So, if you ever find yourself in East Peoria, IL try to stop by the Bass Pro Shop. Besides the usual huge selection of sporting goods, they have the following display as you enter the building.
(http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h52/lgcburns/null_zps1f4e9a85.jpg)[/URL] (http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h52/lgcburns/null_zps6991095b.jpg)[/URL]
(http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h52/lgcburns/null_zps3f99b55e.jpg)[/URL]
Taken with a Howatt recurve, Microflite fiberglass arrows, and a Zwicky broadhead in Peoria County, IL - pretty cool.
That is cool!
Way cool!
up
Cool mount. Do you know if that's the original set of antlers or a cast?
Wow!!! Never knew that and I lived in Peoria when I was younger.
One magnificent buck.
Wow, I was just thinking of the "Johnson Buck" the other day! Pretty cool
One of my all time favorite Whitetials and a great story as well! Absolutely astonishing! The stuff dreams are made of :thumbsup:
Matty I didn't notice if there was anything mentioned about the horns being cast or original, but I wasn't paying much attention to that either.
I'm glad my wife and I stopped in, we were in Peoria on a college visit for my son and had a couple hours to kill. I noticed the Bass Pro from the interstate and suggested we go there. My wife wasn't really excited with the idea, but she actually thought it was neat once we got there. I haven't been to other Bass Pros around the country, but this one was huge! I didn't notice the deer display until we were leaving.
way cool...ttt
That is a brute!!
I wonder if Old Mel called his equipment Traditional??? :confused: :readit:
The wonderful thing about that buck is it is the archery world record. PERIOD!. Thru all the horn porn and 100% dedicated whitetail "assassins", "thugs", and ""specialists" with their supplements, 24/7 surveillance, and unlimited time on managed properties, not to mention 100 yard 80% compounds, no one has entered a better typical whitetail.
That is awesome...
Back in the days when Men were Men, Bows were Bows, and Bowhunting was just..... BOWHUNTING!!!!! :thumbsup:
I agree Steve. Very Impressive. the fact they cannot seem to even culture deer like that is a tribute to the class of this animal!
QuoteOriginally posted by Cyclic-Rivers:
I agree Steve. Very Impressive. the fact they cannot seem to even culture deer like that is a tribute to the class of this animal!
:D
We were typing at the same time...I am just slower and a lot longer winded to say the same thing!
Was lucky enough to meet Mr. Johnson at the Compton event in Blue Springs, Mo. Last spring. He sat next to me at the banquet and had no idea who he was until he was introduced during the nights festivities. Very nice gentleman. And awesome deer.
Hmmm, No string "silencers".....
Posted this over on Trad History & Collecting. Ever notice the absence of string silencers, in the old films & pictures???
(Personaly, I think they're UGLY! but they get the job done!!!)
Perhaps unneeded though... As shown by this Awesome Buck!!!!!
Amazing animal, and so cool that it was taken with simple gear. Wouldn't it be great if (when...only a matter of time imo) a better buck is taken it's also taken with a stickbow?
QuoteOriginally posted by Steve O:
The wonderful thing about that buck is it is the archery world record. PERIOD!. Thru all the horn porn and 100% dedicated whitetail "assassins", "thugs", and ""specialists" with their supplements, 24/7 surveillance, and unlimited time on managed properties, not to mention 100 yard 80% compounds, no one has entered a better typical whitetail.
That is awesome...
Well said!!
:readit: :clapper:
QuoteOriginally posted by Steve O:
The wonderful thing about that buck is it is the archery world record. PERIOD!. Thru all the horn porn and 100% dedicated whitetail "assassins", "thugs", and ""specialists" with their supplements, 24/7 surveillance, and unlimited time on managed properties, not to mention 100 yard 80% compounds, no one has entered a better typical whitetail.
That is awesome...
This.....
QuoteOriginally posted by Steve O:
The wonderful thing about that buck is it is the archery world record. PERIOD!. Thru all the horn porn and 100% dedicated whitetail "assassins", "thugs", and ""specialists" with their supplements, 24/7 surveillance, and unlimited time on managed properties, not to mention 100 yard 80% compounds, no one has entered a better typical whitetail.
That is awesome...
VERYWELL SAID STEVE O!!!! :thumbsup:
Make shift blind, no camo, gotta love it. You read that and hang around here reading stories and pic, 90 percent of the stuff made for deer hunting since Mel harvested that buck has been a gimmick.
Gotta love those corn and soybean fed Illinois bucks. WOW!
the sad part is, its just a matter of time before one of these tv show guys, with the leased land and every antler supplement we can invent, is going to beat this. woodsmanship is a dying art, and some of those shows are only speeding up the process.
QuoteOriginally posted by Steve O:
The wonderful thing about that buck is it is the archery world record. PERIOD!. Thru all the horn porn and 100% dedicated whitetail "assassins", "thugs", and ""specialists" with their supplements, 24/7 surveillance, and unlimited time on managed properties, not to mention 100 yard 80% compounds, no one has entered a better typical whitetail.
That is awesome...
:clapper:
I often feel like I am just an old grumpy man. . . truly I am NOT against other equipment, food plots, cameras etc- HOWEVER- I really do think there is a loss occurring. I already have the chapter written in my head for a book. There really is something about hunting deer on their natural turf in their world. Trad guys "get it" more than most. Almost every year I have young men want to hunt with me to learn how I get into mature deer every year with no managed lands, a tree stand on my back, and the one recurve I have had for 20 years. Something special about tradition and old school. A blessing really!
Congrats to Mel. Thanks for making us aware of this. I want to stop and see it!
Steve O I was thinking the same thing!
Glenn
QuoteOriginally posted by Keb:
Make shift blind, no camo, gotta love it......
Correct. I have an old magazine from "North American Whitetail Magazine-Classic Edition" that highlights this terrific buck and has the full story of how he was able to arrow it. It's been awhile since I've read it but I remember that he was "stand" hunting from the ground at the edge of a woods. He watched the buck coming towards him from a great distance across a field(soybean?). Much to his surprise the buck kept coming right to him. The buck stopped and stared a hole right through him before turning broadside and then Mel made a perfect double lung shot on him. I would have totally come unglued from having to watch such a magnificent animal for that long before I shot. Simply amazing!
The buck still ranks as the number 4 all-time typical whitetail deer ever taken by a hunter, with any weapon....
Truly a historic event and buck. I hope Mel's record stands forever. Ironically I only started bowhunting two years after he killed it and never had a clue it existed.
Incredible deer and story!!! Steve O you nailed it brother!
I've had my hands on that bow, one of the arrows and quiver of Mels. Quite the timepiece!
I don't get wrapped up in food plots or any of the other mumbo jumbo. The way I see it, ag land in the country of giants (IL Iowa KS etc), will grow big bucks. They have the food and genes to become huge, give them time they'll become monster bucks!
ID' just like to be able to hunt where there is that kind of potential! Awesome!
I was fortunate to hunt in a neighboring county on 2 occasions and there are some great genetics in that area.
That IS very cool!
QuoteOriginally posted by Steve O:
The wonderful thing about that buck is it is the archery world record. PERIOD!. Thru all the horn porn and 100% dedicated whitetail "assassins", "thugs", and ""specialists" with their supplements, 24/7 surveillance, and unlimited time on managed properties, not to mention 100 yard 80% compounds, no one has entered a better typical whitetail.
That is awesome...
Amen.
That's cool!
Thanks for posting, Burnsie!
Bisch
Yeah, but what has he done lately? :D
My buddy from college was actually granted permission to shed hunt on the land Mel shot the buck. This was about 13 years or so ago. He didn't find any sheds. He got to meet Mel and said what we already knew. That Mel was an average guy, just like the rest of us.
If anyone with a Compound bow or even a crossbow (since that is now considered to be archery), ever kills a bigger typical, it won't be the same thing. We know it, and the compound guys know it too. They just won't ever say it.
That's a FACT, Jack!!!!!!!!!!
Well said, Jon!!! :thumbsup:
very, very cool!
Good on Bass Pro for that promotion.
I suspect their trad bow section may be lacking.
Brings into question all anyone may have thought was/is necessary for killing big bucks.
Unless deer are smarter now...
QuoteOriginally posted by jonsimoneau:
My buddy from college was actually granted permission to shed hunt on the land Mel shot the buck. This was about 13 years or so ago. He didn't find any sheds. He got to meet Mel and said what we already knew. That Mel was an average guy, just like the rest of us.
If anyone with a Compound bow or even a crossbow (since that is now considered to be archery), ever kills a bigger typical, it won't be the same thing. We know it, and the compound guys know it too. They just won't ever say it.
Well said Jon!!!!
ttt
QuoteOriginally posted by Steve O:
The wonderful thing about that buck is it is the archery world record. PERIOD!. Thru all the horn porn and 100% dedicated whitetail "assassins", "thugs", and ""specialists" with their supplements, 24/7 surveillance, and unlimited time on managed properties, not to mention 100 yard 80% compounds, no one has entered a better typical whitetail.
That is awesome...
You said it brother!
What a beautiful animal. Go trad!
Simply Awesome!
Sweet
Here he is telling the story of the hunt.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9xCSUSvSY8&noredirect=1
Thanks for posting the story video Jeff.
Simply amazing animal.
Wait a minute.......do you mean to tell me, that a guy can kill a buck like that WITH OUT, planting food plots with genetically improved soy, Inviso Mossy Tree Camo with scent stopper technology, a mega buck grunt call, and all the other gadgets and widgets that Lee and Tiffany say that you need to kill a buck??? I'm a skeptic!!!! :laughing:
Awesome and yes Sean that's before the supplemented foot plot bucks 90% of the bone collectors shoot now,,,, or we can say around here the 20 person deer drives done by all the desperate and unskilled to force the nocturnal 10 pointer from his bed so they can spray him with buckshot at the run thru then pose and brag about the huge buck they got while hunting.