BBD.... “Wonder Bra”....the final reveal

[Low Fence]

Note: this might take awhile. I’m not really tech savvy and have 2 full years of pics and notes to go through so bare with me not meant to be a cliff hanger



First sighting

Early last year I acquired a property that’s only purpose was to hold the earth together. Iron ore hills, Myrtle swamp bottoms, extreme hunting pressure surrounding (counted 22 adult gun hunters in a square mile one thanksgiving)... and soon after non stop crack head fly by night oil field activity.

After chopping trails to exhaustion to navigate I quickly named the property “ The Cottonmouth “. Deer numbers were extremely low and pig numbers were extremely high like everywhere. So we set feeders in strategic places that were bombproof to hunt but were basically pay offs for pigs. I honestly can’t recall the last deer I’ve shot under a feeder in East Texas... so I ain’t hunting them anyway. The theory was keep them pigs happy away from the deer and for 2 years has worked flawless. Rarely a pig in plots... and rarely a deer at feeders.

Once last summer plots were established I caught a pic of an interesting buck that I knew was worthy! This first pic was taken July 3

[Low Fence]

Season roles around and he disappeared...

While talking to a buddy that hunted about 3/4 a mile west of the property, we small talked deer... but was obvious we were both keeping something quiet. Finally almost at the same time said.. “ let’s see him”. SAME DEER, but I’d never seen him hard horned. Perfect 10 with matching split 2’s. As pretty as they make em!

He and I are the only bowhunters in the area, so we joined forces to root for one another. Odd but he had been hunting him already 2 years at the time. I’d rather him get him than a “cousin down for the weekend”, and he felt the same.

We had his patern down to about a 5 day loop. Later that season he would see him at night chasing a doe 2 miles north of us. His range was so large we both figured he was on borrowed time with all the pressure

[drop dead fred]

**pulls up chair**

[White Falcon]

Getter Done!

[dbelcher269]

In for this one. That's a dang nice East Texas buck

[SHSU18]

Cliff hanger!!!!!

[SaltwaterSlick]

Beautiful deer...

[Drycreek3189]

Ok. I’m ready for the rest......

[bloodtrailer28]

Originally Posted by drop dead fred

**pulls up chair**

Yep. Sounds like a good one with alot of hard work put into it

[Low Fence]

Season finally rolled to an end and we both had pics after season. Now he just had to survive traffic and oil field traffic.

Then early May I was preparing a dove field on a piece of property 1 mile east of The Cottonmouth that I own. There in the middle of a pasture lates the right side of a very familiar buck!

HE HAS A NAME-

I was kinda disappointed. The camera always add some inches, but this deer wasn’t what I dreamed. In the 30-40 pics we all had him close to 155-160”. But here I held half the truth. After scoring and giving him my best prediction on spread I had 147”

The name “Wonder Bra” hit me! Like I’d been deceived. He sure was nice to look at in pics but when the top came off... well it was nice, just not really..... impressive

[ChickenWilly]

And then..... lol

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[Etxbuckman]

In. Been waiting (too) patiently like everyone else.

[Abcdj]

Andddddddd

[jaredmartin]

Come on, dont leave it there.

[Low Fence]

HE MADE IT!

In February I stomped that mess of thicket flat looking for any clues. Anything. I located 2 beds and several larger rubs on both ends of the property. But no clue who made what. But both near my plots. After the floods I established my best plots ever and started monitoring them as July rolled by.... nothing. Then August

He’s back! Same plot... and trashy. I didn’t realize until a month later he had went from a main from 10 to a 9 which killed score but not cool factor.

Now finding him was cool, but what I think happens to most people is they get so fixed on pics in an impossible situation (no entry, exists, thermals, currents... nocturnal) that they don’t make a move. I had him on the property and I got the only groceries in town. I got to find that BED... WITHOUT HIM KNOWING HES BEING HUNTED. Baby steps

Every camera I had in an acre.. 6’ off ground for weeks at a time to get 0-5 pics at a time. Nada

[rut-ro]

Chews lightly

[IkemanTX]

I think I may be a little obsessed in the outcome of this...


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[hunterburch42]

Cracking a beer for this one!


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[Low Fence]

It seemed like I was spinning my wheels. I couldn’t find where he came and went from, much less his bed... even where I thought I was in February. I had nothing other that I had him on the property and if anyone else did they weren’t saying.

This brush is terrible and slowing me down and trees that are huntable are 1 per 15 acres. So I had a plan! I will make a trail! One that leads to plot from thick bedding.. and by a @&$% tree with an approachable entry.

So the trail was chopped in middle of day, over 2 days. Camera set

Deer love fresh cut trees and fresh dirt.







GOT HIM!

[Jon B]

OP....finish the story....you are killing us

[Low Fence]

At this point I’m frozen ... cause I didn’t really expect it to work lol. The trail is laid... he’s using it to and from... daily... THIS MIGHT HAPPEN!

That was one of the few good daylight pics. Most were 7:45-8:35. Just barely to no light. So I stuck to the plan. Baby steps. Move cameras 10 yards... 10 yards. The tree I picked was going to be the tree no doubt.

We practice shooting but now I had to practice hanging a stand. I do it all the time late season and get good at it. So I practiced more than shooting. Pack in, hang sticks, hang stand hunt. ZERO NOISE. I’ll toot my own horn, im quiet

Game time-

I have no reason to be in there opening morning at best I’ll bump him sine I have pics at 5:30ish daily going back to bed. So that evening with wind blowing hard (thank God) and perfect I put my one shot plan in action. If I waited too long in stand he would be there I had no doubt but would be too dark and now I can’t get past until morning.... or trespass a mile though neighbor and call someone to pick me up (yeah I thought about it. lol... just for a second though)


Plan was park at red x walk red line to tree. White x is camera. Blue was actual bed

From park to tree took me 39 minutes. Slooow. Using every shadow. I get settled in tree and think. I really did it! All he has to do is show up before dark! On way to stand I grabbed sd card and put in my phone. This didn’t expose me or my scent or I wouldn’t have

[Low Fence]

Now I think I have him pegged within a few acres of his bed. I honestly believe he it less than 100 yards from me straight ahead at this that me.

I’m as concealed as you can get. Wind perfect and strong. Keeping me cool honestly and noise hide. A few milk weed drops show I’m golden for wind. A few clouds roll past and a few drops of rain fall. Actually comfortable considering it’s 94 degrees. The got time to kill so I look at pics from the past week

Last 3 evenings 7:30-8:01. It’s now 5:00 and I’m shaking and almost sick. It’s gonna go down! It’s so thick the farthest I can shoot is 19 yards. It’s like 3 hours of watching a 32” tv with white noise. Then something hit me... look at pics again? @&$% looking at approaching angle he’s more west than south.... and it’s hot as &@$% and he’s here by dark.... HES ON MY FENCE LINE AND CLOSE!

I’ve got 2 hours to projected “go time” and all my perfect plan is still intact but changing at hyper speed and my brain is going crazy.....

[bowhntrmatt]

Refresh
Refresh

[dope hunter]

This suspense lol

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[WTX]

This is awesome!

[smokeless]

You need to hurry up. I’m about to explode.

[Low Fence]

Shot fired-


I told myself -“at 7:00 I’m gonna sit sideways cause you ain’t shooting left anymore.. your gonna shoot straight under you”

7:00

I ease sideways and prop my right foot on a big limb. I’m 16’ish in a huge white oak
At that moment I hear a deer get up... I can tell 100% it’s a deer getting out of a bed. It can’t be 40 yards away! I look what is now forward and at 10 yards... WONDER BRA!

I swallowed hard, at 10 yards from only 16’ he looked like a feed lot steer with cedar trees on his head. He’s locked up. Waits what seemed 3 minutes took 2 steps and stops again. Two steps and stops. Finally hear behind a tiny pine I’m glad I left and I draw the BowTech realm x back and burn a hole In the center of his shoulder.

Now I’ll have y’all know, I’m pretty salty at 6 yards. The slick truck destroyed him! Center of “v” exit arm pit pocket! Before he finished mule kick blood was everywhere! And in 3 strides he was out of site




Thud crash... done! I didn’t see him fall but knew that sound and knew he was toast with that shot. Called the wife and kids whispered the news and then started packing up. Once down the blood was on everything. I walked 29 yards and could see white belly in the thicket. Still too early to risk anything and I’m shaking so bad I couldn’t make a follow up anyway so I eased off and called for help. No way to recover it alone anyway

30 minutes later help arrived and the 2 year pursuit for Wonder Bra had come to an end. My Wood County season lasted 3 hours

[Texas8point]

This could be one of the best threads ever ! Congrats brother !


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[smokeless]

Finally !!!!!!

[Low Fence]

Haven’t taped him yet but will be my biggest easily. The fat on him was like nothing I’ve ever seen. Blubber

Google earth shows me 5-6 new feeders and stands around my property. I’m sure many are after him and will think “must be on acorns” come November. Im blessed to have had the opportunity and abilities I’m afforded

Hope y’all enjoyed. Wonder Bra is finally revealed!

[Crookhunter]

Awesome write up! Congratulations on a stud deer

[Gunner97]

Nice buck. Congrats.

[gonehuntin]

Good write up and great buck.

[eastxhunter]

Too legit to quit

[Hoss163]

And then a little forker steps out I was so excited saw horns and shot thinking it had to be him lol . No go on in for the results.��

[cram369]

Congrats. Great story

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[SmTx]

If this thread doesn't get you amped up for the season go ahead and hang it up!

[Grndchecker]

You definitely earned that one. Congratulations!

[Moose]

Congrats, a Wood County buck of that caliber is like killing a 170 in South TX Dang good deer.


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[Hoss163]

Awesome congratulations on a great buck.

[gtsticker]

Nice


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[JayB]

Man....great deer. Even better story.

.....and God Bless America.

[BJ DUPLECHAIN]

Congrats bud. You deserve it. That's a lot of work and I am glad you were rewarded for it.

[Bone Thug]

Nice buck...Congrats!!!!!!

[MilMan]

Congrats, thanks for sharing the story.

[Rangefinder]

Heck yeah way to go!!

[TxMedic]

Wow! What a stud!

[Slick8]

Congrats on a true giant and thanks for one of the best storied I've had the pleasure to read about deer hunting.

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[freerhunter16]

Great write up. Congrats on a great deer!

[Chew]

Amazing! great deer and best write up in a long time. Congrats!