I'm blessed to have private places to hunt and have been resting this section waiting for yesterday!
This property has a strip of short trees, mostly hedge, running north-south right up the middle. At the end of last year, I took note of the number of rubs in this strip and decided I needed a stand on the fringe to be used near/during the rut.

I'd been waiting for a west wind given I'm set up on the end of a perpendicular hedge-row on the east edge of the strip. I noted deer using this corner last year during one of my few sits on this property.

Photo album link:

  https://goo.gl/photos/ACVzvsmsjDKzZTt36  

   

At 7:45, I hear a deer grunt, look up and notice a doe slipping through the strip heading my way. I lift the lower limb tip of my Fox off my left boot and promptly clack it against a limb just in front of my stand! The doe looks up toward me through the trees and I whisper to myself, "Dummy, pay attention!" She relaxes, looks out into the corner, and hops over the old, knee-high barbed wire and enters "the pocket" (seen in the previous pic).

Another deep grunt lets me know she has a boyfriend. I can't see him, but I can tell he's not a 2 y/o as he tears into a tree! Branches are shaking and drops of rain water from the night before are falling to the ground! Meanwhile, the doe is walking toward my wind... "Lord, I have to know what's in those trees!", so I pass up the shot at her and let her continue walking. She stops, throws her nose up, turns and angles away from me at a trot.

The tree he was victimizing:

 

   

This was all he needed and he steps out at the edge of the trees. He was everything I'd hoped he'd be during the anticipation. I promptly wet myself and briefly forgot my own name!
He stands there staring at her...and stands there...and stands there...perfectly broadside. One time he looks back over his shoulder and I get to see more of his headgear.

I start talking myself through the shot... "I want the arrow there...so I need to hold at the top of his back there..." "Full draw...anchor...hold...hold..."

"I DRILLED HIM! I DRILLED HIM!"

The bruiser tears away from the trees, breaks the fletched end of the arrow in the first 15 yds, and is screaming toward the does' exit.

"Go down...go down...!"

Not 80 yds later, he nose-dives into the pasture like an antlered tractor. I see his white belly and a few leg kicks and I know he's done!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

           

I took a video with my adrenaline falling so please forgive the breathing and my attempts not to fall from the tree!

VIDEO:

 https://goo.gl/photos/MtburGReJ1yB33Xj6

 Somewhere in the rules it says you cant leave fellow Gangers hangin! I really dont need to be wondering how it went down in church this morning!

I got down and paced off the shot. From the first pic, he was in front of the cedar behind the yellow leaves still clinging to branches.

The shot was 26 yds by my steps. Fox High Sierra 46# @ 28", GT 3555 with 100 gr brass inserts, 125 gr Magnus Snuffer SS. This combo has taken several deer, and I pray God will bless me with several more!

RECOVERY VIDEO:

https://goo.gl/photos/HJ1h7Jg3xnJqjgsa9

The rest in pics... Thanks for coming along!

Awesome!

Oh my he's a beast! Congrats on one of the finest trad bucks I've seen in a while. Nice pics to.

   

Wow what a animal! You are a big buck slayer congrats! You are the man!

You done good on all accounts! Great buck, write up, videos, pics, etc... Very Happy for you! I can tell you appreciate the incredible blessing of this hunt & harvest. Again, Praise God & Well done! Enjoy!!!!!

Sorry to keep you waiting Possum!

He has 13 points and I'll put a tape measure to him on Tue. Given it was Halloween, I just dropped him off at the locker instead of caping him myself. I had two excited little girls to be with yesterday!

That is a awesome looking deer.
Congratulations!

QuoteOriginally posted by KAZ:
You done good on all accounts! Great buck, write up, videos, pics, etc... Very Happy for you! I can tell you appreciate the incredible blessing of this hunt & harvest. Again, Praise God & Well done! Enjoy!!!!!

Thank you sir. It's easy to take for granted the gift we have to be outside with a bow in our hand. Amen?

I'll be writing an article for The Christian Bowhunter about this hunt on the topic of Redemption. I blew a 10 yd shot at an antlerless a couple weeks ago. Lots of nasty whispers from the enemy "You're no good at this...you should just hang the bow up..." But He's still on the throne, and I'm still shooting my recurves!

Amen.... Looking forward to the article!