Let me begin with a little history of the guy who killed Walking Tall, one of my best friends for 30 plus years. We have hunted together for almost 22 years, been in each other’s weddings and he even selected the song at my Dads funeral. After 10 years or so in Southern Kinney county, he left and joined a lease in Fowlerton. He had everything there anyone wanted except a 170 class deer. After I left Kinney county a few years later, I worked on him for several years to jump ship and rejoin us. It took me a good 4/5 years of convent, but finally he agreed. When he finally committed, my exact words we’re” it might take a few years, but you won’t be disappointed” I think he came on board in 2015.
Our journey began in 2016 when we initially spotted this scrawny looking 10. He was a little fella, but the size of his rack was enough to put him radar. After watching this deer most of the year we new we had a good up and comer. When 2017 rolled around, we were anxiously waiting to get eyes on this buck again. Around thanksgiving, my brother got video of him and boy were we right about an up and comer. He had shot up to a semi heavy tall 10. At this point, we figured him at 5 yrs old and in the mid 40s. A little behind the grading curve, but definitely a terrific buck. This is the year he finally got the name Walking Tall. My TBH brother RWenzel deserves the credit for the perfect name. At this point, we felt confident we had a true giant in the making. After a summer of feeding and waiting, we couldn’t wait to get the first pics of Walking Tall. When we did, to no ones surprise, we were looking at a low 60s 6 yr old. Only change was he added a g5 on his right side and both beams wrapped way around and were only 4-5 inches from touching. He jumped probably 15 + inches. This guy seemed to everywhere during the rut. At that pond,We began discussing the best way to hunt him the following year. We knew we needed to get him early before he began his annual quest for love. After a long summer of feeding and waiting, the first pics of WT began rolling in. With the help of cell cams, we were ab ok e to locate him at the blind where he always began at. Before we could begin the hunt for him, we had to shoot 4 culls and all of our does per the ranch rules. That didn’t take long. The next hurdle was Wurstfest, Miles is in line to be President I’d Wurstfest in 2 years, so working and meetings were mandatory. One Friday evening while he was working Wurstfest, I finally got eyes on WT. Needless to say, he did not disappoint!! After that lone sighting, he was seen in cell camera ever night at that same blind. Fast forward to the 3rd week of November, Wurstfest done and the hunt was on!! Only problem was no day time sighting, all at night. Then chaos, he’s vanished for a week or r two. No more night photos. Our neighbor texts and says he’s been at one of their blinds....panic starts to set in and moral is at its lowest point. Finally, Tuesday of this past week, bingo!!! Walking Tall is at one of our blinds and the hunt is on!!! The guys blind where we got the photo thinks he saw him right at dark on Wed evening. Miles and I are in that blind Thursday morning with high hopes. Light starts to break that morning and I see 2 deer. Looks like a buck and doe. I tell him I see them but not enough light to confirm. What seemed like an hour later, he picks up his head and bam!! There he is. I tell Miles it’s him and now we’re just waiting for a closer shot. He’s 300yards at this point. He finally gets what we think under 250. Miles doesn’t have the perfect set up cause it a different blind, but the pressure is mounting. He says “ I’m on him”. I’m watching through mr video camera as the rifle roars......all I see is a clod of dust and Walking Tall bolts into the brush. I’m thinking “ what the he!! just happened? Miles is beside himself at this pointed. Sick at his stomach and mad at same time. We heard the bullet pop though. So we watch the video and figured low leg shot. He wanted to crawl into a hole by now. Saving grace was the does did not move. Then WT bust outta the brush and follows the does back across the pipeline. A sense of relief cause he did not appear to be injured. We sit for about 1/2 hour and dang if the doe comes back out w Walking Tall right behind her. Dang, now we see a limp. They’re to far out for a shot , but look him over and see no blood. Feel relieved at this point. Thursday evening we see him alone at 800-900 yards. Still limping but walking around looking for another doe. My last hunt with him would be Friday morning. We’re back at same blind with 6 bucks chasing does at point blank range but no WT. at 7:50 my brother calls from his blind and WT is trailing does over there. We fly over there and get good wind, walk in the last 800 yards only to sit till 9:00 with no more sighting. Walking back to truck, Miles son in law texts saying WT is back in pipeline a mile from our current location. Back to the other blind till 10:00 and never see him. By now, I gotta get on the road, so I leave Friday around 11:00. At 4:50 Miles texts from same blind he first shot at him and says he’s 800 yards away but not coming his way, still limping though. Then finally at 5:50 I get the call that Walking Tall is down!!! Much relief. Says he came back into pipeline at 800 yards out and made a bee line towards the blind. He ended up killing him less than 20 yards from where he wounded him. The wound was a thru and thru the lower brisket. The lord was looking out for us. Then the party began, just wish I could have been there.
Our journey began in 2016 when we initially spotted this scrawny looking 10. He was a little fella, but the size of his rack was enough to put him radar. After watching this deer most of the year we new we had a good up and comer. When 2017 rolled around, we were anxiously waiting to get eyes on this buck again. Around thanksgiving, my brother got video of him and boy were we right about an up and comer. He had shot up to a semi heavy tall 10. At this point, we figured him at 5 yrs old and in the mid 40s. A little behind the grading curve, but definitely a terrific buck. This is the year he finally got the name Walking Tall. My TBH brother RWenzel deserves the credit for the perfect name. At this point, we felt confident we had a true giant in the making. After a summer of feeding and waiting, we couldn’t wait to get the first pics of Walking Tall. When we did, to no ones surprise, we were looking at a low 60s 6 yr old. Only change was he added a g5 on his right side and both beams wrapped way around and were only 4-5 inches from touching. He jumped probably 15 + inches. This guy seemed to everywhere during the rut. At that pond,We began discussing the best way to hunt him the following year. We knew we needed to get him early before he began his annual quest for love. After a long summer of feeding and waiting, the first pics of WT began rolling in. With the help of cell cams, we were ab ok e to locate him at the blind where he always began at. Before we could begin the hunt for him, we had to shoot 4 culls and all of our does per the ranch rules. That didn’t take long. The next hurdle was Wurstfest, Miles is in line to be President I’d Wurstfest in 2 years, so working and meetings were mandatory. One Friday evening while he was working Wurstfest, I finally got eyes on WT. Needless to say, he did not disappoint!! After that lone sighting, he was seen in cell camera ever night at that same blind. Fast forward to the 3rd week of November, Wurstfest done and the hunt was on!! Only problem was no day time sighting, all at night. Then chaos, he’s vanished for a week or r two. No more night photos. Our neighbor texts and says he’s been at one of their blinds....panic starts to set in and moral is at its lowest point. Finally, Tuesday of this past week, bingo!!! Walking Tall is at one of our blinds and the hunt is on!!! The guys blind where we got the photo thinks he saw him right at dark on Wed evening. Miles and I are in that blind Thursday morning with high hopes. Light starts to break that morning and I see 2 deer. Looks like a buck and doe. I tell him I see them but not enough light to confirm. What seemed like an hour later, he picks up his head and bam!! There he is. I tell Miles it’s him and now we’re just waiting for a closer shot. He’s 300yards at this point. He finally gets what we think under 250. Miles doesn’t have the perfect set up cause it a different blind, but the pressure is mounting. He says “ I’m on him”. I’m watching through mr video camera as the rifle roars......all I see is a clod of dust and Walking Tall bolts into the brush. I’m thinking “ what the he!! just happened? Miles is beside himself at this pointed. Sick at his stomach and mad at same time. We heard the bullet pop though. So we watch the video and figured low leg shot. He wanted to crawl into a hole by now. Saving grace was the does did not move. Then WT bust outta the brush and follows the does back across the pipeline. A sense of relief cause he did not appear to be injured. We sit for about 1/2 hour and dang if the doe comes back out w Walking Tall right behind her. Dang, now we see a limp. They’re to far out for a shot , but look him over and see no blood. Feel relieved at this point. Thursday evening we see him alone at 800-900 yards. Still limping but walking around looking for another doe. My last hunt with him would be Friday morning. We’re back at same blind with 6 bucks chasing does at point blank range but no WT. at 7:50 my brother calls from his blind and WT is trailing does over there. We fly over there and get good wind, walk in the last 800 yards only to sit till 9:00 with no more sighting. Walking back to truck, Miles son in law texts saying WT is back in pipeline a mile from our current location. Back to the other blind till 10:00 and never see him. By now, I gotta get on the road, so I leave Friday around 11:00. At 4:50 Miles texts from same blind he first shot at him and says he’s 800 yards away but not coming his way, still limping though. Then finally at 5:50 I get the call that Walking Tall is down!!! Much relief. Says he came back into pipeline at 800 yards out and made a bee line towards the blind. He ended up killing him less than 20 yards from where he wounded him. The wound was a thru and thru the lower brisket. The lord was looking out for us. Then the party began, just wish I could have been there.
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