I've had a vision, a thought, a dream that plays over and over in my head that wakes me up at 4 in morning, endures the cold, and takes my time away from the women that I love; a dream that drives me to never stop pushing myself even in failures and shortcomings. A dream that one of these days I'll see a deer walking thru the still wet grass and the view from inside my binoculars will be the buck I've been waiting for. A dream of an opportunity in a place where the advantage is always his. And yesterday I got that opportunity.
At 4:17 in the afternoon as the biting wind calmed to an eery still a dark body appeared thru the thick brush ahead. With the view thereafter making my heart race as the cold in my hands and feet disappeared. The buck lumbered thru day old snow in silence knowing his path ahead. Now at 5 yards this king of the woods felt something. This feeling of danger I watched come over him as he stopped in his tracks. This hunch, as if his sixth sense; I hadn't moved a muscle as he looked up so deliberately, I could feel myself holding my breath. He turned cautiously looking confused of the moment. And my window of opportunity had arrived.
(http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q31/cole_tanr/IMG_0798-2.jpg)
Five minutes after his arrival I now stood with my jaw open, bow in hand, in awe; trying to let my brain catch up to what my body just did. Replaying it over in my head, knowing the arrow hit directly on his shoulder; seeing it buried half way to the fletching as he disappeared into the snow white obis. His blood trail lead me 150 yards as he expired in the untouched snow. My 55# Great Plains Reo Bravo recurve armed with a 605 grain carbon arrow tipped with a Woodsmen Elite broadhead blew straight thru his shoulder and broke off as it was stuck in the opposite shoulder. What a hunt!!! What a year!!! Two fall turkeys, a doe the weekend before shotgun season, and now a 12 point buck!
(http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q31/cole_tanr/IMG_0773-1.jpg)
(http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q31/cole_tanr/IMG_0774-1-1.jpg)
A few thoughts... When you step into the woods with traditional equipment there's a different set of rules. Rules unbeknown to me. Rules that come into understanding only after encounters gone wrong, as well as encounters gone right. This bow becoming an extension of the hunter. The skill you need you hold within, just you and your bow. Maybe this sounds a little crazy but this is how traditional hunting makes me feel. Taking every step with a new found purity in my heart that I can't get enough of. Thanks for sharing in my opportunity, I hope you get the same.
(http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q31/cole_tanr/IMG_0779-1.jpg)
:thumbsup:
Very nice pictures and story. Merry Christmas
Excellant story telling Cole!. And what a magnificant buck. You truley had a blessed season, Merry Christmas. Jim
Congratulations, Cole! Great buck, well written story, and very nice pics. Best of all...You GET it! That's as good of an explanation of how traditional bowhunting feels as I've read in a long time! :clapper:
Merry Christmas,
>>--Ron--<>
Great buck and story congrats!! :thumbsup:
Thats a nice one well done!!
Great story and pics, congrats on an unbelievable trophy
Great story. What a wonderful buck. Congrats bro. :)
Yeah buddy! GREAT buck and great write up. Congrats on the early Christmas present!
Awesome Buck Cole.
Awesome!!! Great buck and a great story!!!
Excellant story and great photos of a fine buck.Thanks for sharing and Merry Christmas!!
Great post, great pictures, great deer! Awesome. :thumbsup:
I was there! I helped celebrate! Good job cole!
You have a way with words my friend congrats on a great deer
WOW!
That's a very nice buck congratulations!
Great story and even greater buck.
Jack
Excellent picture, thoughts and DEER!! Congrats
Congrats Cole! Nice buck, and those pictures look great too!
All the credit on the photos goes to my best friend Justin aka jgoemaat. He did an awesome job!!! Thanks again dude.
Well said and well done, brother! Congrats and Merry Christmas indeed!
Well done. :thumbsup:
Good story and a GREAT buck!
Wow Great story on all accounts!!! Well told, great feelings expressed and a magnificent buck taken with traditional equipment!
Congratualations!!
Great Buck and wonderful explaination of your feelings.
Cole
I know that dream,its the same one that gets these old bones up at 3am,when when the rest of the family is warm and cozy in bed.Dreams do come true,beautiful buck.Merry Christmas.
John
Awesome awesome deer and feelings all of us here understand.
Awesome job on the story and pics...and of coarse the ANIMAL! I think you put it better than I even think it, I think.... :)
Beautuful buck Cole.
That is a deer of a lifetime.
Man what a deer! Congratulations.
Congrats Cole...outstanding buck, story, pix!
I see a new avatar pic in there bud...way to go :clapper:
Congrats on a fine deer--Thanks for sharing!
What an absolutely beautiful deer. Congrats!!!
Great story and I love that buck! Congrats
Fantastic. Great tale and congratulations on putting it all together.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Nicely put! Nice deer by the way. :thumbsup:
Awesome hunt and story! I really enjoyed it! You should submit it for publication.
WOW thats a very nice buck and you told the story and it made me feel like i was there. :thumbsup:
Wow, Cole, great story and great buck! Almost makes a blacktail hunter want to head east :D
Wow! Way to go! Beautiful deer, Nice story and pics too! Merry Christmas!
That is an incredible buck!!! You did a great job expressing the story and emotions that went along with the taking of that deer! :thumbsup:
What a hunt! I'm happy for you! Thanks for sharing the story.
Nice buck, congrats on the great year!
As most everyone else has said... Great buck, story and pics!
:thumbsup:
NICE ONE!!! Great pics.
Nicely Done!!!!
That's a dandy and in the late season to boot! Onestring'n definitely makes a man feel driven and I bet most everyone here can relate!
Congrats
Awesome buck Cole!!! Congrats on your trophy!!!
That is awesome! Have a Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas and a mighty fine present for you. Well done thats a magnificent deer.
How cool is that? Way!!! Thanks for sharing your story and some awesome pictures. Congratulations!!
God bless,Mudd
Wow! :eek: :scared: :thumbsup: :clapper: What a bruiser! Congrats.
Cole
That is a great deer.
Good stuff! Beautiful animal. Way to go and thanks for sharing!
Great deer my friend and an incredible story. You should write for a magazine with your talent of the tongue.
Wonderful buck you should get it scored with Pope and Young...that would make fred bear proud
Man...that first pic is absolutely AWESOME!!!! That's definately worthy of a frame and/or a publication for sure!!!
Good stuff Cole! Great season!
great job cole, that's a beautiful deer. Really happy for you.
That is an amazing buck!!
Congrats man!
:scared: Have a good Christmas!
Excellent job Cole!! That's a beautiful animal..Mike :archer:
What a deer! Great job. Hey Cole, are you guys expecting more of that white stuff? We are getting it down here in the form of tornados and torrential rain.
Great story, Merry Christmas.
Billy
Beautiful Buck, Congrats!!!!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
MERRY CHRISTMAS
congratulations and thanks for sharing such a profound feeling
A heartstopper for sure!!!
With a snowy background antlers look bigger, I bet first glance at him was a feeling money can`t buy.
Great job.
Thanks for sharing with all of us!!! :thumbsup:
Hey thanks to everyone for all the encouragement and congrats... yah LA Trapper we're suppose to be getting another foot in the next couple of days, I have a buddy that's out there right now still hunting trying to take advantage of the silent snow.
Awesome deer!
NICE!! Ditto what everybody else says.
ooh hoo! man what a bruiser! What ta go indeed. Merry Christmas.
Congratulations Cole, on a Great buck and story. Sometimes dreams really do come true.
Awesome buck Cole. Great story. Merry Christmas.
wow thats a beauty. great photos and story/
That truely is a buck dreams are made of. Well done, and in December? Amazing! What a beauty taken the way he deserves!
Awesome. . . and a dream buck indeed.
Nice story and pics, now enjoy some time with your loved one's.
Merry Christmas
Dave
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Great buck, great story! Merry Christmas
Cool buck! Congratulations! What a Christmas present!
Thanks again everyone, and I hope you have a merry christmas!!!
Awesome bow kill, congrats!!!
Great deer
hey cole great buck i knew you would get one from all the bucks you said youd been seeing!! Awesome buck hope i get time to get out and do the same!! merry christmas
Derek Weber
what a Awesome buck
Awesome Buck !!! Great story and excellent composure to your pictures.
Congrats, Jack
Merry Christmas Cole....great buck, and well-told story as well! :thumbsup:
Holy Smokes! That's awesome. Congratulations.
Enjoyed reading your post and great pic's. Congrats!
Great buck and fantastic pics!