Long read...
Off 2325...South of Carta Valley.
Stationed in San Angelo...nearing the end of my AF career. My FIL got me into bow hunting. I joined his lease last year and took a three pt, a hog, and a doe, which were my first bow kills. Now my whole family is shooting! Upgraded this year from the old hand-me-down PSE to a 'new to me' Switchback XT. I have been practicing nonstop since missing an Axis doe this summer. Wasn't going to miss again....
On to the report...
Drought was tough last year, but we had seen some decent bucks on camera. This year though, we just have not had many good bucks. We chalked it up to too much forage, so deer aren't coming to the feeders. A few 8 pts and numerous young deer on the cameras at various times.
Sitting several times this year, I had only seen 5 points. One spike, and one three.
With the holidays coming up, I took 4 days off work this week...determined to sit as much as possible. Wind did a number on my cattle panel blind...so I made some repairs and checked the card. Lo and behold...one picture of a decent buck. Figured he was just passing through.
camera blew sideways
With 4 solid days to hunt, I decided that I would take him if he happened to roam through, but I put my odds on filling the freezer with the 3 point that has been there frequently.
Sunday night... Great showing. 3 nubbins, one spike, and 7 doe all on corn at the same time.
Monday morning... 6 deer. Same 3 nubbins and the spike, plus two doe.
Monday night... A combo of 7 of the above.
My buddy drove in Monday night, and we stayed up late shooting the breeze. He was sitting with the rest of the time...looking for a pig to show.
Tuesday morning... The spike was working 4 does all over the set-up. Nubbin twins were hanging out...oblivious.
Tuesday night... More of the same. But, at about 5:30, horns came in. A little six, but my hopes were raised. He hung out most of the rest of the evening, hassling the does before following one off into the sunset.
Wednesday morning... Same story. Everything hanging and eating...content and happy.
At 0730...it happened...the 10 point from the camera walked out at 50 yards from my left. My buddy pulled his iPad out and started filming. The does split and the buck never slowed down. Passed right in front of me without hesitating. Came within 30 yards at a lope. I watched him go before I could even get my bow drawn. He is hanging around the area!!! Chasing...but there he was...I was now prepared for an all day sit.
Didn't have to wait that long. 10 minutes later he strolled in from the right. Sniffing and strolling... I told my buddy to drop the iPad and get on the range finder. He came around a tree and stopped with his tail to me at 30 yards. He walked away from me and turned back to the right at 37 yards. He walked four steps as I drew... The he stopped...standing there looking like a 3D target. I ran it through my head...
37 yards... Too far? Solid groups at 40 when practicing... 40 yard pin on the white below his heart. Shoot or regret not taking the shot.
The Rage flew at an arc and he turned on his heels and darted to the creek. All I saw was the nock at the top of the arc. Dadgumit...he ducked it. How did he get that low? Did I get the dreaded TP? Did I hit him poorly? My adrenalin rush dropped to sickness. I turned to my friend and said...it sailed over or hit him high. He told me that the buck had an arrow coming out the other side when he took off. A little high and back he said, but he assured me that I stuck him. I cursed and second guessed myself. I convinced myself that it sailed and my arrow was laying just inside the brush.
20 long minutes before I would even get out to walk to the spot from where he bolted. That's it...I thought. Now I understand why some guys stick to 3D only.
20 minutes...guts churning.
37 yards walking. No blood.. Dang.
39 yds ...
Carnage...hemorrhage...blood lots of
it. Adrenaline rush again...a let out a victory yelp and shook my buddy like a rag doll. A cursory look showed he wasn't DRT...so I turned and walked slowly back to the blind. Ecstatic... The best buck I have ever seen standing is now laying dead somewhere in the woods.
15 more minutes then we'll go get the four wheelers and track him.
No dog needed here... The blood was heavy and good. 15 yards to the dry creek. Down the creek bed...big splatters right next to a 4 foot rock escarpment. He tried to jump up it...a couple of times. Blood on the rocks going up the wall and up the hill. That took a lot out of him...he has to be close. I climbed up. Walked no more than 5 yards up the hill. And.there.he.lay. Just behind a tree.
I assessed my shot placement. Practice paid off. I was a little high and back...but not much. Double lunged. 40 yards into the brush. Down.
I have seen a lot of monster bucks on here, and know many of you would have let him walk one more year. But, he was my trophy. My first real buck with a bow. And come June, I will have him hanging on my wall.
Thanks for sticking with me...I know it was a long read.
Thanks to my FIL (rjbowmaster) for getting me hooked...I wish that I had picked up a bow 20 years ago. This is my last year on the lease though. We bought a place off 674 and have been getting it set up for next year. Looks like I'll be a transplanted Texan once retirement gets here.
And now...the LDP.
Off 2325...South of Carta Valley.
Stationed in San Angelo...nearing the end of my AF career. My FIL got me into bow hunting. I joined his lease last year and took a three pt, a hog, and a doe, which were my first bow kills. Now my whole family is shooting! Upgraded this year from the old hand-me-down PSE to a 'new to me' Switchback XT. I have been practicing nonstop since missing an Axis doe this summer. Wasn't going to miss again....
On to the report...
Drought was tough last year, but we had seen some decent bucks on camera. This year though, we just have not had many good bucks. We chalked it up to too much forage, so deer aren't coming to the feeders. A few 8 pts and numerous young deer on the cameras at various times.
Sitting several times this year, I had only seen 5 points. One spike, and one three.
With the holidays coming up, I took 4 days off work this week...determined to sit as much as possible. Wind did a number on my cattle panel blind...so I made some repairs and checked the card. Lo and behold...one picture of a decent buck. Figured he was just passing through.
camera blew sideways
With 4 solid days to hunt, I decided that I would take him if he happened to roam through, but I put my odds on filling the freezer with the 3 point that has been there frequently.
Sunday night... Great showing. 3 nubbins, one spike, and 7 doe all on corn at the same time.
Monday morning... 6 deer. Same 3 nubbins and the spike, plus two doe.
Monday night... A combo of 7 of the above.
My buddy drove in Monday night, and we stayed up late shooting the breeze. He was sitting with the rest of the time...looking for a pig to show.
Tuesday morning... The spike was working 4 does all over the set-up. Nubbin twins were hanging out...oblivious.
Tuesday night... More of the same. But, at about 5:30, horns came in. A little six, but my hopes were raised. He hung out most of the rest of the evening, hassling the does before following one off into the sunset.
Wednesday morning... Same story. Everything hanging and eating...content and happy.
At 0730...it happened...the 10 point from the camera walked out at 50 yards from my left. My buddy pulled his iPad out and started filming. The does split and the buck never slowed down. Passed right in front of me without hesitating. Came within 30 yards at a lope. I watched him go before I could even get my bow drawn. He is hanging around the area!!! Chasing...but there he was...I was now prepared for an all day sit.
Didn't have to wait that long. 10 minutes later he strolled in from the right. Sniffing and strolling... I told my buddy to drop the iPad and get on the range finder. He came around a tree and stopped with his tail to me at 30 yards. He walked away from me and turned back to the right at 37 yards. He walked four steps as I drew... The he stopped...standing there looking like a 3D target. I ran it through my head...
37 yards... Too far? Solid groups at 40 when practicing... 40 yard pin on the white below his heart. Shoot or regret not taking the shot.
The Rage flew at an arc and he turned on his heels and darted to the creek. All I saw was the nock at the top of the arc. Dadgumit...he ducked it. How did he get that low? Did I get the dreaded TP? Did I hit him poorly? My adrenalin rush dropped to sickness. I turned to my friend and said...it sailed over or hit him high. He told me that the buck had an arrow coming out the other side when he took off. A little high and back he said, but he assured me that I stuck him. I cursed and second guessed myself. I convinced myself that it sailed and my arrow was laying just inside the brush.
20 long minutes before I would even get out to walk to the spot from where he bolted. That's it...I thought. Now I understand why some guys stick to 3D only.
20 minutes...guts churning.
37 yards walking. No blood.. Dang.
39 yds ...
Carnage...hemorrhage...blood lots of
it. Adrenaline rush again...a let out a victory yelp and shook my buddy like a rag doll. A cursory look showed he wasn't DRT...so I turned and walked slowly back to the blind. Ecstatic... The best buck I have ever seen standing is now laying dead somewhere in the woods.
15 more minutes then we'll go get the four wheelers and track him.
No dog needed here... The blood was heavy and good. 15 yards to the dry creek. Down the creek bed...big splatters right next to a 4 foot rock escarpment. He tried to jump up it...a couple of times. Blood on the rocks going up the wall and up the hill. That took a lot out of him...he has to be close. I climbed up. Walked no more than 5 yards up the hill. And.there.he.lay. Just behind a tree.
I assessed my shot placement. Practice paid off. I was a little high and back...but not much. Double lunged. 40 yards into the brush. Down.
I have seen a lot of monster bucks on here, and know many of you would have let him walk one more year. But, he was my trophy. My first real buck with a bow. And come June, I will have him hanging on my wall.
Thanks for sticking with me...I know it was a long read.
Thanks to my FIL (rjbowmaster) for getting me hooked...I wish that I had picked up a bow 20 years ago. This is my last year on the lease though. We bought a place off 674 and have been getting it set up for next year. Looks like I'll be a transplanted Texan once retirement gets here.
And now...the LDP.
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