I've taken a number of deer over the years with my traditional equipment, but I've always managed to choke on the few big ones I've gotten shot opportunities at. Well, the rut gods have smiled on me and I finally connected with a decent buck.
I was able to get out of work a little early on Tuesday. I was in my stand by 3:20, about a half hour earlier than usual and no sooner got settled in when I heard the same squirrel that I heard the previous night rustling in the leaves behind my stand. I thought it would be prudent to glance behind me so I fumbled my book back into the pouch on my stand and leaned around the oak I was perched in to see what was up. Much to my suprise, the squirrel had gained about 150 pounds and was now sporting a nice rack! I was able stand up and get into position without drawing his attention until he emerged from underneath a leaf bearing beech tree about 10 yards away. At seven yards I found myself in a staring contest with a woods wise 8 pointer and I thought for sure the game was up. These things never end well for me and sure enough, he bolted off to about 17 yards and turned around to give me a thorough inspection. After a minute or two, his orginal destination began to call again and my frantic stillness must have put him at ease enough to continue onward. He continued onward towards the woods road my stand overlooked. He walked behind a couple large trees that split the distance between us, giving me a chance to prepare for the shot. When he stepped into an opening at about 18 yards, I let loose. My shot went a bit high and left of where I was looking and hit him high in the back. I watched in dismay as he ran off and prepared myself for a long wait and difficult tracking job. He ran down the road about 60 yards and stopped in the trail. I could barely make him out through the leaves, but I caught movement as he launched across a ditch and made a great commotion as he ran through the leaves. Strangely, the sound didn't seem to fade off into the distance and suddenly all was quiet. Dare I hope he was down? It sure sounded like it but I decided to wait a bit to be safe. I could only take about 15 minutes of that though before I got down and started making my way along the road looking for blood. It was spotty in the wispy grass growing in the trail but when I got to the spot where he crossed the ditch I found a big splatter of bright red bubbly blood. After the third splash of crimson, I knew I was following a dead deer and my pace quickened. A couple dozen yards later I was looking at my first "non-yearling" buck and although you won't see him on the cover of North American Whitetail, he was a "big-un" to me and no slouch for a public land buck. I've been waiting 24 years to kill a buck like this and it feels good to have gotten the monkey off my back. Though not the shot I would've liked to have made, I took out the aorta/vena cava and the away side lung and the deer was down in less than 30 seconds. 154 pounds of good eats to boot. Here he is.
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d83/skendrot/091110_40D_001Small.jpg)
Very nice buck! Congrats!
nice buck bud...congrats - hope I get drawn for deer up here next year
Jer Bear
Congrats to you, and great looking buck!
Nice! I love those dark racked bucks. Congratulations!
Congrats :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Very Nice!! Congrats!!
way 2 go :thumbsup:
Very nice! Congrats!
Congrats on a fine buck!
Congrats on a nice buck!
well done...nice buck...congrats.
Very Cool, congrats on a great beast!
Awesome deer. Congratulations! Whats your arrow setup?
Congrats :thumbsup:
I'm shooting an old Asbell era bighorn with newly made Ron Nelson era limbs 56#@28". 30" 2216 with 125 gr Magnus blades. Shot this bow for years until I blew the original limbs up. Made my own BBO last year, but sadly cracked the limbs just before the season this year and haven't had time to make another. Hope to fill my 2 doe tags quickly so I can pursue the big one I saw in the same area last week. I've seen five different bucks from this stand in 4 sits.
Nice buck, Congrats.
:thumbsup: :clapper:
Congrats Steve. Couldn't happen to a bettr guy, becasue I know how hard you work at your hunting. Shoot Straight and Good Hunting.
Tony Sanders/aka"SNUFFER"
Very nice Steve, good job. Where in Maryland are you from?
:archer: :clapper: :clapper: congrats!!!
Great buck and that squirrel statement just made my day, that was freaking funny right there i dont care who you are. :biglaugh:
:thumbsup: Congrats again Steve you've earned that one!!!
It is a GOOD Feeling! Glad your feelin it!
Now get ya some more, Good shootin Steve, Steve!
Congratulations! That is a beautiful buck.
:clapper: :clapper: :clapper: Congrats!
Congrats on a fine buck!
Congrats!
Congrat! Nice deer.
You won't ever forget the first one. I know I haven't. Congratulations on a fine deer!!!!!
Looks great - congrats!
:thumbsup:
Well-done!
congradulations
If it was easy, what would be the point?
That being said, it is all worth it!!!
All the work, and preperation, practice, thinking, hoping, trying, failing, and "FINALLY"
it happens.
In the end, there is no finer trophy anywhere.
A more well deserved, enjoyed, or appreciated trophy cannot be found.
Hats off to you, along with a sincere, heartfelt, congratulations. Bowhunting at it`s best!!!
You mentioned it may not make the cover of NAW.
I guarantee you, that there is a bretheren of fellow bowhunters just like you...AND me, who would disagree. As I said, a finer trophy, OR one more well deserved does not exist! :campfire:
Outstanding! Good story too. :thumbsup: :notworthy:
Nothing wrong with that buck,enjoy! :clapper:
Good for you...happy for you and that's a fine buck. :thumbsup:
Great story with a happy ending. Nice buck congrats :clapper:
Thanks again guys. I'm not hung up on scores and the like, but have always been fascinated by antlers. Particularly on public land where pressure is high, they represent a deer that has been around the block a time or two and that much more of a challenge to hunt. The average doe and yearling buck in these parts dresses around 100 pounds or less so the extra 50 pounds of meat this guy carried was nice too!
congrats :thumbsup:
Good for you! Now thats a real trophy. Public land DIY hunts are best. :clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
Nice Buck.. That's hard to do on public land.
What County do you hunt in.
Congrats! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Good job Steve...I'm happy for you buddy!!!! :D :D :D
:clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
Congrats.
Nothing at wrong with that buck anywhere :D
:bigsmyl: :thumbsup:
Ya I'd say way better than decent!!
Congrats!!
:thumbsup:
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: I did the same this year its been along wait.I would post a pic but dont no how.. GOOD JOB!
Very nice buck!! I'd be more then pleased with one that size.
Mike