This story begins on July when I started getting trail cam pics of this buck.
[IMG]
B 10 (2) by derekconnally, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]
B 10 (3) by derekconnally, on Flickr[/IMG]
He was a lot further along than the other bucks I had coming in so I started to think that I would make this buck my target deer for the season. As the summer drug on I got more and more pics of him and he was starting to finish off earlier than the other bucks were as well.
[IMG]
B 10 (11) by derekconnally, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]
B 10 (6) by derekconnally, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]
B 10 (12) by derekconnally, on Flickr[/IMG]
As I looked at him in more and more pics I realized that I would love to have him on the wall.(and in the freezer
) As the season grew near my trail cam quit taking pics at night
. The D40 has had a hard life but will be retired tomorrow. So not having any new pics I did not know if he was still a regular of the feeder/ hand corn or not.
So here it is October 2nd opening morning of deer season and we are in the blind an hour and a half before light. sitting in the dark taking in all of the sounds that I have been away from during the long offseason. At 7 am the feeder starts to sling the golden nuggets and the woods came alive. A few minutes later a doe came in and was very skiddish and saw something or heard something that she did not like and high tailed it out of the area in a rapid manner. Being as still as it was outside I guessed she heard us trying to get the camera on her. At this point I was pretty disappointed that the first deer we had come in busted us. Around 7:15 I happen to lean forward and look out the front left window and there he stood not 20 yards away. The Big 10 I had been wanting all summer was right there.... He was very spooky and cautious as he made his way to my hand corn. I told Megan that he was infront of the blind and as she looked at him for the first time I could see the excitement build in her and I could see her start shaking as bad as I was. I calmed myself by focusing on getting my bow up and watching his body language. As I got the bow ready he was starting to get very nervous and started to walk off...
As my heart sank I looked back up and there he was walking right back to the corn. He got broadside at 20 yards and moved his front leg forward and I drew. He looked up at me as I can to full draw and finally after a few seconds he put his head back down and relaxed. I put my 20 yard pin right in the boiler room and gently touched the trigger and watched the Muzzy 4blade find the mark before he could move.
As we heard the arrow hit Megan and I both stood up to watch him run off. I could not see very much blood on him as he ran, but I looked at where he stood and I could see the blood on the cactus behid where he stood. We were both going crazy in that popup with emotion. I think Megan was just as pumped as I was!
After texting my dad and the guys on the lease about what I had done we waited 30 minutes before going to look for him. As I got to the scene of impact I could see the lung blood on the cactus and arrow. After a 50 yard track job Megan spotted the white belly.
(sorry for the nasty pic but who says that you have to shoot the Rage to make a mess
)
[IMG]
100_0018 by derekconnally, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]
B 10 (2) by derekconnally, on Flickr[/IMG][IMG]
B 10 (3) by derekconnally, on Flickr[/IMG]He was a lot further along than the other bucks I had coming in so I started to think that I would make this buck my target deer for the season. As the summer drug on I got more and more pics of him and he was starting to finish off earlier than the other bucks were as well.
[IMG]
B 10 (11) by derekconnally, on Flickr[/IMG][IMG]
B 10 (6) by derekconnally, on Flickr[/IMG][IMG]
B 10 (12) by derekconnally, on Flickr[/IMG]As I looked at him in more and more pics I realized that I would love to have him on the wall.(and in the freezer
) As the season grew near my trail cam quit taking pics at night. The D40 has had a hard life but will be retired tomorrow. So not having any new pics I did not know if he was still a regular of the feeder/ hand corn or not. So here it is October 2nd opening morning of deer season and we are in the blind an hour and a half before light. sitting in the dark taking in all of the sounds that I have been away from during the long offseason. At 7 am the feeder starts to sling the golden nuggets and the woods came alive. A few minutes later a doe came in and was very skiddish and saw something or heard something that she did not like and high tailed it out of the area in a rapid manner. Being as still as it was outside I guessed she heard us trying to get the camera on her. At this point I was pretty disappointed that the first deer we had come in busted us. Around 7:15 I happen to lean forward and look out the front left window and there he stood not 20 yards away. The Big 10 I had been wanting all summer was right there.... He was very spooky and cautious as he made his way to my hand corn. I told Megan that he was infront of the blind and as she looked at him for the first time I could see the excitement build in her and I could see her start shaking as bad as I was. I calmed myself by focusing on getting my bow up and watching his body language. As I got the bow ready he was starting to get very nervous and started to walk off...
As my heart sank I looked back up and there he was walking right back to the corn. He got broadside at 20 yards and moved his front leg forward and I drew. He looked up at me as I can to full draw and finally after a few seconds he put his head back down and relaxed. I put my 20 yard pin right in the boiler room and gently touched the trigger and watched the Muzzy 4blade find the mark before he could move.
As we heard the arrow hit Megan and I both stood up to watch him run off. I could not see very much blood on him as he ran, but I looked at where he stood and I could see the blood on the cactus behid where he stood. We were both going crazy in that popup with emotion. I think Megan was just as pumped as I was!
After texting my dad and the guys on the lease about what I had done we waited 30 minutes before going to look for him. As I got to the scene of impact I could see the lung blood on the cactus and arrow. After a 50 yard track job Megan spotted the white belly
.(sorry for the nasty pic but who says that you have to shoot the Rage to make a mess
)[IMG]
100_0018 by derekconnally, on Flickr[/IMG]
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