How it all started...
August
Had 2 Fellow TBH guys and old college buddies meet me at the lease for some cold beer and help me fill the feeders. We topped everything off and then sweated our *** off in the deer stands that evening. Took a night ride to the complete other side of ranch. I have a feeder set up there and needed to put a SD card in the camera. Make the 30 min ride in the sxs having fun with the AR along the way. We start spotlighting a drainage that leads to the creek my set up is on. All we could see was tines. Had a good group of bachelor bucks about 200 yards from my setup and headed that way.
He looked amazing in velvet. Tines were long and leaned forward. Long G4s. I couldn't believe it. We just don't have bucks with long g4s. This was going to be the buck I was after. I knew he would be my best buck and one the best bucks ever killed on the property ( 30 year history ).
October
Back at the lease to refill feeders and make 3-4 sits. Check the cams and he is living at the creek setup. Morning and evening he is waiting for the feeder to go off. Usually there with on old war horse 8 and young 10. I Spent the next day trying to look for a spot to build a brush blind where I could catch this buck coming in to feed. Nothing seemed to catch my attention and was losing faith in the spot. Just couldn't figure out how I was going to get him. Drove home 6 hours thinking about how I could make it all work
November
Make it to the lease for rifle opener. I stayed out of the area and tried to let it stay quiet. We had 10 hunters in camp and as long as I didn't drive to that stand. It would remain quiet and untouched until I went in. Made a quick trip and headed home that Monday wondering if he made it past the army of hunters around that wknd.
11-20-21
arrive at camp 5:05am. Unload, camo up and head to my tree close to camp. Good morning sit but anxious to see if the target was still hanging out on the other side of the ranch. Reach the area around 11am, pull card, and he's missing. Hasn't been on camera in 8 days, his running buddies are still coming by to check things out but not staying long. 3-4 new bucks a couple that are old and broken up already. I decided to do it any way. I had always wanted to build a brush blind and setup on the ground. This spot was unique as it was once an old homestead 100 years ago. The home is now gone but the stone wall the built lining the road around the creek was still there.
I decided the stone wall would be an amazing back rest and already had some tree growing from it for back cover. Spent an hour or so cutting limbs and building this blind.
Then I realized that I smelt horrible and needed a bath. To close to hunt time to make the 1.5 hour round trip to shower and get back to blind. So I shared with the cows for min. Probably blinded a few with my pale back side but we made it work. Now freezing, I get dressed in the bed of my truck and make my way to brush blind. Its 2 pm and just hoping i see a few mature bucks and maybe catch a good one cruising.
My head is bobbing and I cant keep my eyes open. Holding my cell phone in my hand ( I like to take pictures of bucks while hunting ). Have been up for 32 hours and its catching up quick. 2 8s show up at 3:15 and start feeding on some hand corn. I'm interested but fading fast....
Cell Phone hits the dirt...
*** was that? oh, it was me.
Scan the area right quick. OH SH**! Out of my extreme left side he is there. Looking right into my eyes. Break eye contact and look away. Wait about 2 min and slowly look back and he's feeding. I have a what I recall to be 3 bucks and 4 does within 30 yards feeding on hand corn. He starts to walk towards the corn I spread in front left of blind at 25 yards. He walks behind some brush and that was my chance to grab bow and draw back. Pin immediately settled behind the shoulder and I let it fly.
He took off and ran 30 yards, stopped and realized he was hit. He tried to run again but stumbled through creek and bit the dust. My best buck, and first from the ground.
Good Luck the rest of the season Gentlemen
YEEYEE
August
Had 2 Fellow TBH guys and old college buddies meet me at the lease for some cold beer and help me fill the feeders. We topped everything off and then sweated our *** off in the deer stands that evening. Took a night ride to the complete other side of ranch. I have a feeder set up there and needed to put a SD card in the camera. Make the 30 min ride in the sxs having fun with the AR along the way. We start spotlighting a drainage that leads to the creek my set up is on. All we could see was tines. Had a good group of bachelor bucks about 200 yards from my setup and headed that way.
He looked amazing in velvet. Tines were long and leaned forward. Long G4s. I couldn't believe it. We just don't have bucks with long g4s. This was going to be the buck I was after. I knew he would be my best buck and one the best bucks ever killed on the property ( 30 year history ).
October
Back at the lease to refill feeders and make 3-4 sits. Check the cams and he is living at the creek setup. Morning and evening he is waiting for the feeder to go off. Usually there with on old war horse 8 and young 10. I Spent the next day trying to look for a spot to build a brush blind where I could catch this buck coming in to feed. Nothing seemed to catch my attention and was losing faith in the spot. Just couldn't figure out how I was going to get him. Drove home 6 hours thinking about how I could make it all work
November
Make it to the lease for rifle opener. I stayed out of the area and tried to let it stay quiet. We had 10 hunters in camp and as long as I didn't drive to that stand. It would remain quiet and untouched until I went in. Made a quick trip and headed home that Monday wondering if he made it past the army of hunters around that wknd.
11-20-21
arrive at camp 5:05am. Unload, camo up and head to my tree close to camp. Good morning sit but anxious to see if the target was still hanging out on the other side of the ranch. Reach the area around 11am, pull card, and he's missing. Hasn't been on camera in 8 days, his running buddies are still coming by to check things out but not staying long. 3-4 new bucks a couple that are old and broken up already. I decided to do it any way. I had always wanted to build a brush blind and setup on the ground. This spot was unique as it was once an old homestead 100 years ago. The home is now gone but the stone wall the built lining the road around the creek was still there.
I decided the stone wall would be an amazing back rest and already had some tree growing from it for back cover. Spent an hour or so cutting limbs and building this blind.
Then I realized that I smelt horrible and needed a bath. To close to hunt time to make the 1.5 hour round trip to shower and get back to blind. So I shared with the cows for min. Probably blinded a few with my pale back side but we made it work. Now freezing, I get dressed in the bed of my truck and make my way to brush blind. Its 2 pm and just hoping i see a few mature bucks and maybe catch a good one cruising.
My head is bobbing and I cant keep my eyes open. Holding my cell phone in my hand ( I like to take pictures of bucks while hunting ). Have been up for 32 hours and its catching up quick. 2 8s show up at 3:15 and start feeding on some hand corn. I'm interested but fading fast....
Cell Phone hits the dirt...
*** was that? oh, it was me.
Scan the area right quick. OH SH**! Out of my extreme left side he is there. Looking right into my eyes. Break eye contact and look away. Wait about 2 min and slowly look back and he's feeding. I have a what I recall to be 3 bucks and 4 does within 30 yards feeding on hand corn. He starts to walk towards the corn I spread in front left of blind at 25 yards. He walks behind some brush and that was my chance to grab bow and draw back. Pin immediately settled behind the shoulder and I let it fly.
He took off and ran 30 yards, stopped and realized he was hit. He tried to run again but stumbled through creek and bit the dust. My best buck, and first from the ground.
Good Luck the rest of the season Gentlemen
YEEYEE
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