Most of you guys have probably seen my short post yesterday about the buck i shot. So as promised here is the history, story and pictures of my buck. Sorry for the long read!
The buck i killed yesterday is a buck we named Limousine. His nickname came from his ever stretching beams and long body. I first got pictures of this deer in 2009. He instantly showed his youth and potential! The buck managed to squeak through 09 without being spotted by man, only trail cameras. In 2010 he showed up in late October flaunting his enlarged frame. There were a couple guys that i hunt with that had got pictures of him that year as well and had given him the "shooter" title. I knew he was young and had no reached his full potential. Luckily for me he broke both brow tines off and detoured the interest of a few guys that were chasing him. In 2011 i spotted him for the first time laying in a CRP field bedded with a doe in mid November. It was clear to me at that point that he was indeed a mature deer and i added him to my "shooter" list. I hunted him very hard in 2011 after our first sighting, unfortunately by the time i started to figure out his winter pattern the season came to and end. You can see in the trail cam pictures below that i actually located him with 3 days left in the season. I kept corn out for him for the next month to keep him around with the hopes of picking up his sheds. The second week of January he vanished and was not spotted again until the day i arrowed him.
Yesterday morning i decided by default to go sit the stand that i put of for Limousine last fall due to the 15 mph south winds. The morning started off slow and then eventually got eventful as young bucks began chasing does all around me. After a few minutes the young bucks moved there endless chase to another part of the woods and left me in silence. After an hour of waiting without a deer i noticed a lone doe coming up out of the draw 150 yards to my east. Her ears were laid back and her tail was slightly lifted. It was at the moment that i new something good was going to happen. Only a few moments after spotting the doe i saw a large bodied deer casually following her trail. With a quick look through the binos i could see it was a nice deer. At that very instant the buck looked my direction and took my heart rate through the roof. I knew it was him as soon as i saw the spread. The doe ever so calmly brought Limousine down the trail that would put him 25 yards from me with multiple shooting lanes. As they closed the distance the buck skirted my stand and took a different trail keeping himself in the thicker cover. He was only 18 yards when i cut the arrow loose, the only downfall was it had to shoot him through a very small window in some brush. As the arrow hit him i heard the very distinct sound of ribs breaking, the buck turned and rushed back the way that he had came. After a 100 yard sprint he stopped to look back, at that point i threw up the binos and was puzzled to no see an exit hole. He then walked off and all was silent. I gave him time and climbed down, i went and found my arrow sticking in the dirt confirming a clean pass through. I made sure to give him plenty of time before i went to look for him (4 hours) but some how i managed to bump him bedded only 150 yards from the stand. We heard him scurrying across the draw and up the other side. I then backed out again and gave him more time.
At 4:30 my dad and i returned to the spot of last blood and found my trophy minutes later. He had merely crossed the draw and ran 50 yards before his lungs gave out. This buck has gave me more sleepless nights than i could count! It has been an emotional roller coaster since i set eyes on him. As excited as i am to FINALLY put and arrow through him, it truly is a bitter sweet moment... I am not sure how the woods will feel knowing that there is no chance of seeing the Limousine buck again. Bill Winkle said it best, "Its just not going to be the same, the woods feel empty now."
Once again sorry for the long story, but i had to put it out there. So for what its worth, this is the last chapter of the Limousine story.
The buck i killed yesterday is a buck we named Limousine. His nickname came from his ever stretching beams and long body. I first got pictures of this deer in 2009. He instantly showed his youth and potential! The buck managed to squeak through 09 without being spotted by man, only trail cameras. In 2010 he showed up in late October flaunting his enlarged frame. There were a couple guys that i hunt with that had got pictures of him that year as well and had given him the "shooter" title. I knew he was young and had no reached his full potential. Luckily for me he broke both brow tines off and detoured the interest of a few guys that were chasing him. In 2011 i spotted him for the first time laying in a CRP field bedded with a doe in mid November. It was clear to me at that point that he was indeed a mature deer and i added him to my "shooter" list. I hunted him very hard in 2011 after our first sighting, unfortunately by the time i started to figure out his winter pattern the season came to and end. You can see in the trail cam pictures below that i actually located him with 3 days left in the season. I kept corn out for him for the next month to keep him around with the hopes of picking up his sheds. The second week of January he vanished and was not spotted again until the day i arrowed him.
Yesterday morning i decided by default to go sit the stand that i put of for Limousine last fall due to the 15 mph south winds. The morning started off slow and then eventually got eventful as young bucks began chasing does all around me. After a few minutes the young bucks moved there endless chase to another part of the woods and left me in silence. After an hour of waiting without a deer i noticed a lone doe coming up out of the draw 150 yards to my east. Her ears were laid back and her tail was slightly lifted. It was at the moment that i new something good was going to happen. Only a few moments after spotting the doe i saw a large bodied deer casually following her trail. With a quick look through the binos i could see it was a nice deer. At that very instant the buck looked my direction and took my heart rate through the roof. I knew it was him as soon as i saw the spread. The doe ever so calmly brought Limousine down the trail that would put him 25 yards from me with multiple shooting lanes. As they closed the distance the buck skirted my stand and took a different trail keeping himself in the thicker cover. He was only 18 yards when i cut the arrow loose, the only downfall was it had to shoot him through a very small window in some brush. As the arrow hit him i heard the very distinct sound of ribs breaking, the buck turned and rushed back the way that he had came. After a 100 yard sprint he stopped to look back, at that point i threw up the binos and was puzzled to no see an exit hole. He then walked off and all was silent. I gave him time and climbed down, i went and found my arrow sticking in the dirt confirming a clean pass through. I made sure to give him plenty of time before i went to look for him (4 hours) but some how i managed to bump him bedded only 150 yards from the stand. We heard him scurrying across the draw and up the other side. I then backed out again and gave him more time.
At 4:30 my dad and i returned to the spot of last blood and found my trophy minutes later. He had merely crossed the draw and ran 50 yards before his lungs gave out. This buck has gave me more sleepless nights than i could count! It has been an emotional roller coaster since i set eyes on him. As excited as i am to FINALLY put and arrow through him, it truly is a bitter sweet moment... I am not sure how the woods will feel knowing that there is no chance of seeing the Limousine buck again. Bill Winkle said it best, "Its just not going to be the same, the woods feel empty now."
Once again sorry for the long story, but i had to put it out there. So for what its worth, this is the last chapter of the Limousine story.
