2009 was a great year to us, and a bugger as well. The highs and lows of deer hunting is just something I think we all just learn to live with. I found a fantastic whitetail to chase, and chase we did. Lots of close calls, but just couldn't close the deal. He then disappeared, no pics anywhere in the area, but I was confident it was temporary as it often happens in the rut/pre-rut. about 20 or so days later, I am worried. I am thinking someone has one heck of a trophy at the taxidermists as he went missing around the start of rifle season. But I am known to be stubborn, so I kept hunting him. less than 2 weeks ago, in a completely new area, we set a stand in a deep river bottom where the buck sign was ridiculous, and set up a trail camera to have a look. Right off the bat there was a nice 5x5 with split brows and plenty of mass, the only down side is it was set up for South winds, not regular this time of the year, and I wasn't giving up on the non-typical just yet.
Last week I was headed to "the spot" to find heavy equipment, road building and an assortment of other heavy activities on the property, as life goes, this late in the game, the chase for the non-typical was over.
We pulled stakes and headed to the river bottom last wednesday as it was a south wind. In the tree about 5 minutes, we heard grunting, I looked over and told Jason "he's right there" 35 yards. He chased a doe around a willow and then right down the runway, the shooting lane, he was at 20 yards, I thought we were in the chips, I drew my bow, anchored, and he stopped with limbs in the way. No biggie, he has to move one way or the other. The doe trots off, his head slams down again and he is off after the doe, I give him a baaa to stop him, nothing, BAAA louder, nothing, once more for good effort, nothing, he is running her hard, and right out of our shooting lane and gone. We couldn't believe it. All the time in the tree this year, we had a good one at 20yards and couldn't close the deal!! I think I just turned and looked at the camera and had a pout.lol. We had a south wind 3 days later on saturday, but no deer were seen. We had to wait another 5 days until today, early afternoon the wind took a south drift and we were off to the river bottom.
Long un-eventful night, then it happened. 3 does walk by from the right, and I can see a very unique and familiar face not far behind. Not running this time. Soft grunt, and out of the willows and down the runway he comes, stops perfect at 18 yards, I had a quick look and realized soon that at this stage, I just couldn't pass on him, and let fly. He made her 45 yards and we were all tagged out.
Anyway, I have no history on the deer, didn't know he existed until a couple weeks ago. We did it old school, picking a good travel corridor and heavy used scrape line, a little scouting and got it done, which is great, the history is what we live for, but the odd stranger is just as fun!
I also owe a BIG thanks to Jason Peterson who was running the camera when I was hunting, I dont even know how many nights this year, alot!! Thanks again bud!!
But here he is, my 2009 whitetail, no record breaking monster, but this guy (me) is all smiles, I really like his beams, gnarly split brows, and good mass. Also one of the most unique faces I have ever seen on a jumper. Incredible hunt, and some of the coolest footage I think we've ever gotten.
Couple trail cam pics. You can see my stand set up behind him on the drainage bank. Yikes that was interesting getting in and out.
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And the after. As seldom as it happens, we were pretty pumped that in person when he came by he looked better than in the trail cam pics. The field pics didn't come through great, or show the mass very well, he had 42 inches of mass all in all. In the top trail cam pic you can see he has fairly unique beams that lean in and carry a big ridge of mass on the inside. Jason can correct me if I am wrong, he added her up and I think he was right at 174 and change.
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Last week I was headed to "the spot" to find heavy equipment, road building and an assortment of other heavy activities on the property, as life goes, this late in the game, the chase for the non-typical was over.
We pulled stakes and headed to the river bottom last wednesday as it was a south wind. In the tree about 5 minutes, we heard grunting, I looked over and told Jason "he's right there" 35 yards. He chased a doe around a willow and then right down the runway, the shooting lane, he was at 20 yards, I thought we were in the chips, I drew my bow, anchored, and he stopped with limbs in the way. No biggie, he has to move one way or the other. The doe trots off, his head slams down again and he is off after the doe, I give him a baaa to stop him, nothing, BAAA louder, nothing, once more for good effort, nothing, he is running her hard, and right out of our shooting lane and gone. We couldn't believe it. All the time in the tree this year, we had a good one at 20yards and couldn't close the deal!! I think I just turned and looked at the camera and had a pout.lol. We had a south wind 3 days later on saturday, but no deer were seen. We had to wait another 5 days until today, early afternoon the wind took a south drift and we were off to the river bottom.
Long un-eventful night, then it happened. 3 does walk by from the right, and I can see a very unique and familiar face not far behind. Not running this time. Soft grunt, and out of the willows and down the runway he comes, stops perfect at 18 yards, I had a quick look and realized soon that at this stage, I just couldn't pass on him, and let fly. He made her 45 yards and we were all tagged out.
Anyway, I have no history on the deer, didn't know he existed until a couple weeks ago. We did it old school, picking a good travel corridor and heavy used scrape line, a little scouting and got it done, which is great, the history is what we live for, but the odd stranger is just as fun!
I also owe a BIG thanks to Jason Peterson who was running the camera when I was hunting, I dont even know how many nights this year, alot!! Thanks again bud!!
But here he is, my 2009 whitetail, no record breaking monster, but this guy (me) is all smiles, I really like his beams, gnarly split brows, and good mass. Also one of the most unique faces I have ever seen on a jumper. Incredible hunt, and some of the coolest footage I think we've ever gotten.
Couple trail cam pics. You can see my stand set up behind him on the drainage bank. Yikes that was interesting getting in and out.
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And the after. As seldom as it happens, we were pretty pumped that in person when he came by he looked better than in the trail cam pics. The field pics didn't come through great, or show the mass very well, he had 42 inches of mass all in all. In the top trail cam pic you can see he has fairly unique beams that lean in and carry a big ridge of mass on the inside. Jason can correct me if I am wrong, he added her up and I think he was right at 174 and change.
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