Black Friday Special
Been a rough season for me. Too many issues to post but I’ll try and keep this short. Wednesday after lunch I was finishing up a few things at the ranch I work at and I hear my cam notifications start going off on my phone. Took a look and couldn’t believe what I saw. Scrambled to my truck and within minutes was stalking the beast. I was out of breath by the time I reached view of the cam area the pics came from and didn’t see a single thing. Checked wind and tried to make a move of where I thought he could have gone. Spent the next few hrs trying to locate him with no luck. Went to bed that night trying to sleep but couldn’t. Next morning 5am I start checking my cam pics and he had returned at 4:30am. Threw my Camo on and headed out hoping to lay the crosshairs on him. I didn’t have long to hunt that morning since family was coming in for Thanksgiving. Sat for 3 hrs with no pics, no sighting.
Thanksgiving lunch I filled up on food. That evening I asked my dad to make a sit and I split up to another location. I had a couple small bucks come in but nothing else. My dad didn’t see anything but crows. At this point trail cams had very little pics and no sign of the beast I had now named GreyGhost. I couldn’t believe he was gone as fast as he appeared. Did everything I could to try and hold him in at my place putting sweet feed, corn and alfalfa out.
The next morning my wife asked me to make a Black Friday run for her to gather a few kids gifts. I woke up at 4am to see 3 pics on my cell cams and that’s it. All I had was a coon, fox and 1 deer. At this point I knew he was gone. I got dressed, snuck out of the house quietly and proceed to town. Make it 5 minutes from my house and my cam goes off. BOOM it’s him.
My mind trying to focus on what I’m supposed to gather but I wanted to turn around so bad. I ran into WalMart, grabbed what I needed and rushed home. It was still dark and all I could do was look at trail cam pics of this thing teasing me. Thermal was an option however the caliber I have my thermal on was too small for such an animal. I waited until 5:30 when he left and snuck in to the blind. Daylight breaks and I see movement coming out of the trees. Ends up being a small Nubbin buck. Buddy of the beast and together they look like David and Goliath. 
You will see what I mean in trail cam pics below. Around 7:30 I get email notifications of a camera 100yds from me and he was there. Literally 1 hr feeding and I had no idea he was that close. I made a move and repositioned myself to where I could see both spots in case he returned. Settled in and within 5 minutes I get a camera notification from 700yds to my south. Open the pic and it’s him!
I grabbed my gun and made a big circle. Along the way I’m realizing I’m way out of shape. Shins hurt, back hurts, out of breath and heart rate was way up. I was stripping gear along the way.
Finally eased up 75yds from the spot just for him to catch my movement and haul tail! 
It’s over. That’s it I just ruined my chance. I sat there for 10 minutes thinking he would return but no. I was pretty bummed at this point.
I made another move but no luck other than I believe I heard him at one point. I am exhausted at this point. Hungry, tired and needed to regroup before the evening. My mind was absolute nuts. 1pm I’m scheduled to meet a friend to look at a concrete job. 12:20 rolls around, I leave the house and head to the property to meet for concrete measurements and on my way I get a pic of “David” the nubbin. I said at that point GreyGhost/Goliath has to be with him! Within 30 seconds I see the beast 200yds in front of me just off the County Road and then get another pic.
I turned around, parked at the gate and made a move. For the 3-4th time realizing I’m out of shape again. North wind, I hurried as far north on the property I could get and sat down. Not 1 minute getting set and I see the nubbin and this crazy objects legs that look like tree trunks behind him. Free handed the 6.5 Creedmore up, confirmed it was him and placed it on his lungs. BOOM! He jumped like black beauty in the air and I knew I had hit him. Started running and as fast as I could chamber another round I got on him and squeezed off while running before he disappeared into the brush. Small finger of woods so I went to the other side and he never made an exit that direction however his little buddy cane hauling butt out alone!
What just happened???? Seriously did I get him? I started calling a couple buddies here and the next hour was super long wait. Gave him some time and waited for a group of guys to surround the area in case he came running out. Not 5 minutes in my FIL whistles that he had found him. He ended up not going but 75-100 yds.
I feel lucky, blessed and know this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Words can’t describe my excitement over such a beautiful animal and to have taken it on Low Fence in Texas is crazy! Where it came from we don’t know yet for sure but supposedly 10 miles or so north of me lost 20 or so 2-3 wks ago.
Big thanks to Sleepy and ChickenWilly for the help! Even with proper equipment it was a tough cleaning job quartering. The amount of meat is CRAZY!!!!!!
For those of you always bummed about not seeing anything just get out in the woods! You never know what’s going to show up!
I think I’ll wait to post pics.
Any guesses?
Thanksgiving lunch I filled up on food. That evening I asked my dad to make a sit and I split up to another location. I had a couple small bucks come in but nothing else. My dad didn’t see anything but crows. At this point trail cams had very little pics and no sign of the beast I had now named GreyGhost. I couldn’t believe he was gone as fast as he appeared. Did everything I could to try and hold him in at my place putting sweet feed, corn and alfalfa out.
The next morning my wife asked me to make a Black Friday run for her to gather a few kids gifts. I woke up at 4am to see 3 pics on my cell cams and that’s it. All I had was a coon, fox and 1 deer. At this point I knew he was gone. I got dressed, snuck out of the house quietly and proceed to town. Make it 5 minutes from my house and my cam goes off. BOOM it’s him.
My mind trying to focus on what I’m supposed to gather but I wanted to turn around so bad. I ran into WalMart, grabbed what I needed and rushed home. It was still dark and all I could do was look at trail cam pics of this thing teasing me. Thermal was an option however the caliber I have my thermal on was too small for such an animal. I waited until 5:30 when he left and snuck in to the blind. Daylight breaks and I see movement coming out of the trees. Ends up being a small Nubbin buck. Buddy of the beast and together they look like David and Goliath. You will see what I mean in trail cam pics below. Around 7:30 I get email notifications of a camera 100yds from me and he was there. Literally 1 hr feeding and I had no idea he was that close. I made a move and repositioned myself to where I could see both spots in case he returned. Settled in and within 5 minutes I get a camera notification from 700yds to my south. Open the pic and it’s him!I grabbed my gun and made a big circle. Along the way I’m realizing I’m way out of shape. Shins hurt, back hurts, out of breath and heart rate was way up. I was stripping gear along the way.
Finally eased up 75yds from the spot just for him to catch my movement and haul tail! It’s over. That’s it I just ruined my chance. I sat there for 10 minutes thinking he would return but no. I was pretty bummed at this point. I made another move but no luck other than I believe I heard him at one point. I am exhausted at this point. Hungry, tired and needed to regroup before the evening. My mind was absolute nuts. 1pm I’m scheduled to meet a friend to look at a concrete job. 12:20 rolls around, I leave the house and head to the property to meet for concrete measurements and on my way I get a pic of “David” the nubbin. I said at that point GreyGhost/Goliath has to be with him! Within 30 seconds I see the beast 200yds in front of me just off the County Road and then get another pic.
I turned around, parked at the gate and made a move. For the 3-4th time realizing I’m out of shape again.
North wind, I hurried as far north on the property I could get and sat down. Not 1 minute getting set and I see the nubbin and this crazy objects legs that look like tree trunks behind him. Free handed the 6.5 Creedmore up, confirmed it was him and placed it on his lungs. BOOM! He jumped like black beauty in the air and I knew I had hit him. Started running and as fast as I could chamber another round I got on him and squeezed off while running before he disappeared into the brush. Small finger of woods so I went to the other side and he never made an exit that direction however his little buddy cane hauling butt out alone! What just happened???? Seriously did I get him? I started calling a couple buddies here and the next hour was super long wait. Gave him some time and waited for a group of guys to surround the area in case he came running out. Not 5 minutes in my FIL whistles that he had found him. He ended up not going but 75-100 yds.
I feel lucky, blessed and know this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Words can’t describe my excitement over such a beautiful animal and to have taken it on Low Fence in Texas is crazy! Where it came from we don’t know yet for sure but supposedly 10 miles or so north of me lost 20 or so 2-3 wks ago.
Big thanks to Sleepy and ChickenWilly for the help! Even with proper equipment it was a tough cleaning job quartering. The amount of meat is CRAZY!!!!!!
For those of you always bummed about not seeing anything just get out in the woods! You never know what’s going to show up!
I think I’ll wait to post pics.
Any guesses?
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