bloodhoundhandler
New Member
nice buck congrats
Windwalker
Life Member
congrats ! Big neck!
Handcannon
Well-Known Member
Nice buck
killer buck
Member
Great buck! Man is he old.
limblounger
New Member
Story behind the hunt
Thanks for the comments! Here is the story behind this guy....along with a little of my bowhunting background.
This is my 5th season of bowhunting. Although I've always felt prepared when I've gone into the field, I'd missed a couple nice ones in the first couple years of hunting. One miss was due to nerves, another was just that I made a bad judgement in distance of the shot. Those times when you miss....you just want to curl up in a ball and hide, not tell anyone the "bad news". It's hard on the confidence, yet good for experience.
Two years ago I got my first deer with a bow, and my confidence was recharged! It was a smaller buck, but it was exciting none the less to say that I had got it with a bow. Last year, I missed a very nice 150 class buck early in the season due to a deflection from a tree limb that I had not seen. I wound up harvesting a nice doe later in the season (confidence back!), only to find her full of pus when I opened her up. Thus no archery venison in the freezer this past year.
My family has had a lot of things going on the past year, from elderly family members not doing so well, to selling our home, buying a new one, getting ready for our second child, etc. Thus, I went into this season being VERY unprepared. I had barely shot the bow this offseason, had waited til the last minute to clean up my hunting clothes, had done very little scouting on the property I was hunting.
I finally had the time to prepare some stand sites last Friday evening. The particular stand I found myself in on Sunday was in a thick fenceline on the east side of an unpicked bean field, with my stand facing to the west, about 100 yds from a very thick wooded slough in the middle of the field. I picked this site, as there is normally heavy deer activity along the edge of the field, as well as the thought that deer may be using the slough to bed and access the field to feed. I had made a few mock rubs when I set up the stand and had noticed some heavy, wide tracks in the field mud as well.
So, Sunday came and the weather seemed perfect to take a seat for the afternoon and enjoy the outdoors. I went out around 2:30 and hopped into the stand. I broke out the rattling antlers and grunt call (I'm very pro-calling, as I've had tons of success with it) and did some light calling. I was looking over the field, looking for movement and had just started turning to the left and heard a SNORT BLOW and saw a deer dart out of my sight about 45 yds to the south and slightly behind me. Good sign, I thought....a response to my calling.
Following that encounter, I sat quietly for about an hour and did a few more grunts but did not see any other deer. About 4:20, I spotted some movement in the slough to the west and saw a doe and two fawns appear in the bean field. They slowly made their way to the north in the field, and then were followed up by a young fork-racked buck who followed them to the north and out of sight. By now, it was close to 5:00. At least I was seeing some deer early, I thought.
About an hour later, I saw some more movement in the slough and out came the big boy! I got out the binoculars and glassed him for a few minutes....my blood was starting to pump and the adrenaline had kicked in....my knees were starting to shake a little bit. I had to talk myself down from the rush....I kept telling myself "it's still 80 yds away. calm down. stop shaking and prepare yourself in case you actually get a chance!" Had to laugh, since I found I was singing "kid" songs in my head (it happens when you have kids, trust me) to help calm down!
I watched him feed along for 40 minutes and he was starting to make his way to the south of me at a little quicker pace, still 80 yards out in the field, and light was starting to fade. I decided to take some action, and grunted a couple times. He heard my beckoning and stared intently in my direction for about 30 seconds and then broke the gaze and went back to feeding and continuing his southward movement. I then did a very light snort-wheeze, which then caused him to do a 180 and start walking due north. He quickly made his way north of me 50 yds, but still 80 yds in the field and then cut across the beans right toward the fenceline. He came right up to the fence, but was out of my line of sight due to the thick brush. I heard grass moving and I thought he was jumping the fence to get around the backside of the intruder he had heard making the commotion. That caused me to panic a little bit, as I did not have any shooting lanes behind me! I heard some more grass moving, but still sounded like it was across the fence...I decided he must be making a scrape (confimed he actually made two scrapes) and so I made two very light grunts. I heard the scraping stop and then saw movement coming my way through the brush. He came right down the edge of the field, walking into my shooting lane at 18 yds, with me drawing when he was still behind brush at 25. I baahh'd at him, took my aim behind the shoulder and released. The familiar "thud" of a solid hit rang in my ears...he spun around and headed back to the north, then cut across the bean field heading toward the slough from which he had came. He got to about 20 yds from the edge of the slough and I grunted loudly in an attempt to stop him, which he did. He was trying to bite at his side where the arrow-entry hole had been made. He then proceeded to sit down in the beans. I watched him for 15 minutes until the light faded so I couldn't see his rack sticking upright above the beans, calling my dad for his advice on what to do next. He recommended backing out overnight, since it was now too dark to see the buck.
I have never left a wounded deer in the field overnight, so it was a tough decision to make. However, I did it and went out the next morning with a buddy from work (thanks, Tige!). Picked up the blood trail right away on the beans and headed towards the last place I had seen him the night before. I got 3/4 of the way across the field and saw that wonderous sight of a successfully harvested deer lying on its side. I ran up and grabbed the antlers, had my friend snap some pics, made a few calls and then took care of the clean-up/drag.
My confidence is sky-high right now, but I'm at a loss as to what to do the rest of the season. I think I might get a doe tag and hunt the rut, maybe tag along with some friends and try to help them experience the same exhiliration I felt from harvesting that beautiful creature. Whatever I do, I'll always carry this great memory with me - however prepared or not-prepared I am! Thanks for letting me share, guys!
Thanks for the comments! Here is the story behind this guy....along with a little of my bowhunting background.
This is my 5th season of bowhunting. Although I've always felt prepared when I've gone into the field, I'd missed a couple nice ones in the first couple years of hunting. One miss was due to nerves, another was just that I made a bad judgement in distance of the shot. Those times when you miss....you just want to curl up in a ball and hide, not tell anyone the "bad news". It's hard on the confidence, yet good for experience.
Two years ago I got my first deer with a bow, and my confidence was recharged! It was a smaller buck, but it was exciting none the less to say that I had got it with a bow. Last year, I missed a very nice 150 class buck early in the season due to a deflection from a tree limb that I had not seen. I wound up harvesting a nice doe later in the season (confidence back!), only to find her full of pus when I opened her up. Thus no archery venison in the freezer this past year.
My family has had a lot of things going on the past year, from elderly family members not doing so well, to selling our home, buying a new one, getting ready for our second child, etc. Thus, I went into this season being VERY unprepared. I had barely shot the bow this offseason, had waited til the last minute to clean up my hunting clothes, had done very little scouting on the property I was hunting.
I finally had the time to prepare some stand sites last Friday evening. The particular stand I found myself in on Sunday was in a thick fenceline on the east side of an unpicked bean field, with my stand facing to the west, about 100 yds from a very thick wooded slough in the middle of the field. I picked this site, as there is normally heavy deer activity along the edge of the field, as well as the thought that deer may be using the slough to bed and access the field to feed. I had made a few mock rubs when I set up the stand and had noticed some heavy, wide tracks in the field mud as well.
So, Sunday came and the weather seemed perfect to take a seat for the afternoon and enjoy the outdoors. I went out around 2:30 and hopped into the stand. I broke out the rattling antlers and grunt call (I'm very pro-calling, as I've had tons of success with it) and did some light calling. I was looking over the field, looking for movement and had just started turning to the left and heard a SNORT BLOW and saw a deer dart out of my sight about 45 yds to the south and slightly behind me. Good sign, I thought....a response to my calling.
Following that encounter, I sat quietly for about an hour and did a few more grunts but did not see any other deer. About 4:20, I spotted some movement in the slough to the west and saw a doe and two fawns appear in the bean field. They slowly made their way to the north in the field, and then were followed up by a young fork-racked buck who followed them to the north and out of sight. By now, it was close to 5:00. At least I was seeing some deer early, I thought.
About an hour later, I saw some more movement in the slough and out came the big boy! I got out the binoculars and glassed him for a few minutes....my blood was starting to pump and the adrenaline had kicked in....my knees were starting to shake a little bit. I had to talk myself down from the rush....I kept telling myself "it's still 80 yds away. calm down. stop shaking and prepare yourself in case you actually get a chance!" Had to laugh, since I found I was singing "kid" songs in my head (it happens when you have kids, trust me) to help calm down!
I watched him feed along for 40 minutes and he was starting to make his way to the south of me at a little quicker pace, still 80 yards out in the field, and light was starting to fade. I decided to take some action, and grunted a couple times. He heard my beckoning and stared intently in my direction for about 30 seconds and then broke the gaze and went back to feeding and continuing his southward movement. I then did a very light snort-wheeze, which then caused him to do a 180 and start walking due north. He quickly made his way north of me 50 yds, but still 80 yds in the field and then cut across the beans right toward the fenceline. He came right up to the fence, but was out of my line of sight due to the thick brush. I heard grass moving and I thought he was jumping the fence to get around the backside of the intruder he had heard making the commotion. That caused me to panic a little bit, as I did not have any shooting lanes behind me! I heard some more grass moving, but still sounded like it was across the fence...I decided he must be making a scrape (confimed he actually made two scrapes) and so I made two very light grunts. I heard the scraping stop and then saw movement coming my way through the brush. He came right down the edge of the field, walking into my shooting lane at 18 yds, with me drawing when he was still behind brush at 25. I baahh'd at him, took my aim behind the shoulder and released. The familiar "thud" of a solid hit rang in my ears...he spun around and headed back to the north, then cut across the bean field heading toward the slough from which he had came. He got to about 20 yds from the edge of the slough and I grunted loudly in an attempt to stop him, which he did. He was trying to bite at his side where the arrow-entry hole had been made. He then proceeded to sit down in the beans. I watched him for 15 minutes until the light faded so I couldn't see his rack sticking upright above the beans, calling my dad for his advice on what to do next. He recommended backing out overnight, since it was now too dark to see the buck.
I have never left a wounded deer in the field overnight, so it was a tough decision to make. However, I did it and went out the next morning with a buddy from work (thanks, Tige!). Picked up the blood trail right away on the beans and headed towards the last place I had seen him the night before. I got 3/4 of the way across the field and saw that wonderous sight of a successfully harvested deer lying on its side. I ran up and grabbed the antlers, had my friend snap some pics, made a few calls and then took care of the clean-up/drag.
My confidence is sky-high right now, but I'm at a loss as to what to do the rest of the season. I think I might get a doe tag and hunt the rut, maybe tag along with some friends and try to help them experience the same exhiliration I felt from harvesting that beautiful creature. Whatever I do, I'll always carry this great memory with me - however prepared or not-prepared I am! Thanks for letting me share, guys!
limblounger
New Member
wow, I looked at my story after I posted....didn't realize it was so long - SORRY! must have been excited to finally share a hunting story with y'all!:grin:
cwmatthews
New Member
The stories are my favorite. That is what it is all about. Then we get to relive it with ya. Good story I was right there with ya. Good buck.
Full Quiver
New Member
Congrats! Great buck.
