I apologize for the length of this post/hunt.
November 2 was the morning I knew I needed to be in my bow blind. The past early two mornings, well before daylight my target buck had came in to sneak some corn and protein and then would leave minutes before shooting time. The times he had been coming in the last 2 mornings showed to be peak feeding times which had been the complete opposite of when this deer had ever fed (on camera) before. I had 30-40 pics of this deer from Sept-Nov, only 2 were during daylight. I knew I would have to get in even extra early to get a glimpse of him and pray he would hang around long enough for shooting time.
It started out as a typical morning in that creek stand. I wasn’t too fond of the 3-4mph N wind since I usually hunt a tripod overlooking this same feeder with a N wind, but it just doesn’t have much cover AND if I am getting in the blind at 4am I don’t want to be sitting in a tripod a couple hours before daylight. So I crawl into my Redneck blind and just chill out until daylight. Two young doe regulars came in before daylight and were feeding in the feeder pen. At 6:15 on the dot I catch a doe running out of the creek directly 70 yds in front of me. She jogs out to the center of the small opening behind the feeder pen and turns to look behind her. I catch a glimpse of a buck thinking “oh that’s not him” and grab the bino’s. As soon as I get him in the bino’s I immediately change my mind, “nope, that IS him!” I put the bino’s down and he heads toward the doe who’s about 50yds from me and 20 yds from the back of the feeder pen. The doe jets off to the left into another creek area and the buck stops right where the doe was, sniffs around, glances at the 2 does under the feeder and then looks at where the larger doe ran off towards. He leans toward leaving after that doe then walks straight to the back of the feeder pen and starts working his way toward the protein feeder that is 22 yds away. He stops directly behind the fence of the feeder pen and I have no shot. He feeds on corn right outside the pen, turns and hops into the feeder pen and goes directly to the protein feeder. The protien feeder leg is blocking the middle of his rib cage and I decide to wait until he exits before I attempt to draw. He feeds for all of 2 mins and instead of leaving the way he came in, he hops the back of the feeder pen and starts walking quartering away directly to where the large doe originally ran towards. I had to move from a vertical bow window to shooting out a rifle window. I also had pre ranged pretty much everything around the pen multiple times throughout the year, so I knew my yardage. I “meh” 3 times while he’s walking away, each time doing it louder and louder and he wasn’t stopping. The last time I basically yelled and he turns his head looking towards my direction. I put my 30yd pin high on his shoulder, level the bow off and slowly squeeze. He doesn’t even move when I release the arrow. What seemed like a full 3 seconds I hear a loud “SMACK.” The buck kind hunches, limps back to where he came out of the creek 70yds in front of my blind and stands there. I laid my bow down and grabbed the bino’s. Like usual I grab my ball cap while holding the bino’s up (for stability) and my cap and bino’s are shaking like I’m riding through a dirt clodded cotton field on trotting Shetland pony!! The bucks front legs are out a little like tripod legs and I see a small exit wound behind his right shoulder. After about 10secs he falls straight over and doesn’t move. I immediately start whisper yelling “Thank you Lord! Thank you Lord!” I watch him for about 5 mins and text my parents letting them know I just shot the big buck!! Then send a few other texts to a neighbor and couple friends that knew about him. Afterwards, I sit in peace for 20 mins, just reflecting and giving thanks. I’ve had an obsession over this buck from the very first pic of him on camera.
Had 18 scoreable points, scored 160 P&Y and weighed 185 lbs on the hoof.
November 2 was the morning I knew I needed to be in my bow blind. The past early two mornings, well before daylight my target buck had came in to sneak some corn and protein and then would leave minutes before shooting time. The times he had been coming in the last 2 mornings showed to be peak feeding times which had been the complete opposite of when this deer had ever fed (on camera) before. I had 30-40 pics of this deer from Sept-Nov, only 2 were during daylight. I knew I would have to get in even extra early to get a glimpse of him and pray he would hang around long enough for shooting time.
It started out as a typical morning in that creek stand. I wasn’t too fond of the 3-4mph N wind since I usually hunt a tripod overlooking this same feeder with a N wind, but it just doesn’t have much cover AND if I am getting in the blind at 4am I don’t want to be sitting in a tripod a couple hours before daylight. So I crawl into my Redneck blind and just chill out until daylight. Two young doe regulars came in before daylight and were feeding in the feeder pen. At 6:15 on the dot I catch a doe running out of the creek directly 70 yds in front of me. She jogs out to the center of the small opening behind the feeder pen and turns to look behind her. I catch a glimpse of a buck thinking “oh that’s not him” and grab the bino’s. As soon as I get him in the bino’s I immediately change my mind, “nope, that IS him!” I put the bino’s down and he heads toward the doe who’s about 50yds from me and 20 yds from the back of the feeder pen. The doe jets off to the left into another creek area and the buck stops right where the doe was, sniffs around, glances at the 2 does under the feeder and then looks at where the larger doe ran off towards. He leans toward leaving after that doe then walks straight to the back of the feeder pen and starts working his way toward the protein feeder that is 22 yds away. He stops directly behind the fence of the feeder pen and I have no shot. He feeds on corn right outside the pen, turns and hops into the feeder pen and goes directly to the protein feeder. The protien feeder leg is blocking the middle of his rib cage and I decide to wait until he exits before I attempt to draw. He feeds for all of 2 mins and instead of leaving the way he came in, he hops the back of the feeder pen and starts walking quartering away directly to where the large doe originally ran towards. I had to move from a vertical bow window to shooting out a rifle window. I also had pre ranged pretty much everything around the pen multiple times throughout the year, so I knew my yardage. I “meh” 3 times while he’s walking away, each time doing it louder and louder and he wasn’t stopping. The last time I basically yelled and he turns his head looking towards my direction. I put my 30yd pin high on his shoulder, level the bow off and slowly squeeze. He doesn’t even move when I release the arrow. What seemed like a full 3 seconds I hear a loud “SMACK.” The buck kind hunches, limps back to where he came out of the creek 70yds in front of my blind and stands there. I laid my bow down and grabbed the bino’s. Like usual I grab my ball cap while holding the bino’s up (for stability) and my cap and bino’s are shaking like I’m riding through a dirt clodded cotton field on trotting Shetland pony!! The bucks front legs are out a little like tripod legs and I see a small exit wound behind his right shoulder. After about 10secs he falls straight over and doesn’t move. I immediately start whisper yelling “Thank you Lord! Thank you Lord!” I watch him for about 5 mins and text my parents letting them know I just shot the big buck!! Then send a few other texts to a neighbor and couple friends that knew about him. Afterwards, I sit in peace for 20 mins, just reflecting and giving thanks. I’ve had an obsession over this buck from the very first pic of him on camera.
Had 18 scoreable points, scored 160 P&Y and weighed 185 lbs on the hoof.
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