My girlfriend and I headed out to the ranch Thursday after I got off work. Grabbed some groceries in Hondo and got to the ranch around 10pm. We were going after big mature 8's, axis deer, pigs, and turkey. I was planning on bowhunting and my girlfriend was rifle hunting, so we were going to split hunting time 50/50 since she likes to sit on the bow blind with me, and she wanted me to sit with her during her hunts.
We woke up at 5 Friday morning to find it a blistering 23 degrees. We got everything together and headed to the stand with my girlfriend at the wheel with the rifle. Only saw 5 does and a spike before we got off the stand at 7:45. It was too early to get off the stand but the girlfriend was freezing. Friday afternoon was my turn and we headed to a different stand for me to bowhunt. Had 9 does at the feeder when we could here that infamous sound of a big buck walking down the rocky road. Took about 30 seconds for him to reach us and out walks a huge mature 8 but only made a circle around the feeder and went back from where he came. It was the widest deer we had ever seen at our place. Sure did get the heart pumping just seeing him.
Saturday morning we sat at the same stand but in the rifle blind with my girlfriend shooting. Saw 7 does, 2 spikes, a 4 point, a six point cull with no brow tines, and a very good 8, just too young to shoot. She didn't want to shoot the six, because she has her heart set on a axis. Saturday afternoon we went back to the rifle blind we had sat at Friday morning. By 5:00 we had 15 does and 6 small bucks at the feeder but the neighbor next door started riding his 4-wheeler, and deer and 4-wheelers aren't a good combination on our place. All the deer were outa there. I told her we could try to sneak up on another feeder but she said she wanted to stay cause she "Had a good feeling." not 10 minutes later a nice pig walks out to the feeder and I tell her to shoot it. At 140 yards she shoots it right through the heart and drops him in his tracks. This was her first pig and she was pumped up. Bout 100 pound boar. I was very proud of her.
This morning I got up and went to the bow blind where we had saw the big 8 hoping he would make another appearance. I went alone because the girlfriend wanted to sleep in. I had 7 does and about 15 turkeys at the feeder by 7am when they all turned to look like something was about to walk out. I couldn't believe what came out. A 3.5 year old huge 10 point probably 24 inches wide, followed by a 3.5 year old 8 point that was even more impressive with the same width but even taller tines. They made there way in and I caught a glimpse of something walking up the same trail they just came in from. Out walks the big 8 from Friday night. He is probably at least 5.5 years old, and just what I was after. He walked to the feeder and started eating corn with the other deer. It took him about 10 minutes before he presented me with a perfect broadside shot at 20 yards. Just enough time for me to calm my nerves. When I got the chance I drew back and let the arrow fly. I watched the arrow hit perfectly behind the shoulder and he took off from the way he came in and stopped 45 yards out. I watched him stand there for what seemed like minutes waiting for him to fall but he seemed like he wasn't even hit. He began to walk off when I hurried up and knocked another arrow and whistled at him and he stopped. I sent another arrow flying at 45 yards and drilled him right through the heart. He ran maybe 5 yards and fell over. Figured it was better to shoot again, not knowing how far he would have gone. I was super pumped. The first shot was a double lung hit, he just wasn't ready to fall.
My biggest deer with my bow so far! Definitely a trophy in my book. He's 22" inside. Haven't scored him yet though. He weighed in at 184 lbs, a big deer for our place! Going to do a shoulder mount on him. What an awesome way to wrap up a great weekend!
Sorry for the long read but still pumped up about this buck and the awesome weekend of hunting me and my girlfriend had.
We woke up at 5 Friday morning to find it a blistering 23 degrees. We got everything together and headed to the stand with my girlfriend at the wheel with the rifle. Only saw 5 does and a spike before we got off the stand at 7:45. It was too early to get off the stand but the girlfriend was freezing. Friday afternoon was my turn and we headed to a different stand for me to bowhunt. Had 9 does at the feeder when we could here that infamous sound of a big buck walking down the rocky road. Took about 30 seconds for him to reach us and out walks a huge mature 8 but only made a circle around the feeder and went back from where he came. It was the widest deer we had ever seen at our place. Sure did get the heart pumping just seeing him.
Saturday morning we sat at the same stand but in the rifle blind with my girlfriend shooting. Saw 7 does, 2 spikes, a 4 point, a six point cull with no brow tines, and a very good 8, just too young to shoot. She didn't want to shoot the six, because she has her heart set on a axis. Saturday afternoon we went back to the rifle blind we had sat at Friday morning. By 5:00 we had 15 does and 6 small bucks at the feeder but the neighbor next door started riding his 4-wheeler, and deer and 4-wheelers aren't a good combination on our place. All the deer were outa there. I told her we could try to sneak up on another feeder but she said she wanted to stay cause she "Had a good feeling." not 10 minutes later a nice pig walks out to the feeder and I tell her to shoot it. At 140 yards she shoots it right through the heart and drops him in his tracks. This was her first pig and she was pumped up. Bout 100 pound boar. I was very proud of her.
This morning I got up and went to the bow blind where we had saw the big 8 hoping he would make another appearance. I went alone because the girlfriend wanted to sleep in. I had 7 does and about 15 turkeys at the feeder by 7am when they all turned to look like something was about to walk out. I couldn't believe what came out. A 3.5 year old huge 10 point probably 24 inches wide, followed by a 3.5 year old 8 point that was even more impressive with the same width but even taller tines. They made there way in and I caught a glimpse of something walking up the same trail they just came in from. Out walks the big 8 from Friday night. He is probably at least 5.5 years old, and just what I was after. He walked to the feeder and started eating corn with the other deer. It took him about 10 minutes before he presented me with a perfect broadside shot at 20 yards. Just enough time for me to calm my nerves. When I got the chance I drew back and let the arrow fly. I watched the arrow hit perfectly behind the shoulder and he took off from the way he came in and stopped 45 yards out. I watched him stand there for what seemed like minutes waiting for him to fall but he seemed like he wasn't even hit. He began to walk off when I hurried up and knocked another arrow and whistled at him and he stopped. I sent another arrow flying at 45 yards and drilled him right through the heart. He ran maybe 5 yards and fell over. Figured it was better to shoot again, not knowing how far he would have gone. I was super pumped. The first shot was a double lung hit, he just wasn't ready to fall.
My biggest deer with my bow so far! Definitely a trophy in my book. He's 22" inside. Haven't scored him yet though. He weighed in at 184 lbs, a big deer for our place! Going to do a shoulder mount on him. What an awesome way to wrap up a great weekend!
Sorry for the long read but still pumped up about this buck and the awesome weekend of hunting me and my girlfriend had.
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