Last Friday evening marked the 6th time I had gotten out so far this season. Earlier that day I was perched in a white oak and witnessed two bruisers do battle as the sun rose and gave way to a beautiful morning. The two bucks fought for about 5 minutes with the loser left searching for new territory. I grabbed my rattling antlers and did my best to imitate the previous scenerio. This marked only the second time I had witnessed an all out battle by two mature bucks. There is usually quite a bit of sparring that can be seen in the fall, but all out battles are of a different nature.
After I rattled I wheezed and shortly thereafter a beautiful 5x5 walked in to 40 yards. Steam billowing out of his mouth as his tongue hung out, obviously worn out from the recent battle. He stopped and wheezed back at me as I stood ready for the coming shot. Moments later I could hear a deer walking on the other side of me and when he angled by I could see he was a smaller racked 4x4. Usually it is the doe that steers the buck off course in those last few needed yards and spoils the shot, but this time it was a younger buck who foiled my attempt. The smaller buck was soon cut off by the larger 5x5 taking him away from my perch rather than allowing him to continue on the path towards me. I did manage to wheeze him back in to 40 yards, but once again two smaller bucks entered the area and again he walked them off. Things slowed down by about 11 am and I needed to get back in the shop for a few hours in order to make it our for an evening hunt.
The evening hunt found me in a new stand that had not been hunted before. The stand sets in small point of timber that juts out from the main body of timber. For years we have watched deer work their way around this point and finally this summer a stand was set there. On my way in I hung a set cam on a tree about 25 yards away, facing a scrape with the stand in the background. At about 5:00 I noticed a doe and fawn to the east of me at about 40 yards feeding on acorns on the edge of the timber. A few minutes later I noticed a tine move in the timber. The buck was standing about 20 yards behind the doe and fawn patiently watching and following. The deer fed for about 45 minutes moving only a couple yards the entire time. The does stepped out and began to make their way along the field edge. They walked through my shooting lanes and went and stood in the scrape, looking at the camera. On cue the 5x4 walked by and stopped in my second shooting lane, almost. There he was, broadside, 10 yards and looking ahead at the does. Only problem was is that his vitals were covered by a 4" sapling. I had placed some doe in estrous urine out just a yard or so in front of his position in hopes that I could get a buck to stop and lower his head. The buck finished urinating on his tarsals and took one step forward and stopped again, this time with his vitals in the wide open. It wasn't until this moment that I decided that I was going to take the shot. His body was heavy and his head big and blocky. His body size and behaviour of slowly following and being patient with the doe led me to believe that he was a solid mature buck and at that time I decided to shoot. The cedar shaft zipped through the buck taking out both lungs along the way. About 75 yards later he stopped, rapidly twitched his tail and fell over. I sat until dark watching a few does come by and even thought about filling another doe tag along the way. I figured it was good enough as it was and left the remaining arrows snug in the quiver to use another day.
Dad had been hunting another farm but came over after dark to help out. We worked out the trail and found him in a matter of minutes, snapped a few pictures and got him loaded up for the ride out. Best of luck to everyone. Pick a spot and enjoy every moment!
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Great story and beautiful buck. Glad the hunt went so well for you.
Very nice, congratulations
Great buck! Those carts are some serious back-savers!
Great story nice buck .Thanks for the great bow you made me.
Way to Brian!!! Is he really as big as he looks?? Tomorrow morning will be my 1st hunt without my 2 kids with me....basically my 1st real chance to christen my Tall Tines. Hope I see one like that. Congrats Brian.....Ryan
Brian the bow you built for me seems to be shooting a little high. I hit my buck in the spine... so I was thinking of maybe lowering my treestand just a little. Any thoughts? UB
What a beauty Brian, I hope you get out some more to enjoy some hunting. Sounds like you had a great day with some wonderful results. Congrats again and chat with ya soon.
David
Great buck !!! Thanks for sharing the story. :thumbsup:
Bill
Nice buck Brian!
Aim lower Barry LOL.
congrats Brain, great Buck, hope all is going well out there.
That guy is a big one.
Congrats Brian,by the way what bow are you shooting?LOL.
What an animal !
Sounds like it was a great day out.
Thanks for sharing
very nice...hopefully I will be that fortunate this year. great job, well done.
Beautiful Brian! Congratulations!
Congrats Brian :clapper:
ATA-BOY whats for dinner??
Beautiful animal! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :clapper:
Way to go, Brian!
Nice Buck Brian :clapper: :clapper:
Good Sory, thanks for taking us along
They grow some big deer in Iowa.
Congrats Brian...
"Tall tines"...the name certainly fits!!! :thumbsup:
Nice job Brian... great to share the moment with your dad.
And you wonder how he got the handle? Another Great one Brian! Congratulations!
Awesome Brian!! The Tall Tines and I have been seeing some deer but haven't dropped the sting on anything yet.
Great story and awesome deer Brian congrats.
Nice Buck !......... :thumbsup:
Nothing better than a plan that works out. Congrats on an awesome buck! :thumbsup:
Congrats on a nice buck! Thanks for sharing your story.
Congrats
Nice buck and great story.
Thanks for sharing.
Awesome buck, congrats!
I swear, between Wessels and Wensels it is hard to keep track. Are there any bucks in Iowa that are under 300 pounds?
Are you still shooting the new 3pc longbow and Wensel Woodsmen on the cedars?
Congrats Brian that is a dandy buck.
Way to go!!! That big body old buck is just an absolute trophy. Congrats!!!
Can't believe you took the pic with your bow half hidden in the grass! Are you shooting your new long bow? Great buck and shot Brian.
Did he grunt or oink when coming through the timber? Very nice!
Superb deer!
As I have posted before...
'I suppose next deer season they will be putting a limit on how many Tall Tines will be allowed in the field'
Steve O is right....seems you have to have BW as initials to shoot a big one! Dang....I'm so far off!
Congrats Brian! Great buck! :thumbsup:
I was fortunate enough to be at Brians house the night he shot this buck. Pictures don't do it justice. Its the size of a small steer! awesome deer and a perfect shot!
If Wessel could only shoot as well on Montana Mule Deer..... :)
Peter Iacavazzi
Brian what an awesome deer. :clapper:
Hopefully he has spread his gene pool around - alot..... :pray:
that deer is huge.... Joe
Very nice!! Did you happen to weigh him? He looks huge!
Nice deer! Thanks for the great story.
:thumbsup:
Wow Brian, Great story and deer. Congrats.
Congrats on a great buck!
Verry Good Buck.
Excellent story told there, Brian...great job, gettin it done! Gotta be a rush with your bow of your own creation...
Congrats on a giant of a deer!
Congratulations on a great deer Brian!!
Congrats and great story.Nice buck :thumbsup:
Wow, that is a beauty ! Congrats !
Great job Brian
Nice job Brian! TD.
Congrats Brian! Any more pics.?
Bill
Brian,
Congrads on a dandy buck !!! Tall Tine Bows are reacking havvic this season !!!
Great Buck Brian....I think my TT is defective I'm not seeing bucks like you and Barry...LOL
Man that is another fine trophy buck Brian! Thanks for sharing!
Congrats, that is a great buck!!!
Thanks for the story.
QuoteOriginally posted by Steve O:
I swear, between Wessels and Wensels it is hard to keep track. Are there any bucks in Iowa that are under 300 pounds?
Yes, they all live at my house:)
Congrats Brian!
Great buck, you should really consider an ATV to pull that cart!
Great Deer Brian! I am hoping for the same outcome this season with my bow. Thanks again for making a great bow.
Congrats on a nice buck Brian!
Sorry guys, I have been getting a little hunting in.
Yes, that is one of my 3pc longbows. 62 inches and 57 @ 28.
Riser is Cocobolo and limbs of Black Limba.
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Cedar shafts and a Wensel Woodsman.
Man, I can't wait to get my longbow. Hope you are back out after another big buck.
...dood, stop hunting and build my bow!
Nice job on that buck Brian! Thanks again for helping me back at ETAR, that saved me a lot of running around. How far are you from Omaha? I'll be out there in about 10 days.
Brian
COngrats on a great buck!
Word on the street is the TallTines longbow struck again...
WHAT!!! Another one! I'm stuck at work today so would really like more details. Working in November should be illegal!!
Awesome animal Brian! Nice to know that despite an undoubtedly long list of bows to build you are able to climb a tree once and awhile. Congrats on your harvest.
Yep, Iowa is the place to be. Illinois ain't bad though.
Well Brian better get on here and spill the beans. Those Tall Tines seem to be putting a dent in the deer population. :campfire:
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