I finally arrowed (and recovered) a good buck!
Went to KS a few weeks ago to set stands, burn a steak, & kill a few beers.
Succeeded in all 3 and actually hunted a couple times. Slow, to say the least.
Was planning on going for a week starting on the 7th but warm weather kept me from going til the 10th.
When I arrived at about 1:00 pm I stopped by a place & checked my main camera. No bucks over 100", but lots of does.
Disappointing.
I called my buddy and he told me to hunt the stand we had hand corned a couple 100 yds behind his house.
So.... off I went. Didnt check the cam, just climbed in about 3:30. After about 30-45 min of nothing. I picked up my rattling apparatus (dont recall brand) and worked it a few seconds. Before I had time to hang it back up I heard crunching leaves, coming fast.
When I saw him he was less than 40 yds and closing. And he was big enough for me! I hung the rattler up, grabbed my bow, hooked my release, drew and fired, nearly all in one motion. 23 yd shot.
I've lost deer before that I "thought" were "smoked". And I just "smoked" this one!
He trotted off down a hill and I mouth bleated at him. Not sure why. But.... he stopped (after only going 25-30 yds), wobbled, and dropped with a "thud".
I could see him lying there about 40 yds from me. I had no idea how big he was because it happened so fast. I knew he was big, but he had massive "ground growth" !
I waited a few min to get my s**t together then went to him.
The body! He looked like a bull ! When I stood in front of him and grabbed his right main beam to straighten him up I realized this deer was way better than I'd thought.
I knew he had a little mass & decent tines, at the shot. But I was thinking 15-16" wide & short main beams.
I was wrong. And I was done 1st day, less than 1 hr in!
I stayed 4 more days just enjoying life, good company, and the deer woods/grass (KS).
I could have stayed through Monday but I seized the opportunity to take my 8 yo grandson hunting Sunday (he x-bowed his 1st deer that Sun eve). 
It was cool watching deer that I would have normally been trying to shoot. 130's -140's. No pressure. I even filmed a couple reacting to my decoy.
I should be horse whipped for not taking good pics but I am having him mounted.
These first pics are where he fell, as I found him.
My buddies screamed "Oh no"! "Not a borderline buck the 1st day"!
I got news for them. This is a shooter in my book any day, lol. They thought he was a non 1st day shooter, per these pics.
I'll post hanging pics next.
Long read, but thanks for following along.
Succeeded in all 3 and actually hunted a couple times. Slow, to say the least.
Was planning on going for a week starting on the 7th but warm weather kept me from going til the 10th.
When I arrived at about 1:00 pm I stopped by a place & checked my main camera. No bucks over 100", but lots of does.
Disappointing.
I called my buddy and he told me to hunt the stand we had hand corned a couple 100 yds behind his house.
So.... off I went. Didnt check the cam, just climbed in about 3:30. After about 30-45 min of nothing. I picked up my rattling apparatus (dont recall brand) and worked it a few seconds. Before I had time to hang it back up I heard crunching leaves, coming fast.
When I saw him he was less than 40 yds and closing. And he was big enough for me! I hung the rattler up, grabbed my bow, hooked my release, drew and fired, nearly all in one motion. 23 yd shot.
I've lost deer before that I "thought" were "smoked". And I just "smoked" this one!
He trotted off down a hill and I mouth bleated at him. Not sure why. But.... he stopped (after only going 25-30 yds), wobbled, and dropped with a "thud".
I could see him lying there about 40 yds from me. I had no idea how big he was because it happened so fast. I knew he was big, but he had massive "ground growth" !
I waited a few min to get my s**t together then went to him.
The body! He looked like a bull ! When I stood in front of him and grabbed his right main beam to straighten him up I realized this deer was way better than I'd thought.
I knew he had a little mass & decent tines, at the shot. But I was thinking 15-16" wide & short main beams.
I was wrong. And I was done 1st day, less than 1 hr in!
I stayed 4 more days just enjoying life, good company, and the deer woods/grass (KS).
I could have stayed through Monday but I seized the opportunity to take my 8 yo grandson hunting Sunday (he x-bowed his 1st deer that Sun eve). It was cool watching deer that I would have normally been trying to shoot. 130's -140's. No pressure. I even filmed a couple reacting to my decoy.
I should be horse whipped for not taking good pics but I am having him mounted.
These first pics are where he fell, as I found him.
My buddies screamed "Oh no"! "Not a borderline buck the 1st day"!
I got news for them. This is a shooter in my book any day, lol. They thought he was a non 1st day shooter, per these pics.
I'll post hanging pics next.
Long read, but thanks for following along.
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