Well, I will do my best to keep this short, but it's sort of a long story. Worth the read...so hang in there with me. Yesterday was the most amazing day of my life! Exactly 8 years ago yesterday, I shot my first ever buck and with a bow no less. Since then, I have become heavily involved in archery and hunting with my amazing husband. We both shoot 3D and hunt with our bows all season. As the years have past, I have had the opportunity to take a couple more nice bucks, what we consider trophies in our part of the world, around the 130" mark. Yesterday, exactly 8 years after my first ever buck...THIS HAPPENED!!
I started my morning like most, tired...dragging my tail out of bed to sit in the blind and enjoy God's creation in silence, just excited to be alive and able to hunt. I went to my favorite stand, crawled in and settled down, just waiting for the sun to rise. As it did, I hear something on the rocks behind me. Suddenly it stops...two more small sounds then nothing. Crap, it winded me. Probably a buck cause it didn't blow...great, I'm not going to see anything. So I still there a while longer, check my phone, play a game...then a couple of doe come in with a baby. They make their way to the feeder and just start milling around. The baby starts looking off to the east, ears up, very intent. Then the doe do the same. They are not scared so I know it has to be a deer. Probably a doe cause they are not trying to run off or nervous that a buck is going to chase them. Then, over my left shoulder, I see movement. I cautiously turn my head in time to see horns through the thick cedars. Immediately I get my bow ready, I knew right away, this guy was BIG! He calmly makes his way to my shooting lane, and I get a look at him...my heart starts pounding out of my chest and my heart starts racing...it's all I can do to not shake right out of my tripod. He turns his butt to me and heads to the feeder. I begin the speech..."Kelli, calm down, you have to make a great shot." Then, he turns broadside, puts his head down and starts eating. 18 yards to my target...I keep reminding myself, I can do this, I can do this...You have to make a good shot...This buck is the biggest deer I have EVER seen!! We didn't have him on camera and no one had ever seen him before. I couldn't mess this up. I pull back, place my pin on that sweet spot and let it rip...I watch the arrow hit him, perfectly. I bleated, he stopped. Blood is pouring out and he's stunned, not sure what just happened. I bleat again. He takes two steps and piles up behind a tree, 10 yards from the feeder. My heart is now officially about to burst!! I can't believe it, I have just killed the biggest buck I have ever seen. Immediately I pull out my phone and text my hubby. "OMG, MARK!!!!" Of course, he thinks something bad has just happened and then I tell him....I'm sure he is thinking that I am overreacting and it's not really that huge...then he drives up. I was in tears from the excitement and just the overwhelming joy of knowing that this is what all those hours of working on the ranch, weekend after weekend, are for.
Here ya go....some eye candy for ya!!
I owe all of this to my amazing husband. Without him, none of this would have been possible. I would have never even shot a bow had I not met this wonderful man. My life could not be more complete, and now this. Thank you Mark!!!
This buck is the biggest that has ever been taken on our ranch with a bow. I am elated with joy and overwhelmed at the huge blessing that this is for me. Truly a once in a lifetime experience!!
Again, Mark, you are the most amazing husband and best friend I could have ever asked for. Thank you!
I started my morning like most, tired...dragging my tail out of bed to sit in the blind and enjoy God's creation in silence, just excited to be alive and able to hunt. I went to my favorite stand, crawled in and settled down, just waiting for the sun to rise. As it did, I hear something on the rocks behind me. Suddenly it stops...two more small sounds then nothing. Crap, it winded me. Probably a buck cause it didn't blow...great, I'm not going to see anything. So I still there a while longer, check my phone, play a game...then a couple of doe come in with a baby. They make their way to the feeder and just start milling around. The baby starts looking off to the east, ears up, very intent. Then the doe do the same. They are not scared so I know it has to be a deer. Probably a doe cause they are not trying to run off or nervous that a buck is going to chase them. Then, over my left shoulder, I see movement. I cautiously turn my head in time to see horns through the thick cedars. Immediately I get my bow ready, I knew right away, this guy was BIG! He calmly makes his way to my shooting lane, and I get a look at him...my heart starts pounding out of my chest and my heart starts racing...it's all I can do to not shake right out of my tripod. He turns his butt to me and heads to the feeder. I begin the speech..."Kelli, calm down, you have to make a great shot." Then, he turns broadside, puts his head down and starts eating. 18 yards to my target...I keep reminding myself, I can do this, I can do this...You have to make a good shot...This buck is the biggest deer I have EVER seen!! We didn't have him on camera and no one had ever seen him before. I couldn't mess this up. I pull back, place my pin on that sweet spot and let it rip...I watch the arrow hit him, perfectly. I bleated, he stopped. Blood is pouring out and he's stunned, not sure what just happened. I bleat again. He takes two steps and piles up behind a tree, 10 yards from the feeder. My heart is now officially about to burst!! I can't believe it, I have just killed the biggest buck I have ever seen. Immediately I pull out my phone and text my hubby. "OMG, MARK!!!!" Of course, he thinks something bad has just happened and then I tell him....I'm sure he is thinking that I am overreacting and it's not really that huge...then he drives up. I was in tears from the excitement and just the overwhelming joy of knowing that this is what all those hours of working on the ranch, weekend after weekend, are for.
Here ya go....some eye candy for ya!!
I owe all of this to my amazing husband. Without him, none of this would have been possible. I would have never even shot a bow had I not met this wonderful man. My life could not be more complete, and now this. Thank you Mark!!!
This buck is the biggest that has ever been taken on our ranch with a bow. I am elated with joy and overwhelmed at the huge blessing that this is for me. Truly a once in a lifetime experience!!
Again, Mark, you are the most amazing husband and best friend I could have ever asked for. Thank you!
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