I think I saw him two times from the road, both times it was very dark and the binocs wouldn't let me get a good clear look. I knew he was tall and narrow and got a junk impression. I think he stayed on the one side of the property where I don't have cameras. I need to pull cards to check. From what I did see, I wanted to get a better look.
the last evening, I saw him was Wednesday and he was guarding a doe from a rival out in a picked bean field. I figured he might be done with her on Friday, looking for the next, so I took the day off work.
I had a stand hung in a creek line fork, but last Saturday morning a buck took the other fork. I decided to take a Lone Wolf down and find a tree on that fork. At 6:45 am I was sitting down in the fresh hang. The buck from last Saturday made an appearance around 9 and went by my other stand, of course. I had seen enough of him before to know he would get a pass. I saw does and fawns (the buck drove some does off the neighbor property, so "announced" his impending arrival). Beautiful day to be in the stand, comfortable weather. I had a great wind for where I hoped a buck would come from. I was on the west side of a tree, SE wind blowing. This buck came from the east on the south side of the creek.
Earlier in the week I got a text from my sister in AZ asking if I had heard about a guy from our hometown getting killed in a car accident. I said i hadn't, Dean and I had shared an apartment my first semester attending the University of Iowa. My sister shared a Facebook post announcing his death, which I forwarded to another mutual friend in CA. So I screwing around with my phone too much, usually don't mess with it in stand, hit send on a text to CA and hear something behind me. I look around the tree and see him making a scrape at maybe 15 yards. I put my phone in my pocket, bow was in my lap as I hadn't brought a hanger, pick it up, clip the release on the D loop and draw back when he is broadside at 12 yards. I had to aim a little higher than I normally do due some brush. I watched the arrow pass though, he trots maybe 10 yards then kicks into warp speed, maybe made it 20 yards more. I think I like the high double lung shot.
I climb down, cross the creek and find my arrow buried in the dirt, all bloody and bubbly. Not need to track since I basically saw where he went down, which happened to be the next scrape in the creek line. Shot was at 3:45 pm, during the 59th hour of my bow season. I was able to drive the truck right up to him. I impressed myself with my field dressing skills as it's been a few years. Hung him in the shed overnight, he's in the truck now, waiting on the taxidermists to get home.
I said going into season that a buck had to be my highest scorer or bust, but I did invoke a freak clause which I feel he met. So, he's a tribute buck to my late friend Dean. God speed, buddy.
6X4, heavily bladed, P&Y score sheet has him at 140 5/8" gross.