Well, every October, some of us fellas get together and head to the DNE ranch in West Texas for a good time. We always know that the food and good times will be over the top, and there is always that chance at a good buck too. I've been making this trip since about 2004, and have only shot 1 good buck. Every year, it seems that I had some story about the one that got away. A couple of years ago, it was a mack daddy that I videoed the "perfect shot" on, only to have no recovery. The last day of season, he was taken by a good friend of mine. I was happy knowing that my buddy had bagged another good deer, and that I hadn't lost a good animal. Fast forward to this year. I got a good doe on the second day out, and settled in to look for a buck. There were several sightings of a deer we began calling "the axis buck" because his rack resembled that of an axis deer. He was an old, heavy 8pt. I had made up my mind to focus on him, when my buddy told me he had seen a really good buck at another stand, and he thought that I really ought to take a look at him. Thanks Rick!!!! The next morning, I sat in the ground blind and watched a really nice 10pt come in, but he was just a little too young. A couple of times, I was tempted to take him, but just couldn't make myself do it. Then, in came 'the man'. He fed around inside the feed pen, then hopped out to mix with the 10 in the hand corn at 25 yards. When he was broadside, I came to full draw, only to have the 10 step in front of him. I had to let down and wait for another 5 minutes or so. Some of this was pretty tense as a spooky old doe had come in and was staring intently into the blind. I just knew it was over. Then, she stepped out of the way, and ol' big boy ambled back into position. I pulled, back, anchored, found hair in the shoulder, and the rest was history. After things settled down, I could see my FOB laying on the ground where he had been standing, and my arrow was over against the side of the feed pen. The recovery was about 100 yards long, and was the first real blood trail for my puppy hound (she did pretty good by the way). The T3 broadhead did a number on him. I wish I had more pictures, but this will just have to suffice. I was way too excited to think about them.
Thanks again Rick - he is way more awesome than the axis buck!!
skooter
Thanks again Rick - he is way more awesome than the axis buck!!
skooter
Comment