180 Proof - a deer story (long read) - TexasBowhunter.com Community Discussion Forums

88 Bound · 11-29-2021, 01:38 PM

Like most everybody, my plans were in place to hunt the long Thanksgiving weekend. The weather forecast was about as good as could be expected and anticipation was high. I have had a certain deer on my mind since about mid-July when his growth really started to explode. Texts were flying between the LO and I about his progress, almost daily. We ended up naming him 180 proof, because all through velvet we thought he would scare 180". I put in some hunts in October and I always seemed to just miss him. This buck has always had a tight home range so the only real fear I had was of him breaking up before I could catch up with him. As the days grew near, the LO was seeing him regularly and my hopes were up that we would cross paths. Friday morning finally arrived and on the way in to the blind he's been seen the most at, he crossed in front of us in the dark. I couldn't believe how big he was. Game on!

I get dropped off and settled in. 10 mins later the feeder throws....what? The time is 6 AM. Fantastic! Not 5 mins later I hear about 8 shots fire off in the direction the LO went. Then a text: wife coming back by, IA's were by her blind and she's headed to a different one. No sooner after I read it I see the headlights and she buzzes by. I sit back and chuckle thinking, at least my luck is consistent. Daylight breaks and several does filter in to feed. I watched the awesome sunrise and was just happy to be in the brush again. About 45 minutes later I see a big dark deer trotting in about 400 yards away. Sure enough, it's 180 proof. He proceeds to gather about 5 does and pushes them in like a herd of elk, putting on one heck of a show. In what seemed like an eternity he's finally about 120 yards away. I was ready for him and let him have it. He fell in sight. I couldn't believe it. My largest buck was finally mine. He busted off an estimated 3" of his G4 and still stretched the tape at 168 7/8. It was a bit bittersweet not officially clearing the 170" mark but for a low fence brush country buck with the character he has, I'm on cloud 9.

Oh, and come to find out the shots fired were warning shots to keep the IA's away from the girls in the blind. No one was harmed. On to the pics!

88 Bound · 11-29-2021, 01:39 PM

.

88 Bound · 11-29-2021, 01:44 PM

.

88 Bound · 11-29-2021, 01:50 PM

.

Pstraw · 11-29-2021, 01:54 PM

My goodness what a buck. He has a lot of character. Congratulations!

txoutdoorsman24 · 11-29-2021, 01:55 PM

Whoa, what a nice buck. Congrats bud!!!

DUKFVR · 11-29-2021, 01:58 PM

Congrats on a Great buck!

ClayW · 11-29-2021, 01:59 PM

Awesome buck!

kenith_rowe2004 · 11-29-2021, 02:04 PM

Wow, Congrats on a monster.

goldtip5575 · 11-29-2021, 02:08 PM

Congrats on an awesome buck. It's usually the times we think, no way is this going to happen, that it actually does.

BrianG · 11-29-2021, 02:11 PM

Great buck! Congrats!

jshouse · 11-29-2021, 02:16 PM

dang good deer right there

Dusty Britches · 11-29-2021, 03:22 PM

Nice! Congrats!

kruppa24 · 11-29-2021, 02:31 PM

Heck of a buck, congrats

BlackHogDown · 11-29-2021, 02:40 PM

Woah. Congrats on a heck of a deer.

lanceodom · 11-29-2021, 02:42 PM

great buck!

mzurovec · 11-29-2021, 02:45 PM

That's some kind of buck! Congrats!!

mpotts · 11-29-2021, 02:46 PM

what an eventful day! Congrats

texan16 · 11-29-2021, 03:06 PM

Interesting morning to say the least...congrats on a hell of a deer !!!

flinger · 11-29-2021, 03:08 PM

Awesome buck congrats!

Rwc · 11-29-2021, 03:18 PM

That's a good one sir.

Rwc

Gumbo Man · 11-29-2021, 03:24 PM

That’s a stud. Congrats sir

Buck_jane · 11-29-2021, 03:29 PM

Congrats. Love the character

ccbrown50 · 11-29-2021, 03:30 PM

Nice one. It seems to always happen when you least expect it. Congrats!

Exit110 · 11-29-2021, 03:39 PM

Stud congrats

flywise · 11-29-2021, 03:42 PM

What a great buck, waydago!

stxbowhunter · 11-29-2021, 03:57 PM

Heck of a buck, congrats!

Bone Thug · 11-29-2021, 04:42 PM

Wow!!!! Heck of a buck….I like him.

Big congrats on your personal best.

RS3 · 11-29-2021, 05:37 PM

Great buck! Congrats!

louieagarcia · 11-29-2021, 05:50 PM

Supercool buck! Congrats!!!

stickman · 11-29-2021, 06:13 PM

Great buck! Looks like a river bottom deer.

wheels · 11-29-2021, 06:26 PM

Great Buck

Chew · 11-29-2021, 06:38 PM

Great write up and even better buck!

3ChordTruth · 11-29-2021, 07:31 PM

Congratulations, an outstanding buck.

WTN · 11-29-2021, 07:46 PM

88 is my hero. Congrats!

rjtkdplus · 11-29-2021, 09:13 PM

Heck of a buck! Congrats!

11-29-2021, 01:38 PM	#1
88 Bound Ten Point Join Date: May 2014 Location: San Antonio Hunt In: Texas	180 Proof - a deer story (long read) Like most everybody, my plans were in place to hunt the long Thanksgiving weekend. The weather forecast was about as good as could be expected and anticipation was high. I have had a certain deer on my mind since about mid-July when his growth really started to explode. Texts were flying between the LO and I about his progress, almost daily. We ended up naming him 180 proof, because all through velvet we thought he would scare 180". I put in some hunts in October and I always seemed to just miss him. This buck has always had a tight home range so the only real fear I had was of him breaking up before I could catch up with him. As the days grew near, the LO was seeing him regularly and my hopes were up that we would cross paths. Friday morning finally arrived and on the way in to the blind he's been seen the most at, he crossed in front of us in the dark. I couldn't believe how big he was. Game on! I get dropped off and settled in. 10 mins later the feeder throws....what? The time is 6 AM. Fantastic! Not 5 mins later I hear about 8 shots fire off in the direction the LO went. Then a text: wife coming back by, IA's were by her blind and she's headed to a different one. No sooner after I read it I see the headlights and she buzzes by. I sit back and chuckle thinking, at least my luck is consistent. Daylight breaks and several does filter in to feed. I watched the awesome sunrise and was just happy to be in the brush again. About 45 minutes later I see a big dark deer trotting in about 400 yards away. Sure enough, it's 180 proof. He proceeds to gather about 5 does and pushes them in like a herd of elk, putting on one heck of a show. In what seemed like an eternity he's finally about 120 yards away. I was ready for him and let him have it. He fell in sight. I couldn't believe it. My largest buck was finally mine. He busted off an estimated 3" of his G4 and still stretched the tape at 168 7/8. It was a bit bittersweet not officially clearing the 170" mark but for a low fence brush country buck with the character he has, I'm on cloud 9. Oh, and come to find out the shots fired were warning shots to keep the IA's away from the girls in the blind. No one was harmed. On to the pics! Attached Images

11-29-2021, 01:39 PM	#2
88 Bound Ten Point Join Date: May 2014 Location: San Antonio Hunt In: Texas	. Attached Images

11-29-2021, 01:44 PM	#3
88 Bound Ten Point Join Date: May 2014 Location: San Antonio Hunt In: Texas	. Attached Images

11-29-2021, 01:50 PM	#4
88 Bound Ten Point Join Date: May 2014 Location: San Antonio Hunt In: Texas	. Attached Images

11-29-2021, 06:38 PM	#33
Chew Pope & Young Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Centerville, TX Hunt In: Leon County	Great write up and even better buck! thumbs up - YouTube

11-29-2021, 01:54 PM	#5
Pstraw Pope & Young Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Henderson Hunt In: Front yard or back yard	My goodness what a buck. He has a lot of character. Congratulations!

11-29-2021, 01:55 PM	#6
txoutdoorsman24 Pope & Young Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Boerne Hunt In: Sonora/Sutton County	Whoa, what a nice buck. Congrats bud!!!

11-29-2021, 01:58 PM	#7
DUKFVR Pope & Young Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Sorry Azz Houston & Young County Hunt In: Young County & Anywhere A Duck Flies!	Congrats on a Great buck!

11-29-2021, 01:59 PM	#8
ClayW Pope & Young Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: New Braunfels Hunt In: Karnes County	Awesome buck!

11-29-2021, 02:04 PM	#9
kenith_rowe2004 Eight Point Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Portland, Tx Hunt In: Weimer,tx & Refugio Co.	Wow, Congrats on a monster.

11-29-2021, 02:08 PM	#10
goldtip5575 Ten Point Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Belton, Tx Hunt In: Texas	Congrats on an awesome buck. It's usually the times we think, no way is this going to happen, that it actually does.

11-29-2021, 02:11 PM	#11
BrianG Ten Point Join Date: May 2008 Location: Cypress, Tx Hunt In: Sutton County	Great buck! Congrats!

11-29-2021, 02:16 PM	#12
jshouse Pope & Young Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Rockwall Hunt In: NE Texas	dang good deer right there

11-29-2021, 03:22 PM	#13
Dusty Britches Pope & Young Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Cameron & College Station	Nice! Congrats!

11-29-2021, 02:31 PM	#14
kruppa24 Pope & Young Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: gholson, tx Hunt In: currently looking	Heck of a buck, congrats

11-29-2021, 02:40 PM	#15
BlackHogDown Ten Point Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: League City Hunt In: Duval County	Woah. Congrats on a heck of a deer.

11-29-2021, 02:42 PM	#16
lanceodom Ten Point Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Houston Hunt In: LaSalle County	great buck!

11-29-2021, 02:45 PM	#17
mzurovec Ten Point Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Liberty Hill Hunt In: Burnet	That's some kind of buck! Congrats!!

11-29-2021, 02:46 PM	#18
mpotts Ten Point Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: texas Hunt In: Lometa Tx	what an eventful day! Congrats

11-29-2021, 03:06 PM	#19
texan16 Pope & Young Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Fairfield Hunt In: Freestone/Schleicher Counties	Interesting morning to say the least...congrats on a hell of a deer !!!

11-29-2021, 03:08 PM	#20
flinger Ten Point Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Bertram	Awesome buck congrats!

11-29-2021, 03:18 PM	#21
Rwc Pope & Young Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Crawford, Texas	That's a good one sir. Rwc

11-29-2021, 03:24 PM	#22
Gumbo Man Ten Point Join Date: Aug 2021 Location: Livingston Texas Hunt In: Onalaska Texas	That’s a stud. Congrats sir

11-29-2021, 03:29 PM	#23
Buck_jane Six Point Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Flatonia Hunt In: Fayette	Congrats. Love the character

11-29-2021, 03:30 PM	#24
ccbrown50 Eight Point Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Splendora, TX Hunt In: Webb County	Nice one. It seems to always happen when you least expect it. Congrats!

11-29-2021, 03:39 PM	#25
Exit110 Ten Point Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Cumby TX. Hunt In: Mcculoch,Hopkins,Missouri	Stud congrats

11-29-2021, 03:42 PM	#26
flywise Pope & Young Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Tx Hunt In: Blanco, Nacadoches,NewMexico,Colorado	What a great buck, waydago!

11-29-2021, 03:57 PM	#27
stxbowhunter Six Point Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Houston	Heck of a buck, congrats!

11-29-2021, 04:42 PM	#28
Bone Thug Pope & Young Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: San Angelo, TX Hunt In: Texas	Wow!!!! Heck of a buck….I like him. Big congrats on your personal best.

11-29-2021, 05:37 PM	#29
RS3 Ten Point Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Georgetown	Great buck! Congrats!

11-29-2021, 05:50 PM	#30
louieagarcia Pope & Young Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Kingwood, Tx Hunt In: Planet Earth	Supercool buck! Congrats!!!

11-29-2021, 06:13 PM	#31
stickman Pope & Young Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: S.Texas	Great buck! Looks like a river bottom deer.

11-29-2021, 06:26 PM	#32
wheels Ten Point Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Mansfield, Texas Hunt In: Texas, Kansas	Great Buck

11-29-2021, 07:31 PM	#34
3ChordTruth Ten Point Join Date: May 2020 Location: Grapevine	Congratulations, an outstanding buck.

11-29-2021, 07:46 PM	#35
WTN Ten Point Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: San Antonio Hunt In: Edwards County	88 is my hero. Congrats!