I recently returned from a DIY hunt in Iowa with two of my wheelie shooter buddies. We hunted outside of Iowa City on a farm owned by my buddy's friend. The weather was cold(mid to high 20's in the morning) and warming to the high 40's by afternoon. The real issue for most of the hunt was the wind and some intermittant rain. We thought we'd hit the rut perfectly with our week long hunt planned for November 9th through the 16th. As it turned out,the rut didn't appear to come into full swing until the last few days of our hunt. On Friday, November 11, fate smiled on me as a large doe stood motionless across from a drainage ditch about forty yards from my tree stand. Sure enough about thirty yards behind her stood a nice 10 pt buck as motionless as a statue. She took her time walking parallel to the ditch before deciding to cross it. She then took a trail to her right which put her 16 yards out and directly broadside of my stand. The buck watched her and grunted a low but audible grunt. At one point he stomped his front leg in apparent frustration. The wind was blowing across the ditch from the southwest, I was good! After what seemed like an eternity the buck followed. As he got directly across from me, I came to full draw. Then it happened! he took his attention off the doe which at this point was some thirty yards ahead of him and looked directly at me in the tree. I held my PSAX on him but decided to gently ease back to neutral without making any lateral movement. As I relaxed the tension on my string, the buck turned his attention back to the doe at which point I again came to full draw. The entire time I never took my eyes off the pocket behind his left front shoulder. My arrow hit the buck with a loud thwack and the buck ran off spraying his path of retreat with a bight crimmson spray. After waiting a bit, I descended the tree and found him piled up about sixty yards from where he met his fate. The buck dressed out at 229lbs and was estimated to be around 275 lbs on the hoof. (http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd342/EVANSON/th_PB130097.jpg) (http://s530.photobucket.com/albums/dd342/EVANSON/?action=view¤t=PB130097.jpg)
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd342/EVANSON/th_PB120079-1.jpg) (http://s530.photobucket.com/albums/dd342/EVANSON/?action=view¤t=PB120079-1.jpg)
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd342/EVANSON/th_PB120075-1.jpg) (http://s530.photobucket.com/albums/dd342/EVANSON/?action=view¤t=PB120075-1.jpg)
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd342/EVANSON/th_PB120087.jpg) (http://s530.photobucket.com/albums/dd342/EVANSON/?action=view¤t=PB120087.jpg)
Nice deer! Congratulations!
Nice deer........and nice shot!
congrats! and way to stay focused, nice shot.
Great looking buck, and perfect shot placement.
Very Nice!! :thumbsup:
That is a very nice adult buck you got there! At 230 hanging that is no juvenile!! Congratualtions!!
nice buck! I bet the wheelie buddies are now thinking trad gear is the real deal.
Nice!
That's a big boy, congratulations
Beautiful animal sir! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Nice story and pics, thanks for sharing.
Nice deer.
Congrats!
Bisch
Nice buck, Flatshooter! Congrats!
Big buck ! Great shooting too.
Beautiful buck and sounds like you did everything right. I loved the shot placement.
Great Shot!!!! :clapper:
Nice shot!
Very Nice! Congrats.
:thumbsup: :clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
Nice buck! congrats!!
Way to go!!
:eek: Wow Awesome Buck! Congrats and well done! :thumbsup: :archer: :archer2:
Thanks guys, always fun sharing and reading the stories! Big Ed, did you recognize the PSAX. Hope the hand is healing and you are shooting well. Thanks again and stay well, Michael
Very NICE deer Michael :thumbsup: CONGRATS :clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
That couldn't have been planned any better! Great looking deer and a perfect shot. It doesn't get any better than that! Congratulations!
Bernie Bjorklund
NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin
:archer:
Congratulations! Beautiful buck!
Nice, nice, nicen'!
Great Buck! Glad you enjoyed your hunt in IA. I'm about 15 miles from Iowa City.
Congrats!
That is AWESOME Mike!! That's a beautiful deer man, and I'm tickled for ya buddy! I'd say hope your havin a good sesason but it looks like you definatley are!!
Ethan
Great job!!
Super deer....Congrats!!!
congrats. nice shooting..