I'm officially tagged out. I sure have enjoyed hunting with my 457 Texan air rifle this season and killed three mature East TX bucks with it including two on a live thread a few days ago in two counties. That left me only a Houston Co tag and I have been pretty picky with it.
A few days ago I had a big mature buck show up at last light and I couldn't tell who it was. I pulled the camera card and learned it was a 7 year old ten that had been missing a month. Yesterday morning he was all over me the camera and I decided I would try to kill him. I started thinking about it and figured it would be great if Dad got a whack at him. He got Covid the week before season opener and is just now recovering. I mentioned it to Dad but he said he just wasn't strong enough yet to try getting on stand. I decided then that I would hunt a different spot and give Dad a few more days to recover.
I chose a stand about 1.5 miles away for the evening hunt. It is a tent blind watching a corn pen right in the middle of a thicket . I have only one large framed deer on camera there and he is a huge 8pt. By 330 I had two does in. One of them ate but the other spent an hour pacing around before both leaving south.
30 or so minutes later I saw glimpses a deer walking swiftly through the youpons about 75yds out. Binos showed it was a doe. Seconds later the other doe came through but she was hunkered down with tail straight out behind her. I knew there was a buck behind them as they bolted. Seconds later I picked him up through the brush with glasses. First glance and I saw it was a huge bodied and big framed buck that I presumed yo be the big 8.
I grabbed my air rifle and got on the last little opening the does went through. Seconds later horns, neck, shoulder, Poof! I heard the bullet make a hollow thud and the deer just vanished. I immediately got out of there and went home. I felt good about the hold but the deer was moving quick quartering away and I didnt like the sound of the hit.
I gave him 1.5 hours and sneaked back in. It took me a bit to find the direction he left but then the blood was frothy and easy trailing. He went about 100yds and there lay the big ten that was coming in my food plot on the other side of the place! I'm thrilled with him as he had as giant body. I'll just have to get Dad on another one when he feels better.
A few days ago I had a big mature buck show up at last light and I couldn't tell who it was. I pulled the camera card and learned it was a 7 year old ten that had been missing a month. Yesterday morning he was all over me the camera and I decided I would try to kill him. I started thinking about it and figured it would be great if Dad got a whack at him. He got Covid the week before season opener and is just now recovering. I mentioned it to Dad but he said he just wasn't strong enough yet to try getting on stand. I decided then that I would hunt a different spot and give Dad a few more days to recover.
I chose a stand about 1.5 miles away for the evening hunt. It is a tent blind watching a corn pen right in the middle of a thicket . I have only one large framed deer on camera there and he is a huge 8pt. By 330 I had two does in. One of them ate but the other spent an hour pacing around before both leaving south.
30 or so minutes later I saw glimpses a deer walking swiftly through the youpons about 75yds out. Binos showed it was a doe. Seconds later the other doe came through but she was hunkered down with tail straight out behind her. I knew there was a buck behind them as they bolted. Seconds later I picked him up through the brush with glasses. First glance and I saw it was a huge bodied and big framed buck that I presumed yo be the big 8.
I grabbed my air rifle and got on the last little opening the does went through. Seconds later horns, neck, shoulder, Poof! I heard the bullet make a hollow thud and the deer just vanished. I immediately got out of there and went home. I felt good about the hold but the deer was moving quick quartering away and I didnt like the sound of the hit.
I gave him 1.5 hours and sneaked back in. It took me a bit to find the direction he left but then the blood was frothy and easy trailing. He went about 100yds and there lay the big ten that was coming in my food plot on the other side of the place! I'm thrilled with him as he had as giant body. I'll just have to get Dad on another one when he feels better.
Comment