I started shooting a trad bow in 2009 (full time trad in 2010), and I hadn't killed a buck since 2008. I'm very blessed with where I live because I see and get pictures of some very nice bucks. This has kept me going to the stand whenever I get a chance, but has also made me very picky.
On Nov. 16th I met up with a couple great friends, Mark and Tim. Tim came from PA and Mark from CO. I met these two last year when they came out for a hunt. Since then Mark came out this spring for a turkey hunt, and my family went out to CO to shoot some 3D with him and his wife this summer. I've had many phone calls with Tim about trad archery and life. I've only known these two for a year but it feels much longer. I have TradGang to thank for these friendships, so THANK YOU TRADGANG!!
Now lets get down to the hunt. After having lunch Mark and Tim went on to unload the pickup and set up the cabin. That night we met my friend, who's ground we are hunting. After getting back to the cabin we picked out our morning stands. Tim must have sat looking at his IPad for 2 hours trying to figure where and why the deer will be. We finally made a plan and set out nice and early the next morning.
Now we're logging with some hunting stories! Congrats on your deer, can't wait to see the pictures!
Benjy
Looking forward to this one! We need ALL the details!!
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That morning Mark and Tim had area's in mind to set up treestands. I decided I would just still hunt a draw above them. I saw a few deer that morning but nothing to get excited about. I decided to get to get on top of the draw Mark and Tim were hunting to just watch for movement. The first thing I saw was Tim standing in his tree. After about an hour I headed down to Tim and we moved his stand about 50 yards. He had a slow morning also. We walked out and waited for Mark to give us his report. Apparently it was a slow morning for all of us. So we went back to the cabin to pass around Tim's Toelke Lynx and eat some lunch.
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Keep it coming!!!
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(http://images.imagelinky.com/1354108501.jpg) (http://images.imagelinky.com/1354108501.jpg)
If you followed Mark and Tim's hunt last year you know Tim had a stand that got the nickname the "Petting Zoo". Mark shot a great buck last year from a different tree too, so that evening Tim decided he would go the the "Petting Zoo" and Mark to the tree where he got his buck last year. That left me to try a new spot. It was a long walk but I think we all knew it was going to be a great spot.
This is looking good so far keep it coming!!!
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Got my attention!
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I'm in!
I'd like to chime in on this story now and than to provide some photos and another perspective, hopefully Mark will do the same.
I had a fantastic trip, even though opportunities were not quite what they had been last year, but that hunting. I will say one of us got it done when it really mattered and I was proud to be a part of it!
I flew into Colorado where Mark picked me up at the Denver airport. We had the afternoon free and headed to the range for some fun. Here are few photos of Mark getting it done!
(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f281/Wyoming1/006.jpg) (http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f281/Wyoming1/005.jpg) (http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f281/Wyoming1/004.jpg)
I bumped a few does getting in, but not to bad they didn't go far. Picking my tree was pretty easy. I had three trails that pinched down to one and other one on the opposite side of the tree. I had deer all around me while setting my stand up. After finally getting in the tree it didn't take long for me to see a nice 8 pointer 60 yards in front of me. One thing that was odd I thought was I had multiple deer sneezing around me. I didn't know that buck was there until he started sneezing, same with a few doe's.
I snort weezed and grunted at the 8 pointer. He would look down toward me and acted like he wanted to come down but just wouldn't. Soon his doe decided to move on down the draw and he was right behind her. I didn't take long and I had three more bucks coming in.
Back to where Jon left off.....That afternoon we prepared for the hike to our evening stands.
Here's a few photos of the gang. Mark's the distinquished gentleman, Jon's the young camera shy guy and I'm the other one, snapping the photos!
(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f281/Wyoming1/012.jpg) (http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f281/Wyoming1/010.jpg) (http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f281/Wyoming1/014.jpg) (http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f281/Wyoming1/013.jpg)
Jon's a good mile back in the canyons fighting off the deer, sending me a text every now and than to let me know he's ok!
I'm sitting along the creek bottom of the "Petting Zoo" pretty much watching the same show as Jon, just a different channel! :thumbsup:
I had'nt been there very long when a young 8 pointer came cruising by. I pulled out my video camera. Not long after the parade of does began!
(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f281/Wyoming1/022.jpg)
Well I would love to stretch this out more but I've got to get to work. So here we go.
One of the bucks that was walking was a nice 8. He bedded down about 60 yards from me, and literally put his head down and went to sleep. I looked at him through my bino's and would think, no he's not big enough then look again and think I'm not a Wensel and I haven't killed a buck in four years, he's big enough.
After about 30 minutes a spike came running through the draw chasing a doe. They came on the trail 5 yards behind me and ended up circling down wind of me. The nice 8 decided to join the party and came in and stopped at 15 yards. I didn't have a shot and waited. He started coming again and came by at 10 yards. He was at a brisk walk and for some reason I thought I could just lead him and wouldn't have to stop him. :knothead: My shot was back and I was very disappointed in myself. He went about 50 yards and laid down. I knew where he was because he started sneezing too :notworthy:
Here he is! Not the biggest buck I've seen this year but I very proud of him!
(http://i1116.photobucket.com/albums/k567/snakebit40/FirstTradBuck-4.jpg)
Thanks for coming along!
Great story and a nice buck! Thanks for taking us along. :campfire:
Congrats on a great buck and even greater story! :thumbsup: :clapper:
P.S. What is the color of your Asbell pullover? I really like it!
Nicely done and nice buck. He's got character and heft. Congrats. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Very Nice and Congrats! Good story
Great buck, and taken with an original silvertip it looks! Congrats!
He's a winner in my book,congrats on a nice buck. :clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
Nice!!!
Nice Congrats! Unless your spoiled with 160+ class bucks all over the place, that's surely a shooter!
Nice first buck,congrats!
Nice story and buck! Congratulations! :thumbsup:
Bernie Bjorklund
NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin
NICE!!! Thanks for sharing. And I also like that pull over.
Let me tell you folks, I couldn't have been happier watching Jon punch the tag on his first traditional buck. As he mentioned, the shot wasn't what we strive for but it was effective. Jon was also effective in the fact that he never gave up. We've all been there and watching a deer take it's last few breaths makes you question why we do this. I stood next Jon and saw him go through the emotional process. I put my hand on his shoulder and told him "if it didn't bother you than there's something truly wrong with you".
Congrats on your deer and really enjoyed the story.
Thanks for sharing guys! Sounds like a fantastic trip!
Tim, now you just need to get those elbows healed.
Have to add my two cents. Needless to say we had a terrific week together, saw many nice bucks during the week but most important to me was the friendships we continued to develop. Jon, an outstanding young man doing all the right things for all the right reasons. I admire Jon tremendously. Tim, a friend for 25 years is without question an extraordinary individual who has inspiried me and changed my life in many ways. Thanks to Jon and Tim for being great friends.
I would love to expand on the DRAG! :help:
So there we are in the dark a good mile away from the truck. Mark is with the truck so Jon and I are all alone....flashlights are failing and both of our cell phones are in the single digits for battery life!
I remember looking at my phone and than at Jon..."how much life do you have left"? 2%! We'll buddy I have 1%! Call Mark fast and tell him where we are and we need the truck. Halfway through the call the phone died.
We had two choices, a drag straight up 100 yards to the left or 200 yards straight up to the right. We chose the lesser of the two, a very bad choice! We were in canyon country and it was dark. By the time we saw Mark's headlights it was 9:00. He had no way to get to us and the only way to get too him was back down and than up again.
We could hear the oak brush scratching Mark's truck and knew this was not good.
I vaguely remember, in between taking what seemed to be my last breath, looking at Jon wondering just how much he was pulling! He looked at me with the same thoughts. Two 170 pound guys is no match for a 200+ pound buck and a very steep hill! Bottom line, we finally made it too the top and to the truck. We were still quite disorientated and after retracing our steps a few times over we found our way out back to the road.
Only to make matters worse we still had my doe to contend with and finally got back on the road by 10:30! :rolleyes:
A long but very successful day! Here are a few more photos from the trip!
(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f281/Wyoming1/011.jpg) (http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f281/Wyoming1/021.jpg) (http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f281/Wyoming1/015.jpg)
Great story! Thanks for sharing it with us! Very nice deer! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Congrats...enjoyed the story :)
Great stuff. Congratulations to you all. :clapper:
Congrats guys. Sounds like an adventure for sure!!
Way to go Jon. Beautiful buck!
Nice story,congrats! :thumbsup:
I too like that pullover, anyone know the color?
Good Buck and awesome story!!!
Great story and pix...congrats, and thanks for sharing!
Great story and pics. Getting a deer even a first is really sweet but having Friends there makes it so much better.RC
Thanks for the kind words! The pullover color its evening stand brown. I love it,I had a bobcat look right through me at 7 yards on the ground earlier this season. I'm shooting an original Silvertip 71@28 350 heritage arrows led by a big TreeShark.
Great job!! What a beauty of a buck! The pullover should be Evening stand brown or green.
Fun story and great pictures. Congrats and thanks for sharing.
Wow, Congrats! looks like a great weekend!~
very well done , congrats :thumbsup: :clapper:
Well done, great buck!!! Thanks for sharing the great trip with us...
Nice buck...enjoyed the pics and account.
Fantastic trip congrats to all!
Awesome read along, Congrats on the buck!
Great job, guys! Looks like a good time had by all!
Nice Buck!!
Way to go guys, great story and photos! Congrats on the deer! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: