After spending the last 2 months in the woods without a chance at a mature buck I was looking forward to the rut here in Montana to begin. Our rut hits peak a couple weeks later than most places in the midwest so after seeing so many posts with so many big bucks going down a guy gets a lot of anticipation to seeing the rut in person.
Last weekend a few bucks started to come out of the woodwork and poke around a little bit, so I was very excited to have a 3 day weekend this weekend to hunt hard and hope the bucks were rutting.
Friday I was in my stand before light until after dark and besides a little far off chasing action and one really cool flying squirrel encounter I was left frustrated. I had 3 different bowhunters wander past my stand and I knew I would be hunting elsewhere Saturday.
Saturday morning found me in my new spot in a stand I had hung last weekend. The spot looked awesome and I was excited and anticipating action at any moment. It was a full 2 hour before I saw my first deer but once I did things got crazy. I had four bucks chasin one doe in circles all through me woodlot. They kept teasing but none ever came in good range. The rest of the morning was spent watching a few mature bucks push does around on a chunk of nearby private ground. This continued all through the mid morning and into early afternoon until I had enough. I had a stand set bordering this ground and decided to sneak over to it for the final couple of hours. On the way I was spotted by a real nice 6x5 which I had a close encounter with last week. He finally ignored me and went back to following his doe. Once I got in my stand I wondered if I had spooked all the deer out going in there but soon I spotted that same 6x5 cruising the timber I had just walked through.
From here on out things got real interesting. It seems everytime I turned my head a new buck would pop out from a different direction. The bucks were pushin does, making scrapes, and rubbing trees and I was just in awe of it all.
I saw more big bucks than probaly any day I had ever hunted. The problem was I couldnt get there attention. My grunting was falling on deaf ears. The bucks would occasionly look then go back to whatever they were doing.
With only 30 minutes of shooting light left I had a big buck heading right for me. He was on a mission and closin the distance fast. When he got to about 40 yards he locked up on a does scent trail and then proceded to follow it the wrong way. I tried grunting and snort wheezing and he acted like he never heard me. I was shaking from the encounter and texted my wife letting her know I just had a great buck close but no cigar. I watched as the buck proceeded to make a couple scrapes about 200 yards from me.
While he was scraping a small 4x4 walked up to him and then headed my way. He ended up walking by at 25 yards and I was amazed as it was the first deer actually in bow range after such an awesome day. About that time I heard another deer coming and lo and behold here comes mister big following the 4x4s footsteps. I thought holy cow I actually might get a chance at him. Well just to get me frazzled he stops at 75 yards and makes two scrapes under a tree I had hunted many times.(some guy put his stand in the tree and I havent been able to hunt it for 3 years- not happy)While the buck finishes his scrape and heads right up the trail the little guy came by on. I get ready for the shot and here he comes. He gets to my shooting window and right when Im thinking I had better grunt to stop him he looks up at this tree like he wants to make a scrape there and stops and gives me a perfect shot opportunity. I draw back and feel target panic hit about 3 inches from full draw. I conciously remember telling my self to finish the draw. Im not sure if I did or not but the next think I know the buck is running away with an arrow hanging out of his lower shoulder/ base of neck region. I watched the buck make a big circle and walk right through the scrapes he had just made and head into the timber he came from. The buck was obviously having a hard time and I wasnt sure if he was getting weak or just because of an injured shoulder.
I waited and listened til well after dark and snuck over to the scrape to check the bloodtrail. When I got there I was excited to see ample blood and I realized i might have a decent chance. I snuck out and went to get help and give the buck a couple hours.
When we got back we followed an awesome bloodtrail for about 150 yards straight to the buck. Talk about relief! The Simmons interceptor had entered just in front of he knuckle on the shoulder and exited just on the far side of center between his legs. The amazing thing was the amount of damage. The broadhead must have stopped there and opened up a huge hole cutting some arteries in the process.
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr111/hillbilly-kim/P1030637.jpg)
A beautiful 5x5 with an additional sticker point off one of the bases. After 25 years my best whitetail with a longbow.
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr111/hillbilly-kim/P1030633.jpg)
We loaded up the buck for his ride home.
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr111/hillbilly-kim/P1030666.jpg)
An amazing hole. Simmons continue to impress me. I have never seen anything like the holes they put in animals and they do it time after time.
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr111/hillbilly-kim/P1030628.jpg)
For those who are interested i used: 47# centaur dark matter bow, axis 500 shaft, Simmons interceptor, and a lot of praying to the good lord after the shot.
Super buck and a great story. Got one of those Centaurs coming early 2013.
Sounds like one of those magical days during the rut and that's what keeps us all comin back for more!! Awesome deer :thumbsup:
Steve
Great buck Congats.
That's awesome! What an incredible day in the deer woods. Great shot on a great buck!! That is some kind of exit hole!!!
Congrats on a super buck.
Wow! Congratulation!
Very nice buck there!
Wonderful deer, great story telling and true reverence for the Creator.
Super Buck!
Mighty fine deer ... I like those Simmons too ! Congrats
Awesome !!
Great deer, story and that is an awesome exit wound on that deer! i'm using Tiger Sharks this year but have yet to test them out, still trying though.
Super deer, congrats!!!
Are you sure you didnt throw a battle axe through that buck? Nice
That's a beautiful animal! Congratulations!
Beautiful trophy!
Great job! :thumbsup:
Nice buck,congrats :clapper:
Looks like you shot him with a 300
Winchester Mag. Unbelieveable. That has got to be the alltime biggest arrow hole I have ever seen and I have seen hundreds of kills.
Awsome buck and great hunt!! Congratulations
God bless, Steve
Wow, what a deer! Thanks for sharing.
Great day, story and buck.
Good work.
OH MY GOSH that is massive!!! I would love to find out what that bruiser measures.
Real nice. :thumbsup: :clapper:
Congratulations on a great deer!
You ain't kidding those broadheads are brutal might have to try me some...GREAT STORY AND FINE BUCK!!
Chris<
Congratulations on one Supersized Buck ! It looks like a bazooka went through him by the size of that hole..He is something to be proud of that's for sure...The story was well written and I know this is your new Avatar pic... :clapper:
Awesome deer!
Nice story, awesome deer, congrats!!
That is one fantastic whitetail! :thumbsup: :notworthy:
Congratulations!
Wow, congrats. Awesome buck!
That is a great buck. I know those were some long azz hours waiting to go back in. Im glad you got him. Congrats.
What a deer!
Chris , Great looking Buck. Very well done. Hope to see you at the TBM Banquet in Jan.
Don
Congrats on a outstanding buck. :thumbsup:
Shortdraw o r not...can't argue with the results!
That is impressive damage! Impressive buck!
Likely staying in the animal, being good and sharp, and continuing to do it's job has a lot to do with that cave inside that deer! Gracious! Carnage x3!!! :thumbsup:
Very nice Buck....That's one heck of an exit wound.... :scared:
Congrats... :thumbsup:
Chris ! Well done .
Well done!!
What a day! What a buck! Good for you.
Congratulations on a buck of a lifetime!
:clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
K.C.
WOW!! That is a beautiful deer!!!
:clapper: great buck, congrats!!
Congrats :thumbsup:
Nice job!!!! A beautiful buck!!!! :thumbsup:
Great deer!!
:notworthy:
Great story and great buck! I think I would fall out of the tree if something that big came near my stand.
Wow! Congrats on a dandy! Great story too.
Congrats Chris! Beautiful buck. :thumbsup:
Boy, that's a good one! Congratulations not only on a mega buck, but a nice story and pictures! :thumbsup:
Bernie Bjorklund
NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin
Alright now thats a goodun! Congrats.
Wow!!
Wow...really beautifull buck!!!
Congrats...I know you are pumped!!!
:campfire:
Wow! Congrats!!
Congrats on a fine buck and thanks for the story. Great memories!
Awesome job and great story. Love those Simmons heads myself!!! Kudos!
Outstanding. Congrats. RC
Congrats on a beauty of a buck! Sounds like THE day to be in the woods!
Great buck! Congrats!! I couldn't agree more on the Simmons.
Wow. That is one awesome buck! Love the canoe pic too. Great story. Agree with the Simmons opinion. I have been using the 165 glue on Interceptor the last few years for Elk. Been a great head!
Great buck and a heck of a story. That broadhead make a heck of a hole!
Beautiful buck!
Awesome Very nice buck cool story
What a great buck! Thanks for sharing the story and pic with us. Congratulations.
Shazam!!! Beautiful buck, congrats!!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
HOLY CRAP, what a MONSTER!!!Congratulations, that is a beaut and a brute!
Wow, that is incredible. great story, must have been an awesome day in the stand.
Great day in the woods for sure! Congratulations on a beautiful buck.
Awesome buck! Congrats!!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
What a great buck and some massive damage from that Simmons BH. I guess the 2 month wait was worth it when you finally put your hands on that buck. Congrats!
Wow! nice buck and great story.
Wow! nice buck and great story.
Thanks everybody I really am pumped to be lucky enough to kill a good buck like this. This is my 25th year of bowhunting and I put in countless days each fall and he is one of the top couple bucks I have ever had a chance at.
I can't wait for this four day weekend coming up just to be back in the woods trying to get my wife a buck and just enjoying the rut.
Growing up in Wisconsin I grew to love the whitetail rut and after 10 years in Montana I still can't bring myself to shoot a mule deer and burn my A tag.
Them whitetails get me fired up!
Very nice! :clapper: :clapper:
Congrats
WOW!!!
Looks like a buck of a lifetime to me.
Congrats!
What an end to a spectacular hunt, congratulations!
-Jay
TurkeyFoot.... You couldn't have said it better. I love MT whitetails so much I can't go mule deer hunting. :) Every fall I think maybe this is the year I'm going to spot and stalk muleys. Then I imagine a November where I can't hunt whitetails and it doesn't happen.
Congrats on your great buck!!!
QuoteOriginally posted by Shaun:
Wonderful deer, great story telling and true reverence for the Creator.
My thoughts exactly.
Congrats on a NICE buck!
That is a *nice* Montana whitetail right there!
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Shoot straight, Shinken
:archer2:
Great buck and broadhead!
Now that's a really nice buck! Great story...congrats!
Congrats great deer. I'd be very happy happy happy
I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up as I read your story! Magnificant deer. You may have sold me on the Simmons but until I personally shapen one they wont be purchased. It just so happens I have a friend that will let me hone his ifin he should dull it!! Congrats are in order and your pic should grace the cover of Bowhunter magazine.
Congrats again brother! Very proud of you and amazed at the time you put in. You are having an awesome year!!
VERY NICE!!! Great story as well!
chris <><
Great story and pics! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Congrats Chris! That's an incredible whitetail!!!
Great buck, story and pics!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Man! Great Story,Great Pics. I love the way a whitetail deer looks in a Canoe and its camo to boot!!!! :clapper:
That is a bonafide bruiser!
Congrats,
Bisch
Awesome! :thumbsup: :clapper:
Very nice :thumbsup: