All,
For my fellow hunters that don't care about the story and would rather just see some pictures...here you go!!!!!
For the rest, scroll below the LDP'S to get the full story on the buck we called Pretty Boy Jr!
I'm going to keep it short and sweet with some pictures added in to keep it interesting.
The hunt takes place on a bowhunting only, low fence ranch in the hill country I've been a part of for the last 10 years.
The story begins 4 years ago when this deer first hit our radar. Here's a few pictures of the deer at 3.5
First Year 3.5
The following year he made a nice jump. Here's a couple of early season pictures of him at 4.5
Second Year 4.5
While he was a very good looking deer, we knew he had great potential and if given some time.... might turn into something special.
Here he is at 4.5 with a group of bucks that were ultimately killed as management bucks.
While gathering the pictures for this story, I noticed something very funny about these three pictures. It contains three bucks that I killed over a span of three different years. "PBJ" to the left, was taken 2 years from this picture. The center buck, "Angry 9" was taken the following season from this picture, and the buck to the right, "No Brows Ten" was taken the year of this picture.
PBJ had been a regular at this set and this set only. In fact, he had unfortunately witnessed the death of several bucks including both trophy and management bucks as well as does that were killed out of that set over the last two years.
However, going into the 2014 Season, we felt confident we would see him as he had been so regular and agreed that we would take him if given the opportunity, as he would now be 5.5 this year.
There's something special about that "light switch" that goes off when a buck reaches 5.5. He didn't show up on a single trail cam picture during the summer. In fact, he didn't show up the entire month of October.
I patiently hunted the set, concentrating all of my efforts on this buck in hopes of catching a glimpse of him. At times, I wondered if he had been taken on any of the surrounding MLD properties after the end of our regular season the previous year.
Finally, mid November...I got my answer!
3rd Year - 5.5
Unfortunately, he busted one of his 3's.
I was only able to video him on the first sighting. He was following a doe in and never really gave me a good opportunity. I decided I was going to take a couple extra days off from work and put some time in on PBJ.
A couple of hunts later, I got my opportunity when he strolled into view one evening at last light.
He had again been following a doe and only stopped for a few seconds to munch on a few bites of corn. I quickly settled the pin and the let arrow loose.
The lighted arrow flew harmlessly underneath him. I couldn't believe it. I had just blown a perfectly good broadside 25 yard shot.
I hunted him the rest of the year, encountering him only one additional time with no shot opportunity presented. Looking back now....It's funny how things have a way of working out for the best sometimes!!!!!!!!!
As I mentioned, he was only seen three times that year. The good news is I did get a trail camera picture of him at the end of season.
Going into this 2015 season, I was pretty excited. We have a system in place. Once a buck is claimed, other lease members will not pursue that buck. The buck was mine...I just needed to get the job done this time.
While going through preseason trail camera pictures...I was almost in disbelief when I noticed who showed up early this time. Better than that, he had grown two additional tines this year, making him a nice typical 12.
4th Year - 6.5
He wasn't a regular and there was only the one day, but at least he let me know....he was still around!
Fast forward about a month to hard horns and my adrenalin was really going..... bordering on sensory overload! He had only showed up 2 times in two months, but we were already way ahead of last year's schedule!!!!!
I couldn't wait for opening weekend. With each practice session during the summer, I envisioned each shot as if I was shooting at PBJ.
Once the opener arrived, I hunted Saturday morning, Saturday evening, and Sunday morning with no sighting of PBJ. I checked the trail camera and he hadn't been there since the hard horn pictures above. Basically, showing up only twice in two months.
I had taken an extra day off on Monday so that I could hunt for him as much as possible...that ended up being the trick, I don't think he expected me to be there on Sunday night!!!!!!!
The crazy thing is...I almost didn't go to the set that evening. I was seconds away from going to a different stand for a change of scenery (despite knowing this buck had only been seen at this set), when at the last second... I came to my senses and headed where I knew I needed to be.
If Colonel Boyd was a hunter...I think he would have been proud, as I'm pretty sure my Sunday evening hunt threw off PBJ's OODA loop! He never saw it coming!!!! (On a side note, if you have no idea who Colonel Boyd was or what OODA loop is, then that wasn't very funny!)
That evening, while sitting in the blind, I was messing with my phone when I looked up and saw PBJ 20 yards in front of me. I have no idea how long he had been there or which direction he had come from. I couldn't believe it. I slowly set the phone down, hit record on the camera and grabbed my bow. When I looked back up, he was no where in sight. I looked out the Krivoman blind windows left and right and couldn't find him anywhere....
For a split second, I truly questioned if I had really seen him or was imagining it. About 5 minutes into that pondering...he finally walked back into view. On one hand, providing sanity as I now knew I wasn't crazy...but on the other, providing that wonderful rush of adrenalin and emotion every seasoned bowhunter feels in the final seconds before the release of an arrow!!!!!!!!!!
If you know me well, you know I will usually not shoot unless I can capture the shot on video. In the past 10 years, I've given up many opportunities trying to wait for the video. As I tried to patiently wait for PBJ to take those precious few steps I needed him to make for the perfect video, he only grew more nervous with each second that passed. As a matter of fact, he spooked out once more and then cautiously walked back in to the edge of the set.
It was at that moment, I decided I would take him regardless. I leaned over as far as I could looking out the right window and settled the pin. As I let the arrow go, I watched it hit home hard. To my later surprise, he ran directly in frame of the camera and died in view as if scripted to do so.
From the release of the arrow to horns in the dirt, it lasted only 30 seconds and 40 yards. He was piling up hard as he raced off and again died in right in perfect view of the camera, making it only 40 yards.
A few screenshots from the video camera. Again, unfortunately the impact shot was not captured, but I was pleasantly surprised once I realized how much he had ultimately cooperated in his final run!
His View - KRIVOMAN Blind, Only way to go!!!!!
The blood soaked arrow!
I hope you enjoyed the read and pictures. I appreciate all of the quality guys I hunt with that help make our place special. I wish them and all of you the best of luck this season.
Also, special thanks to Chris Wright for starting something special on this place so many years ago. I truly appreciate you bringing me on way back when and then ultimately handing it over to me to continue what you started so many years ago. Thanks bud!
For my fellow hunters that don't care about the story and would rather just see some pictures...here you go!!!!!
For the rest, scroll below the LDP'S to get the full story on the buck we called Pretty Boy Jr!
I'm going to keep it short and sweet with some pictures added in to keep it interesting.
The hunt takes place on a bowhunting only, low fence ranch in the hill country I've been a part of for the last 10 years.
The story begins 4 years ago when this deer first hit our radar. Here's a few pictures of the deer at 3.5
First Year 3.5
The following year he made a nice jump. Here's a couple of early season pictures of him at 4.5
Second Year 4.5
While he was a very good looking deer, we knew he had great potential and if given some time.... might turn into something special.
Here he is at 4.5 with a group of bucks that were ultimately killed as management bucks.
While gathering the pictures for this story, I noticed something very funny about these three pictures. It contains three bucks that I killed over a span of three different years. "PBJ" to the left, was taken 2 years from this picture. The center buck, "Angry 9" was taken the following season from this picture, and the buck to the right, "No Brows Ten" was taken the year of this picture.
PBJ had been a regular at this set and this set only. In fact, he had unfortunately witnessed the death of several bucks including both trophy and management bucks as well as does that were killed out of that set over the last two years.
However, going into the 2014 Season, we felt confident we would see him as he had been so regular and agreed that we would take him if given the opportunity, as he would now be 5.5 this year.
There's something special about that "light switch" that goes off when a buck reaches 5.5. He didn't show up on a single trail cam picture during the summer. In fact, he didn't show up the entire month of October.
I patiently hunted the set, concentrating all of my efforts on this buck in hopes of catching a glimpse of him. At times, I wondered if he had been taken on any of the surrounding MLD properties after the end of our regular season the previous year.
Finally, mid November...I got my answer!
3rd Year - 5.5
Unfortunately, he busted one of his 3's.
I was only able to video him on the first sighting. He was following a doe in and never really gave me a good opportunity. I decided I was going to take a couple extra days off from work and put some time in on PBJ.
A couple of hunts later, I got my opportunity when he strolled into view one evening at last light.
He had again been following a doe and only stopped for a few seconds to munch on a few bites of corn. I quickly settled the pin and the let arrow loose.
The lighted arrow flew harmlessly underneath him. I couldn't believe it. I had just blown a perfectly good broadside 25 yard shot.
I hunted him the rest of the year, encountering him only one additional time with no shot opportunity presented. Looking back now....It's funny how things have a way of working out for the best sometimes!!!!!!!!!
As I mentioned, he was only seen three times that year. The good news is I did get a trail camera picture of him at the end of season.
Going into this 2015 season, I was pretty excited. We have a system in place. Once a buck is claimed, other lease members will not pursue that buck. The buck was mine...I just needed to get the job done this time.
While going through preseason trail camera pictures...I was almost in disbelief when I noticed who showed up early this time. Better than that, he had grown two additional tines this year, making him a nice typical 12.
4th Year - 6.5
He wasn't a regular and there was only the one day, but at least he let me know....he was still around!
Fast forward about a month to hard horns and my adrenalin was really going..... bordering on sensory overload! He had only showed up 2 times in two months, but we were already way ahead of last year's schedule!!!!!
I couldn't wait for opening weekend. With each practice session during the summer, I envisioned each shot as if I was shooting at PBJ.
Once the opener arrived, I hunted Saturday morning, Saturday evening, and Sunday morning with no sighting of PBJ. I checked the trail camera and he hadn't been there since the hard horn pictures above. Basically, showing up only twice in two months.
I had taken an extra day off on Monday so that I could hunt for him as much as possible...that ended up being the trick, I don't think he expected me to be there on Sunday night!!!!!!!
The crazy thing is...I almost didn't go to the set that evening. I was seconds away from going to a different stand for a change of scenery (despite knowing this buck had only been seen at this set), when at the last second... I came to my senses and headed where I knew I needed to be.
If Colonel Boyd was a hunter...I think he would have been proud, as I'm pretty sure my Sunday evening hunt threw off PBJ's OODA loop! He never saw it coming!!!!
(On a side note, if you have no idea who Colonel Boyd was or what OODA loop is, then that wasn't very funny!) That evening, while sitting in the blind, I was messing with my phone when I looked up and saw PBJ 20 yards in front of me. I have no idea how long he had been there or which direction he had come from. I couldn't believe it. I slowly set the phone down, hit record on the camera and grabbed my bow. When I looked back up, he was no where in sight. I looked out the Krivoman blind windows left and right and couldn't find him anywhere....
For a split second, I truly questioned if I had really seen him or was imagining it. About 5 minutes into that pondering...he finally walked back into view. On one hand, providing sanity as I now knew I wasn't crazy...but on the other, providing that wonderful rush of adrenalin and emotion every seasoned bowhunter feels in the final seconds before the release of an arrow!!!!!!!!!!
If you know me well, you know I will usually not shoot unless I can capture the shot on video. In the past 10 years, I've given up many opportunities trying to wait for the video. As I tried to patiently wait for PBJ to take those precious few steps I needed him to make for the perfect video, he only grew more nervous with each second that passed. As a matter of fact, he spooked out once more and then cautiously walked back in to the edge of the set.
It was at that moment, I decided I would take him regardless. I leaned over as far as I could looking out the right window and settled the pin. As I let the arrow go, I watched it hit home hard. To my later surprise, he ran directly in frame of the camera and died in view as if scripted to do so.
From the release of the arrow to horns in the dirt, it lasted only 30 seconds and 40 yards. He was piling up hard as he raced off and again died in right in perfect view of the camera, making it only 40 yards.
A few screenshots from the video camera. Again, unfortunately the impact shot was not captured, but I was pleasantly surprised once I realized how much he had ultimately cooperated in his final run!
His View - KRIVOMAN Blind, Only way to go!!!!!
The blood soaked arrow!
I hope you enjoyed the read and pictures. I appreciate all of the quality guys I hunt with that help make our place special. I wish them and all of you the best of luck this season.
Also, special thanks to Chris Wright for starting something special on this place so many years ago. I truly appreciate you bringing me on way back when and then ultimately handing it over to me to continue what you started so many years ago. Thanks bud!
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