This quest started back in August with only a single trailcam pic!
A month went by and I didn't have another single trailcam pic. Then October rolled around and this dude was still on my mind. I had other bucks that were nice - but for whatever reason this one was the one I was after. I typically try and find one buck to hunt and will stay the course sometimes to a fault. Passing on equal bucks waiting for the one!
October rolled around and he had not shown his face once. I threw out some Alfalfa to see if I could entice him to show his face again. And bam first deer in...This dude LOVED Alfalfa!!
As you can see the alfalfa went fast and with cows hanging around in the area I did not put anymore out for fear of the cows taking over the feeder pen. It did however tell me he was still in the area and possibly content to eat what little corn threw outside the feeder pen without actually getting in the pen.
I formulated a new plan wait him out! I would be in the blind by 4:00 a.m. a full 2.5 hours before the feeder went off and typically an hour before he he would show (per trailcam). Over the course of the next few weeks I saw him 4 times in the early morning hours 5:00 am - 6:00 am. I was there on the morning of November 2nd when the above trailcam picture was taken. As I said this dude was smart. On four seperate occassions I needed just minutes to be able to see my pins to shoot. On four seperate occassions he would pick his head up and look to the sky as if he knew it was getting light and he would turn and leave. Frustrating let me tell you!
Over the course of the last two months there was only one clean daylight picture of this guy. He was literally a ghost - that only drove me harder to ensure I would outlast him. Sooner or later he would slip up (I hoped) and I would be there.
Fast forward to the weekend before Thanksgiving...I was there every morning and every evening for three days straight. He showed Monday morning an hour before daylight and left literally with me at fulldraw! SOB!
I came home for a quick couple days of way to much food and lots of family and friends and then stayed around most of the day Friday for my beautiful wife to brave to stores and malls on Black Friday. By 4:30Friday afternoon - I was blazing a trail south to the lease.
I had decided no more hand corn. This dude was killing me eating all my hand corn and then leaving before the feeder would go off. He was going to have to wait for the feeder like everyone else.
I climbed into the tower blind at the crack of 4:00 A.M. as usual and waited. At 5:00 A.M. I thought I heard a deer jump into the pen. I raised my new Cabela's Euro's 10X42's and sure enough it was him.
Now came the waiting game. Would he wait for the feeder or would he bail at the first sign of light in the sky? For an hour and a half I kept tabs on him and he was literally just standing in the feeder pen waiting. At 6:30 the feeder went off and he was eating corn before it even stopped throwing.
Ok now would he hang around another 15 mins for me to be able to see my pin?? The minutes ticked by like hours and I drew back 6 different times thinking I would be able to see my pin. Nope still to dark. Check my watch and it was 6:40 it had only been 10 mins. LOL!!
At 6:44 a pig came in and ran him off!!!! HOLY CRAP!! You have to be frigen kidding me. When this dude decides to leave he never comes back! The thought crossed my mind to jump out of the tower blind and strangle the pig with my bare hands.
Fortunately as the buck bolted he also scared the pig who bolted as well. To my surprise the buck made a loop around the brush and jumped right back into the pen.
Here are a few pics from the trailcam Saturday morning!
I came to fulldraw for the 7th time as the buck turned broadside. I settled the pin and let it go. I had the video camera rolling but the video is to grainy to post. I heard the resounding crack of the Slicktrick slamming home and the buck bolted out of the pen and stopped at 20 yards.
I thought I saw him sway back and forth then he put his head down and made a mad dash to the left. About 20 yards out of sight I thought I heard flop - but I wasn't sure.
I waited a full hour before getting down to pick up the trail. During that hour I saw three different deer walk over to where I thought the buck might be laying and stare that direction. However none of them blew or took off they just turned and came in to eat.
I hoped they were staring at a down buck - but I did not know for sure.
I climbed down and picked up my arrow that was the pretty shade of crimson I have ever seen and walked over to where the other deer were staring and there he lay.
I can't remember the last deer I had to hunt this hard for. I'm truely thankful and honored to have bested one of the most amazing animals on earth.
Thanks for following along!!
A month went by and I didn't have another single trailcam pic. Then October rolled around and this dude was still on my mind. I had other bucks that were nice - but for whatever reason this one was the one I was after. I typically try and find one buck to hunt and will stay the course sometimes to a fault. Passing on equal bucks waiting for the one!
October rolled around and he had not shown his face once. I threw out some Alfalfa to see if I could entice him to show his face again. And bam first deer in...This dude LOVED Alfalfa!!
As you can see the alfalfa went fast and with cows hanging around in the area I did not put anymore out for fear of the cows taking over the feeder pen. It did however tell me he was still in the area and possibly content to eat what little corn threw outside the feeder pen without actually getting in the pen.
I formulated a new plan wait him out! I would be in the blind by 4:00 a.m. a full 2.5 hours before the feeder went off and typically an hour before he he would show (per trailcam). Over the course of the next few weeks I saw him 4 times in the early morning hours 5:00 am - 6:00 am. I was there on the morning of November 2nd when the above trailcam picture was taken. As I said this dude was smart. On four seperate occassions I needed just minutes to be able to see my pins to shoot. On four seperate occassions he would pick his head up and look to the sky as if he knew it was getting light and he would turn and leave. Frustrating let me tell you!
Over the course of the last two months there was only one clean daylight picture of this guy. He was literally a ghost - that only drove me harder to ensure I would outlast him. Sooner or later he would slip up (I hoped) and I would be there.
Fast forward to the weekend before Thanksgiving...I was there every morning and every evening for three days straight. He showed Monday morning an hour before daylight and left literally with me at fulldraw! SOB!
I came home for a quick couple days of way to much food and lots of family and friends and then stayed around most of the day Friday for my beautiful wife to brave to stores and malls on Black Friday. By 4:30Friday afternoon - I was blazing a trail south to the lease.
I had decided no more hand corn. This dude was killing me eating all my hand corn and then leaving before the feeder would go off. He was going to have to wait for the feeder like everyone else.
I climbed into the tower blind at the crack of 4:00 A.M. as usual and waited. At 5:00 A.M. I thought I heard a deer jump into the pen. I raised my new Cabela's Euro's 10X42's and sure enough it was him.
Now came the waiting game. Would he wait for the feeder or would he bail at the first sign of light in the sky? For an hour and a half I kept tabs on him and he was literally just standing in the feeder pen waiting. At 6:30 the feeder went off and he was eating corn before it even stopped throwing.
Ok now would he hang around another 15 mins for me to be able to see my pin?? The minutes ticked by like hours and I drew back 6 different times thinking I would be able to see my pin. Nope still to dark. Check my watch and it was 6:40 it had only been 10 mins. LOL!!
At 6:44 a pig came in and ran him off!!!! HOLY CRAP!! You have to be frigen kidding me. When this dude decides to leave he never comes back! The thought crossed my mind to jump out of the tower blind and strangle the pig with my bare hands.
Fortunately as the buck bolted he also scared the pig who bolted as well. To my surprise the buck made a loop around the brush and jumped right back into the pen.
Here are a few pics from the trailcam Saturday morning!
I came to fulldraw for the 7th time as the buck turned broadside. I settled the pin and let it go. I had the video camera rolling but the video is to grainy to post. I heard the resounding crack of the Slicktrick slamming home and the buck bolted out of the pen and stopped at 20 yards.
I thought I saw him sway back and forth then he put his head down and made a mad dash to the left. About 20 yards out of sight I thought I heard flop - but I wasn't sure.
I waited a full hour before getting down to pick up the trail. During that hour I saw three different deer walk over to where I thought the buck might be laying and stare that direction. However none of them blew or took off they just turned and came in to eat.
I hoped they were staring at a down buck - but I did not know for sure.
I climbed down and picked up my arrow that was the pretty shade of crimson I have ever seen and walked over to where the other deer were staring and there he lay.
I can't remember the last deer I had to hunt this hard for. I'm truely thankful and honored to have bested one of the most amazing animals on earth.
Thanks for following along!!
You done good sir!!
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