Well I got it done yesterday. On an East Tx stud. Last year Dad and I both passed a solid ten with split brows. He was one of those deer that could be 4 or 14 but we had larger deer coming so we put him off limits.
A couple weeks ago he showed up in the same hand corn pen but gosh had he blown up and got crazy wide. Now he had a boob on his chest and every aspect of a fully mature stud. I named him Wide Clyde. I decided immediately to hunt him as there were day pics a plenty. Problem was, the wind was exactly wrong for a week. Finally it was good enough last wed and I started a live thread which totally sucked. I pulled the card after the hunt and learned he had gone missing. I corned heavy and got out.
Saturday morning I sneaked in early and had a big deer in just before legal time. Card showed it was him and he was all over it again. Saturday eve was a great hunt with 3 big deer but not Clyde. Monday the wind broke again and I got in at 2pm with the fresh norther and dropping temps. Buck after buck came but no Clyde. I corned after dark and pulled the card. To my surprise, Clyde had rolled in at 1243 and stayed till 130! Mid day.
Tuesday morning was perfect. I was in at 515 and had bucks in and out all the way up to shooting time. Two sparring matches started in and around the pen. I looked up and see Clyde coming at 60yd. Suddenly a big 8 crashed in and broad side one of the sparring bucks. Chaos ensued with them crashing away toward Clyde. He joined in the chase and left with them. I saw several more bucks including my number2 shooter but Clyde did not come back .
Tuesday eve was perfect and I really felt good about it. About 545 I see a deer working through the timber at 60yd. It was Him! He came to the edge of the brush and stared at the pen for 15 minutes or so. Convinced no deer were there, he turned and started walking away. At this point I started praying he would come back. He's trashed a tree. Then walked ten yds and trashed another. More prayers. I heard a thump and looked at the pen. A 5yr old 8 had come in and jumped in the pen. CLYDE did not notice. He walked another ten yds and stopped to trash another bush. It broke off in his horns and he gave his head a big shake, then looked over his shoulder. He saw the 8pt!
In an instant, he swelled up and charged in. Clyde always got in the pen at the same place which was 27yd broad side to the stand . As he got close, the 8 jumped out and Clyde went around the back side after him. Convinced, Clyde jumped in from the back side facing me at 36yds. He fed facing me for hours. The trail camera showed it was 7 minutes but it had to be hours. Finally the 8 came back around the pen and Clyde turned
toward him and broad side. I put my 30yd dot center behind his shoulder and squeezed it off. I watched the bolt through the scope as it disappeared into his chest. He dashed back and I could see him run 60yds.
I txt a couple folks and tried to sit still. A new 8pt hopped in but I couldn't sit so I decided to go to the truck to call my nephew. I got out of the stand and circled out about 10 yds where I could glass where he went in the brush. As soon as my binos focused, I could see his antler sticking up! Wide Clyde was dead!
Pics coming
A couple weeks ago he showed up in the same hand corn pen but gosh had he blown up and got crazy wide. Now he had a boob on his chest and every aspect of a fully mature stud. I named him Wide Clyde. I decided immediately to hunt him as there were day pics a plenty. Problem was, the wind was exactly wrong for a week. Finally it was good enough last wed and I started a live thread which totally sucked. I pulled the card after the hunt and learned he had gone missing. I corned heavy and got out.
Saturday morning I sneaked in early and had a big deer in just before legal time. Card showed it was him and he was all over it again. Saturday eve was a great hunt with 3 big deer but not Clyde. Monday the wind broke again and I got in at 2pm with the fresh norther and dropping temps. Buck after buck came but no Clyde. I corned after dark and pulled the card. To my surprise, Clyde had rolled in at 1243 and stayed till 130! Mid day.
Tuesday morning was perfect. I was in at 515 and had bucks in and out all the way up to shooting time. Two sparring matches started in and around the pen. I looked up and see Clyde coming at 60yd. Suddenly a big 8 crashed in and broad side one of the sparring bucks. Chaos ensued with them crashing away toward Clyde. He joined in the chase and left with them. I saw several more bucks including my number2 shooter but Clyde did not come back .
Tuesday eve was perfect and I really felt good about it. About 545 I see a deer working through the timber at 60yd. It was Him! He came to the edge of the brush and stared at the pen for 15 minutes or so. Convinced no deer were there, he turned and started walking away. At this point I started praying he would come back. He's trashed a tree. Then walked ten yds and trashed another. More prayers. I heard a thump and looked at the pen. A 5yr old 8 had come in and jumped in the pen. CLYDE did not notice. He walked another ten yds and stopped to trash another bush. It broke off in his horns and he gave his head a big shake, then looked over his shoulder. He saw the 8pt!
In an instant, he swelled up and charged in. Clyde always got in the pen at the same place which was 27yd broad side to the stand . As he got close, the 8 jumped out and Clyde went around the back side after him. Convinced, Clyde jumped in from the back side facing me at 36yds. He fed facing me for hours. The trail camera showed it was 7 minutes but it had to be hours. Finally the 8 came back around the pen and Clyde turned
toward him and broad side. I put my 30yd dot center behind his shoulder and squeezed it off. I watched the bolt through the scope as it disappeared into his chest. He dashed back and I could see him run 60yds.
I txt a couple folks and tried to sit still. A new 8pt hopped in but I couldn't sit so I decided to go to the truck to call my nephew. I got out of the stand and circled out about 10 yds where I could glass where he went in the brush. As soon as my binos focused, I could see his antler sticking up! Wide Clyde was dead!
Pics coming
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