Trad Gang

Well, last night was one of the most exciting hunts I have ever had. I had gotten a few pictures of a nice 10 pointer on my trail cameras all throughout late summer and early fall. I had set my mind on him as he was the most mature buck on this farm.

(http://i52.tinypic.com/6sqm42.jpg)

At the end of last week I went scouting and found a few nut tree's that had been dropping and being used by the deer. I hung a trail camera at all three sites. At this site on my first check I was happy to see the buck I have been after. The next day I went in and hung a stand.

         (http://i.imgur.com/HM56z.png)

Wednesday night the wind was right so I went out after work and sat the stand for the first time. Nothing showed except a young 8 pointer.

Last night I had an opportunity so I went out again after work and decided to sit in another nut tree stand I had hung about 300 yards away from this site. Well I climbed aboard and got settled in around 4:30. At around 5:30 a doe downwind starts blowing about 60 or so yards away in the bush. I could not see her but knew my night at this stand was through. I was disgusted and was walking to the truck when I thought, my wife and daughter are gone so what the heck I'll go sit the same stand I sat in last night where the bucks were showing up. At around 6:00 I got all nestled in. Not expecting anything I sat back to enjoy the woods. At 6:20 I see a deer coming my way up the hill about 100 yards away. It didn't take me long to figure out it was a good buck. I grabbed the Zipper put the lower tip on my boot toe, bow in front of my face and waited.

The deer walked up about 60 yards from me to the fence to my left where my wind was blowing very close to his way. I thought any second the gig is going to be up. The wind direction held true and he turned and walked in to the nuts. I then noticed another deer coming from the same location. I could tell instantly this deer was a larger deer. While the first deer was feeding under me the second one finally made his way up to us. These two deer were very similar but from the trail camera picts I knew the second deer was a year or so older. With similar racks the first deer had a gray forehead patch and a smaller body. I was looking for the red forehead patch of the older deer and when the second deer arrived I knew it was him. They both walked around under the trees for what seems like an eternity (probably about 5 minutes). Finally the younger deers head was behind a tree and the the bigger deer turned just right with his head feeding behind a small leafy tree. I drew and turned it loose.

The VPA struck him in the left lung but very low. They both tore out of there and then there was silence.  I got down to inspect my arrow that was sticking in the ground as the trail camera snapped my picture. Good blood.

I walked to the truck and called my brother and a buddy and they talked me into going after him after I told them the arrow was covered with blood. I knew I had most likely only hit one lung. I have been on many tracking job where only one lung was hit and the little voice in my head was saying DONT GO, just wait until morning. Problem is there was a big storm coming in and I agreed to go after him.

Well we followed blood for around 100 yards then noticed a spot where he had layed and no more blood. We had jumped him. We looked for some time but then I made the decision to pull out.

Returning this morning to a soaked woods I didn't have much hope of a recovery. A buddy and I criss crossed almost the entire woods with no luck. He had to go so I went up and grabbed a burger and was pondering going home myself. After my meal I decided to go back to check one last draw. Not long after leaving the truck I looked up and spotted a deer laying on his side.             :jumper:            He had run another 150 yards or so and made his final bed.

Sorry for the long winded story. Moral of the story...One lung go to the truck. I'm sure we would have found him even after the rain 100 yards from my stand where we bumped him.

Here he was seconds before I shot

         (http://i.imgur.com/9SxPs.jpg)

         (http://i.imgur.com/uVUVA.jpg)

         (http://i.imgur.com/nqaFy.jpg)

And his final resting place.

         (http://i.imgur.com/bWebe.jpg)

         (http://i.imgur.com/IZaNQ.jpg)

:bigsmyl:

Whoa TJ, what an awesome Buck! Well Done. I knew when your title said Buck down it was a good one. You pass on bucks I drool over!

Way to stay with it. Congrats!    :clapper:

Congrats Buddy!! A great buck!  :thumbsup:

Great story, nice buck.     :clapper:

Very Nice!!!  :thumbsup:

Awesome TJ. So very proud of you man! Great deer and great gesture with that mojo-laden broadhead   :campfire:

That is totally awesome my friend, congrats!! Can't wait to use my Surtees broadhead on these NY & Texas deer.

That is an awesome story and a great buck!

Josh

Glad that your hunt had a silver lining . . . deer recovered!

:notworthy:    :notworthy:  

Congrats, that is something else....

man tj,  your a machine!  congrats!!

Congrats TJ !!!  :clapper:  


Bill

:thumbsup:     :notworthy:   Nice Zipper also!

Oh Yea!!!! Congratulations and thanks for sharing that.

God bless you, Steve

Tom, I was praying for you all day! I was stoked when I got home and read your email that you had found him!

You should be proud of the buck of course, but mostly of your perseverance in recovering him!   :notworthy:

It's days like this that make it all worth while!


Allen

Wow great buck , congrats   :thumbsup:

TJ, that's a great buck. Congratulations.

Congrats TJ   :thumbsup:

Congrats on taking a very nice animal KentuckyTJ. Man I envy you in a good way. Keep up the good hunting. Thanks for sharing.

 Tony

:notworthy:

That's one heck of a deer.  Well done!!!

a surtees broadhead and your e new zipper make meat. awesome. rv

:thumbsup:

Very nice!

Congratulations Tom!  Nice job listening to the voice guiding so many of your choices as you came to "forks in the road" from the start to finish of this hunt.

Awesomen buck Tom, Congrats!!!  :thumbsup:    :clapper:

Great job!!!

Congrats on the buck, and many happy returns!!!

Nice, nice, nice!  Thats a buster right there.   :clapper:  

Eric

Great story TJ!!  Thanks for sharing.  Congrats on a beauty of a deer looks like he has a good body on him. Did ya happen to weigh him?   Joe

Congrats Tom! ...Thanks for sharing a great story with us...

Very cool! That is a great buck and a better story, Chris is smilin.
Way to go Tom (And Randy)

Chuck

thats a good looking deer maybe i should come down accross the river and hunt

Excellent , TJ!!

CONGRATS!!!   :bigsmyl:    :clapper:

Nicely done!

Hey Tom!  Way to go sir!  :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:  
Great story & tracking job!  Congratulations!

:thumbsup:  

Awesome Deer! Congrats!

Hey Tom,

Congrats Brother!  I couldn't be happier for you!       :notworthy:    

Tim

:clapper:     :clapper:    :clapper:

Stong Stuff!

Not words that are worthy of what you've shared but they're the best I got.

Congratulations Tom! Great Pics, Great story, and Great Ending!

:archer:

GREAT BUCK !!! Congrats!!!

TJ..Great story and Great buck   :thumbsup:

TJ, great buck and story!!!! Congrats!!

Congrats TJ.  :clapper:

Great story and pics. That is a fine looking buck, congrats.

Congratulations on a great looking buck!  Great pictures also!

Bernie Bjorklund

NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin

Congrats

 :bigsmyl:  


doug77

Tom, another great Buck and really like the looks of that Zipper!

Are you sure that's not a horse that you stuck antlers on ? Lol! That's a nice buck and a great story to go along with it. Next year you have another one to go after as well. Congrats!!

quote:

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Originally posted by DannyBows:
Whoa TJ, what an awesome Buck! Well Done. I knew when your title said Buck down it was a good one. You pass on bucks I drool over!

Way to stay with it. Congrats!      :notworthy:      :goldtooth:      :eek:

You're gonna have to change your avatar again! D'oh!   ;)