Who would've thought Id be hunting in the snow in Texas yesterday evening! lol
Justa8 is a deer I have know about for about 10 months now and posted several T/C pics here on TBH all Summer while he was growing his 8 point frame. I don't have much of a story other than its been a challenging hunting season with the new lease not knowing what to expect. Passing on 2 different 130" class deer early on in October and then a 130" 8-point that hung around the feeder until December 7th has proven to be a mistake.
Late October all the deer that I had all Summer left the property until recently. This has to be one of the worst years on feed for the deer Id like to shoot in a long time. Most of the bucks that I passed in October were shot by neighboring gun hunters
With our lease only 1,150 acres its hard to hold them when the rut starts. I thought this year would yield a 140-150" buck on our place thus passing on the 130 class bucks early on plus the 130" 8-point I had from Halloween to Dec 7th that fell to a gun hunter nearby. Since late October I have not seen any new bucks over 115".
Fast forward to Mid December when some of my October deer start showing back up. I was in disbelief that we had not seen or got any pictures of a buck bigger than 130 through the rut but happy to see that one buck made it "Justa8". The gun hunters had taken a toll on our bucks and Justa8 was about the best buck left over. With word from a neighbor that he had pictures of Justa8 and was going after him this week made my decision to go after him. I have always liked his look packing 22" main-beams on a 14" wide frame. We had him estimated at 120-122 gross off pictures and video before I put a ARRA through his "LIVER" . Yes I said Liver......lol
This morning we set out on the trail of Justa8 after one of the worst shot placements in my 26 years bowhunting. With the snow fall yesterday and the colder weather I was layered up with evidently too much clothing for my bowstring to hit. I couldn't believe when the string hit my arm that it would knock the arrow off 6" from my intended spot.....but the video showed the damage and confirmed the Liver/stomach area as the outcome of my mistake. I watched the buck stand in one spot for 15 minutes and then walk off into the mesquites while I hung my head from the bad shot. I then simply left for the house returning this morning to find the buck 20 yards from where I park my truck before I hunt.....lol I couldn't believe he died right by the truck before I got to it that evening. I even walked right passed him that evening on my way out.
Justa8 is a cool deer to me and I'm proud of him.
Oh yeah,Snow melts fast in West Texas
Thanks to Brandon AKA "Corn Slinger" for helping my look for this deer.
121 6/8
Justa8 is a deer I have know about for about 10 months now and posted several T/C pics here on TBH all Summer while he was growing his 8 point frame. I don't have much of a story other than its been a challenging hunting season with the new lease not knowing what to expect. Passing on 2 different 130" class deer early on in October and then a 130" 8-point that hung around the feeder until December 7th has proven to be a mistake.
Late October all the deer that I had all Summer left the property until recently. This has to be one of the worst years on feed for the deer Id like to shoot in a long time. Most of the bucks that I passed in October were shot by neighboring gun hunters
With our lease only 1,150 acres its hard to hold them when the rut starts. I thought this year would yield a 140-150" buck on our place thus passing on the 130 class bucks early on plus the 130" 8-point I had from Halloween to Dec 7th that fell to a gun hunter nearby. Since late October I have not seen any new bucks over 115". Fast forward to Mid December when some of my October deer start showing back up. I was in disbelief that we had not seen or got any pictures of a buck bigger than 130 through the rut but happy to see that one buck made it "Justa8". The gun hunters had taken a toll on our bucks and Justa8 was about the best buck left over. With word from a neighbor that he had pictures of Justa8 and was going after him this week made my decision to go after him. I have always liked his look packing 22" main-beams on a 14" wide frame. We had him estimated at 120-122 gross off pictures and video before I put a ARRA through his "LIVER" . Yes I said Liver......lol
This morning we set out on the trail of Justa8 after one of the worst shot placements in my 26 years bowhunting. With the snow fall yesterday and the colder weather I was layered up with evidently too much clothing for my bowstring to hit. I couldn't believe when the string hit my arm that it would knock the arrow off 6" from my intended spot.....but the video showed the damage and confirmed the Liver/stomach area as the outcome of my mistake. I watched the buck stand in one spot for 15 minutes and then walk off into the mesquites while I hung my head from the bad shot. I then simply left for the house returning this morning to find the buck 20 yards from where I park my truck before I hunt.....lol I couldn't believe he died right by the truck before I got to it that evening. I even walked right passed him that evening on my way out.
Justa8 is a cool deer to me and I'm proud of him.
Oh yeah,Snow melts fast in West Texas
Thanks to Brandon AKA "Corn Slinger" for helping my look for this deer.
121 6/8
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