Archery buck of a lifetime met his maker this morning!

[trophy8]

That’s right. Ole T8 can still sling the carbon hate! Haha

3 years ago, two TBH guys reached out to me about a lease they wanted me to join in the hill country (not giving locations for obvious reasons). I knew going into it that it was a heavy management minded group. We shot nothing but culls the last 2 years. I hunted as a guest the year prior. They knew about this deer. He was a young up and coming giant. And certainly not the norm for the ranch or the area but we wanted to let the genetics spread. And it’s paying off.

They killed this buck the year before. It’s the dad to my buck and went 144”.


The son had split G2s and I fell in love. However, I was the new guy. I knew my chances to shoot him when the time came were slim since he wasn’t in my pasture.

I busted my butt building feed pens and pumping feed to these deer. Tons and tons of feed since I joined. Lots of work. Lots of time. But I knew it would pay off. I always had a ton of deer. Mostly bucks at this spot and shot some nice management deer. We watched the buck we called wussaname jr grow into a giant.

We knew this year was the year. He is 5 or 6(we debated on that haha).




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[Artos]

Dude!!

[AntlerCollector]

What an awesome buck.

[bass_lander]

In


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[bulltx50]

awesome buck

[rosco11]

Wooooo Son! Great deer and Pops too!

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[Burnadell]

Just an outstanding buck!!! Congratulations!

[trophy8]

Fast forward to opening weekend. He was a no show and I blew a chance and spooked a big 9 point I had my eye on. This was a blessing.

I found out I was off this weekend at lunch yesterday and as soon as I was off I grabbed my stuff and headed to the ranch. Now I’m a fairly superstitious person so this is where it gets good. My lucky number is 13. Also 8. Long story. I pulled into stripes in Elgin and got gas. Looked up. Pump 13. I saw another random number 13 on the way home. When I got home there was a very random playing card in my front grass. 8 of diamonds....the whole drive it just felt good. Hard to explain but I had a feeling it was gonna happen this morning.

Got to the ranch around 10pm. I couldn’t sleep. Just laid there till midnight. Woke up at 445 this morning. Took a scent free shower and headed out. It just felt right. Settled in the blind at 615. Had a buck at 15 yards way early. I just relaxed and waited. Buck after buck filed in. I’m in a Krivoman so it’s dark as can be. But my swaros could pick them up. As it got more light I saw deer everywhere. It was turning into an incredible morning. Then all of a sudden from my left at 20 yards comes a wall of antlers. My heart stopped. Pretty sure I died for a second. Then it hit me. The shakes. Bad. I still had 10-15 minutes until good light to see my pins. He headed right to my hard corn at 20 yards broadside. Like it was his personal buffet. I sat still as could be and waited. Bucks kept piling out of the woods.

Finally it was light enough to see pins. He was at 18.5 yards. There were several bucks around him. Then all of a sudden a young 8 walks up at 6 yards to my left as I raised my bow. I froze. They all looked to my right at full alert. Then the little guy looked at me. I was telling him in my head that if he blew this chance I would kill him haha. He finally looked away. I had been telling myself to relax. But I was going into full blown cardiac arrest with serious respiratory issues! I drew. All of a sudden I got dead calm. The world stopped. I stopped shaking. I started bringing the pins down on him. Right behind the shoulder. Telling myself “do not blow this. You’ve hunted your whole life for a deer like this. Do not blow this”. Pin found it’s mark right behind his shoulder and I let it fly. To some of you, Jason, I SENT IT!

I hear the thwack and his whole shoulder turned red. He jumped and sprinted in the air just floating. He did a head nearly touching the ground sprint and I thought I saw him go down. Then it hit me. I sat back down in my chair after trying to follow him and I think I had a seizure I was shaking so hard.

I did it! Finally. I turned 30 this year and have hunted since I was 8. I’ve hunted a lot of things in a lot of places but have never killed a truly big whitetail. It all hit me at once what I had done. I started texting my wife. My dad. Some buddies. And of course the lease guys. I could barely text. I could barely function. I got some snuff and some water and sat back.

I waited 30-40 minutes. Got out and found this




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[Pedernal]

Congrats!

[Pstraw]

Oooohh yeaaahhh

[drwilliams]

And the rest of the story!!! Not sure what is worse this one or the DIY Canda moose hunt. On a side not CONGRATS on a h*** of a buck!

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[trophy8]

The watery look worried me. But I saw the hit. Saw the shoulder covered in blood and saw blood sprayed on the ground.
I’m shooting a Z7 extreme at 70 lbs and 2 blade rage hypodermics with carbon express maxima 340s. I had faith in this set up. And started following the trail. Good spray for 10 yards then nothing. I started to really worry.

Finally, Tim, another lease member drove up to help. He found a few small spots of blood but we had basically nothing. Very weird. So we took off in the direction he went. Made it 100 yards were I thought he crashed. Nothing. So I headed left. He headed right. I went 20-30 yards and he yelled MATT! He’s right here! He went further left than I thought. I walked around the tree and it got real. Antlers sticking out of the grass. HE IS MINE! I did it! I threw my bow down and ran and gave Tim a giant hug and high 5! Hahahaha. I was ecstatic. He died with his right leg caught up in his rack. He fought to the very end.




We loaded him up. Headed to camp. And did what anyone would do at 830 AM after smoking a monster. Cracked open cold shiner bock and took a hundred pictures!


I have a lot better pictures on my DSLR but these will work. I’m tired and hungry and I’m going to hang out with my wife and daughter and enjoy today. After 20+ years. Countless days on stand. A dollar amount that I don’t want to know what it totals. I killed my monster. Free range. Low fence. Unguided hill country giant. All on my own.

Thank you to everyone that’s helped along the way. From bow questions to convincing me to buy an ozonics and krivoman haha. Thanks to my lease mates and a family that understand my obsession. I finally did it.

I scored him conservatively at 158 7/8. I will have him officially scored. But score aside he’s huge. And he’s MINE!
EDIT. I added wrong. 163”!!!!
Thank you God for allowing me to enjoy your creation and guiding me to get this done. I am truly blessed beyond belief. Thank you!





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[John W. Michel]

Send a picture of him down.

[tminc]

so far so good ,AND?

[tminc]

congrats, the rest of your story just loaded. Super buck, way to go!

[White Falcon]

Great!

[Ruttin&Struttin]

Congratulations man! Awesome buck!

[Bone Thug]

Awesome!!!!

Great buck....Great bow kill.
I like those brows, frame, spread and tines. Lol. He looks real good.

Big congrats, Matt.

[trophy8]

And for you rage haters. CARNAGE!


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[Mex. Bowhunter]

You Earned It

Congrats Awesome Deer

[Pstraw]

Congratulations on your prize for all your hard work. He's a gem.

[Low Fence]

Great buck congratulations!

[Puncher51]

I had a buddy send me a picture of you holding him over lunch today. Toad of a buck!

[Abcdj]

Beautiful buck!!
Congrats

[Slick8]

Congrats Matt, love seeing big hill country deer and what they're capable of with time and good nutrition.

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[Dusty Britches]

Awesome write up! Congratulations!!!!

[4-fletch]

Man that's a purty buck!Congrats

[trophy8]

I added wrong. 163”!!!!

[RMW]

Beautiful buck

Congrats

[whackem and stackem]

Congrats on a smoker hill country buck. Sweet write up

[AggieRod]

Congrats

[rowdybass]

Heck of a buck man ! Awesome write up.

[jjaimes]

Beautiful buck congrats!

[Aggie Dad]

Awesome buck, congratulations!!!

[Brett C]

Congratulations man , that’s awesome!!

[trophy8]

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[kumathebear]

Congrats!!

[Aggiehunter08]

Great looking buck!

[freerhunter16]

Congratulations sir! That is a fantastic deer!

[Puncher51]

Absolutely beautiful buck!

[79F250]

Holy smokes that’s a giant. Congrats to you on a beautiful buck

[trophy8]

Originally Posted by Puncher51

I had a buddy send me a picture of you holding him over lunch today. Toad of a buck!

Who?

[M16]

Great buck and congratulations! From the first pictures he looks at least 6.5.

[aggieman08]

That’s definitely one of the better deer I’ve seen come from the Mason area.

[lovemylegacy]

Goodness, that's a good one.

[BobbyJoe]

awesome deer, congrats!

[Gunner97]

Great buck. Congrats.

[GA Bowhunter]

That is getting it done! Congratulations!

[miket]

Spectacular, congrats!

[Wood Man]

Very nice buck. Congrats on your patience and success.