The 2018 season has not been without it's frustrations this year but yesterday there was none......none at all.
Everyone that knows me, knows I love the old Magnus Classics. Specifically the wide 160 grain version. But my stock is starting to get a bit low so last week I decided to order a couple packs of the glue on 165 grain Treesharks while they were still in stock. They arrived this past Wednesday so I loaded one up and headed out the the backyard range and sent it down range a time or two to make sure I did not see any odd flight. All was perfect so I got 3 of them ready to go, ran the through a RADA sharpener (another recent find that I have fallen in love with) stropped them with some leather and into the quiver they went.
Then yesterday morning I got up at 3am, quickly brushed my teeth, grabbed a snack and a cola and out the door I went for the 2 hour drive down to middle GA and some property I lease from Jerry Russel
I got there about a 5:15, quickly gathered my gear and eased quietly to the edge of a transition area where I had located several doe beds back in August. I figured I could catch a buck cruising the edge of the thick stuff scent checking does as the wind was perfect, blowing through the thick stuff and subsequently into my face.
The hour until it started getting light was long, and cold as it was also probably the coldest night we have had this season here in GA but soon enough the sky started to lighten up so I knocked an arrow and settled in for a long stand.
At 7:25 I caught movement to my right, a nice buck was working his way around the edge of the thick stuff and headed straight towards me. I was hoping he would continue straight and offer me a broadside or slightly quartering away shot as he passed but just as he got to the edge of the canopy of the tree I was perched in he turned to his right and continued on. This presented me with a very steep quartering away angle. I quickly thought about where I would need to impact for the arrow to reach the vitals. I picked a spot, thought about the arrow and where it needed to go to exit through the chest. I made a loud grunt to spot him, hit anchor and released.
I watched the arrow fly perfectly and impact exactly where I had been focused. The buck immediately did a high kick with his back legs and "heart shot" flashed through my mind.
I could see my nock so I knew I did not get an pass through but no feathers were visible, that meant at least 29" of penetration with a 2 1/8" wide broadhead. I watched him until he was out of sight, about 60 yards, and then took a seat to steady my nerves.
I nocked another arrow and decided I would sit at least another hour. In the meantime I saw two more bucks though both were a good bit smaller than the one I had shot.
I picked up the blood trail about an hour and a half later, initially it was not as good as I had hoped for but after about 60 yards or so it picked up substantially and 20 yards or so further and I found my buck. A large bodied 3.5 year old sporting a 11 point (or 12 depending on how you count the smaller points) heavy beamed rack. He is my best bow buck to date and I am very proud.
I was shooting my Pacific Yew "Wapiti" longbow, 64" and pulling 69@28. Arrows were Black Eagle "Vintage" shafts. The 165 grain Treeshark was glued to a 100 grain threaded steel adapter using 24 hour epoxy and I am also using a 200 grain stainless steel insert from Ethics Archery and a 2.5" footing from 2216 aluminum shafts. Total point weight is 495 grains and the total arrow weight is around 840 grains.
Best part was, I found him less than 15 yards from one of the access roads on the property. :)
(https://i.imgur.com/Viaewc4.jpg?1)
Entrance
(https://i.imgur.com/8z7xqjC.jpg?1)
Exit
(https://i.imgur.com/6Inr88Q.jpg?1)
The broadhead exited through the bottom of the heart
(https://i.imgur.com/dr4Mq2n.jpg?1)
Happy Hunter!
(https://i.imgur.com/nbep8p9.jpg?1)
Shortest drag I ever had
(https://i.imgur.com/aMBGVNc.jpg?1)
All smiles
Congrats on a fine buck
Congrats on a great buck!!!!
Bisch
Fantastic buck! Oh by the way thanks for the podcasts too. I listened to two episodes on stand today :thumbsup:
Quote from: Joeabowhunter on November 18, 2018, 09:04:12 PM
Fantastic buck! Oh by the way thanks for the podcasts too. I listened to two episodes on stand today :thumbsup:
Glad you are enjoying them.....you won't want to miss the one that just dropped this evening..... :goldtooth:
:clapper: :clapper: well done..... :thumbsup:
Congrats that's a dandy!
Congratulations for a good shot on a really nice buck!
Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk
Great Buck and a well told story!!!
Congrats :clapper:
Congrats on a great buck! Love them sharks.
Nice buck. Deadly shot. I don't have the nerve or the H.P. to take that shot.>>>----> Ken
congrats :thumbsup:
Great buck! Congrats! Got to love those Sharks!!
Congrats on a great buck!
Excellent harvest...congrats!
Love those Tree Sharks...
thats a bruiser ,congratulations
Way to go! :clapper:
Congratulations and those Sharks surely leaves a crater ! :thumbsup:
Congrats!! Great looking buck!
Quote from: bruinman on November 19, 2018, 07:47:43 AM
Congrats!! Great looking buck!
Thank you sir! I still take that old Jerry Hill you sent me out every year for a sit or two. It has yet to draw blood but know it will one day soon....
Dandy buck there and great shot...Congrats
Nice buck, congrats! :thumbsup:
Steve, that is a really nice buck. Congratulations!
Way to go sir! Very nice shot and a very nice buck! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Outstanding sir , Congrats on a fine buck...
,,Sam,,
well done sir!! :thumbsup: sounds like a very manly setup you got there
Well done, Steve. What a terrific buck. Fire up the grill!
nice, congratts! :thumbsup:
What a great buck, congrats again Steve!
Very nice sir, congrats
Congrats to you!
Congratulations!
Great buck! Congrats
Great Buck....Congrats
I love it when a plan comes together.
Congrats on an awesome deer!