scottonbuck
Well-Known Member
Well my patience and persistance finally paid off on Nov. 21. I put an arrow thru the #2 buck on my hit list. I got some trail cam photo's of this big 8 pt in September and was excited to see a big 8 on the farm. I put him in the #2 spot as the farm also was packing a whopper 10pt who hailed in the #1 spot. After a few sightings of the big ten in early Oct. he vanished. I thought dang it he did this last year as soon as the bucks started testing thier dominance. Still havent seen him again. So on Nov. 11 I see the big 8 following a doe across the bean field toward my stand, but the angle they were going was going to put them down wind of me before I ever got a shot. In an attempt to get him to change angles I grunted at him, he looked my direction and then continued on his original path. So I let out a long deep grunt, and this got his attention and he started coming my way as he closed to 60 yards he was still going to come by down wind but I had one shooting lane before he got there. I got ready for him to come in to the lane, ranged the distance at 29 yards and clipped my realease on and waited. Slowly he meandered in to sight stopping with just his head and neck in my lane. I drew back as he was looking at the doe who was 50 yard out and waited for him to take his last two steps. Didnt happen though the doe caught my wind and turned back west with him in tow SO CLOSE. I then started making a plan I saw where they had come out of the draw and thought to myself that he would be back in there as soon as he was done with that doe. It was a really thick bedding area that is impossible to hang a stand in without the deer knowing, Or so I thought. After some serious thinking I came up with the plan, I would just wait untill all the deer are out feeding in the fields, which would be after dark. I thought to myself DUH why didnt you think of that 3 years ago. Sometimes i am a little slow. So the plan was set and my 2 boys and I set off on our stand hanging adventure. I waited untill around 8pm to go in and hang the set. It was cold, dark and began to rain, perfect the rain will wash away our traces of being here. I explained to the boys it was very important that we be super duper quiet as we didnt want the deer to know we are sneaking in their bedroom. My youngest said to me " So we are kind of like spys then" I said exactly we are just like spy's. So I gave each a flashlight so they wouldnt be fighting over who got to hold the light, grabbed the set and we were off.
With the set hung it was just a matter of time for me to shoot the big 8, I sat in the stand that next morning saw 7 bucks cruising but no big 8. Fast forward to Nov. 21 sunday morning I was in the stand for the second time in search of the big 8. at 7:30 I rattled and had a small 6 point come in behind me. I was watching him and then saw a doe a little ways in front of him. As I was watching them I heard footsteps right next to me. I turn and it is a big heavy mack daddy 9pt. I thought to myself not the big 8 but a shooter indeed, so i grabbed my bow moved my hanger back to open the lane, drew back all while he looked up at me settled the pin and let er rip. He turned bolted 20 yards then stopped and looked back. I was waiting for him to tip over when he just flicked tail and walked off and continued his mission. I climbed down to retrieve my arrow and it was clean not a hair on it. I was baffled as how the heck I missed him he was only 10 yards broadside. Well I climbed back up and it was now 7:45 just as I got my harness clipped back on I had 130" 8 walk on in. I watched him untill he was out of sight thinking there was still hope of killing a nice one. 8:00 i hit the horns together again this time making sure I was paying attention and low and behold I see a buck coming, he pops out of the creek at 35 yards and it is the big 8. I grabbed my bow, clipped my release and waited for an eternity for him to casually make his way into my lane. As my knees were knocking I drew back and kept telling my self to focus and pick a spot. I put the pin on him and let er rip only this time we had impact. The shot was just a little back and high. I knew right away it was a lethal shot but I needed to give him time. After an hour I climbed down went to where he was standing and their was decent blood right away. I was thinking worst case scenerio at this time and marked the blood with my hat hanging from a limb and left. I wanted to give this deer a full 12 hrs just in case and those 12 hours were brutal constantly second guessing the shot, I all most had my self convinced I didnt hit him where I thought etc. After looking at anatomy diagrams all after noon to see exactly how long to wait I just opted to wait the full 12. So at 8:00 pm we where on the trail and 15 min later we spotted whitebelly and big rack. He only went 125 yards and laid down. I am a firm believer when in the when in doubt back out theory and it proved true once again. I call this the Magic 8 Buck as I shot him at 8:00am and recovered him around 8:00pm, He is a giant 8 pt and the 8th buck to mounted for my wall. So I guess this buck revolves around the number 8. It was the second time I saw him on the hoof and I sealed the deal as he was nearly nocturnal untill he was struck by the power of Love.
Long story.
With the set hung it was just a matter of time for me to shoot the big 8, I sat in the stand that next morning saw 7 bucks cruising but no big 8. Fast forward to Nov. 21 sunday morning I was in the stand for the second time in search of the big 8. at 7:30 I rattled and had a small 6 point come in behind me. I was watching him and then saw a doe a little ways in front of him. As I was watching them I heard footsteps right next to me. I turn and it is a big heavy mack daddy 9pt. I thought to myself not the big 8 but a shooter indeed, so i grabbed my bow moved my hanger back to open the lane, drew back all while he looked up at me settled the pin and let er rip. He turned bolted 20 yards then stopped and looked back. I was waiting for him to tip over when he just flicked tail and walked off and continued his mission. I climbed down to retrieve my arrow and it was clean not a hair on it. I was baffled as how the heck I missed him he was only 10 yards broadside. Well I climbed back up and it was now 7:45 just as I got my harness clipped back on I had 130" 8 walk on in. I watched him untill he was out of sight thinking there was still hope of killing a nice one. 8:00 i hit the horns together again this time making sure I was paying attention and low and behold I see a buck coming, he pops out of the creek at 35 yards and it is the big 8. I grabbed my bow, clipped my release and waited for an eternity for him to casually make his way into my lane. As my knees were knocking I drew back and kept telling my self to focus and pick a spot. I put the pin on him and let er rip only this time we had impact. The shot was just a little back and high. I knew right away it was a lethal shot but I needed to give him time. After an hour I climbed down went to where he was standing and their was decent blood right away. I was thinking worst case scenerio at this time and marked the blood with my hat hanging from a limb and left. I wanted to give this deer a full 12 hrs just in case and those 12 hours were brutal constantly second guessing the shot, I all most had my self convinced I didnt hit him where I thought etc. After looking at anatomy diagrams all after noon to see exactly how long to wait I just opted to wait the full 12. So at 8:00 pm we where on the trail and 15 min later we spotted whitebelly and big rack. He only went 125 yards and laid down. I am a firm believer when in the when in doubt back out theory and it proved true once again. I call this the Magic 8 Buck as I shot him at 8:00am and recovered him around 8:00pm, He is a giant 8 pt and the 8th buck to mounted for my wall. So I guess this buck revolves around the number 8. It was the second time I saw him on the hoof and I sealed the deal as he was nearly nocturnal untill he was struck by the power of Love.
Long story.
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