!
Fantastic Greg. That's the way to start off the season.
:thumbsup: :archer2:
Congrats! Beautiful rack, looks like he polished it up for you!
Nicely done congrats