Nov 23rd - Kickback 8

[LoessHillsArcher]

Russ and I finally caught up to one of the target bucks last weekend, I'm just getting around to posting the story/pics here

TEASER VID OF THE HUNT* (full video can be found on this springs OO DVD, we will post when that is available later)
https://vimeo.com/80171663#at=0


Here is the story Russ wrote...

A slow, frustrating season is one way to describe the hunting year thus far. We have hunted hard and as much as work, and other things would allow. This year brought us more mature bucks on cam than any year before, although we are lacking much of anything with size. Late planting meant late harvest, this drastically cut down on the amount of deer and rut activity we were seeing. Instead of deer hugging the timber edge or staying in the timber they could run anywhere comfortably. Some bucks were on cam under stands, but never when we were there. I was also seeing some of our shooters while out harvesting....so we knew they were there but we couldn't catch up to any of them. For me frustration set in...I was growing impatient fast and wanted to do other things with my time rather than sit out hunting and not see anything. My ambition to film has kind of faded this year to. With work and harvest I wasn't sure how much time I would have to hunt so I was hoping to just get out and fill my tag and not have to worry about a cameraman. Whenever Jordan was available he was kind enough to come film me, even if I tried talking him into going hunting himself so he could shoot something. So fast forward all these crappy days of hunting with no rut activity to be seen to today. We hunted for a bit this morning. David Burmeister Sr. was out filming Jordan and I was lone wolfing it to the spot dad shot his buck in October. I was a little cold, impatient, and just wanted to get out and get in a tractor and help dad...so I did. As I was checking a cam a buck walked in on me and spooked, I probably should have sat longer on such a great morning but didn't. I was helping dad and we were planning on combining till after dark, which meant no hunting for, and I was perfectly fine with that. I text Jordan at 1:30 to tell him I would be helping the rest of the day, and wouldn't ya know it the back axle of the combine breaks at 2:00....so we are done for the day. I rush home and meet up with Jordan and we head to make a quick set in a big gun stand I just hung on a field edge last night. This spot would require a decoy to bring the bucks up the cornfield hill to us. We got out and set in the stand around 3:10. Just barely settled in, I see a nice buck crossing the field between the two timbers. I grunted, snort wheezed, and even rattled with not much response. He looked our way but ended up just going straight into the timber. Literally a couple minutes later, I was staring west watching for him and Jordan tells me there is a big buck right in front of us to the north! He almost appeared out of no where. Jordan knew instantly what deer it was, so I snort wheezed once and he looked our way but did not come. He was all bristled up and heading east down to the creek, but another quick snort wheeze had him heading right for us! As soon as he turned our way Jordan said, "Dude, here he comes, you'll get a shot!". He walked in from about 100yds out, hair on end, ears laid back...he wanted to fight! At 15 yards he was facing us and side stepping to the deer...I wasn't sure if he was going to turn or not! Luckily he turned, I waited till he cleared a branch, bleated....bleated again, then Jordan bleated...he didn't stop, so I shot (I actually thought he was stopped when I shot). Upon impact he jumped a little but he still was all bristled up and just kept walking to the decoy...I couldn't believe it! I knew I smoked him but he just kept going forward. I knocked another arrow and was going to shoot him again but it wasn't needed. A few seconds later he stumbled over, only 30 to 40 yards from us. I was pumped and Jordan and I were both dumbfounded that after ten minutes in the stand we had a buck down! I can't thank Jordan enough for always coming out and filming me...we have a few days late and I surely hope I can return the favor!
The buck, 'Kickback 8', was 4.5. We passed him up last year, and he just didn't show to much potential to grow anymore or turn out to much other than a big 8 pt, so we decided we would take him given the chance. It really is incredible how far these deer travel. Earlier this week I almost hit this buck with my car heading to work....2 miles east from where we got him. Last winter we have pictures of him on another farm a mile west of where we shot him. And still this year we have pictures of him 2 miles north of where we shot him. He sure was making some big treks across the country! I'll have Jordan post more pics when he comes in later!

Here are some harvest pics...

Some pics showing how "far" the buck made it.

And lastly some pics of 'Ole Kickback from over the years...
2011 - 2.5 - Dad and mom saw him once during November but shooting him never crossed their mind. We ended up finding his matched set of sheds in the Spring of 2013

2012 - 3.5 - Dad and Russ each passed him during bowseason with hopes he'd really blow up at 4.5.

2013 - 4.5 - He didn't grow up as much as we had hoped, he was officially on the hit list now.

The buck was ALL OVER during the rut - lots of daylight pics as well. Russ almost hit him with his car on the way to work a few mornings before he shot him. All of these pics were taken very close to tree stands... (this year was the best for getting shooter bucks on cam near stands in daylight... but worse for actually seeing shooter bucks from the stand in daylight... luck was not on our side)

 

[Hardwood11]

Really nice buck

Congrats!!

Also love the trail cam pic with blind in background!!

 

[Brian811]

Congrats!! Great buck

 

[bigbuckhunter88]

Awesome buck and awesome story. Can't wait for the DVD you guys put out.

 

[LoessHillsArcher]

Thanks guys! The buck scored much better than any of us anticipated. Russ grossed him out at 147.5" and I got 148.5". Either way, we were thinking he'd be a 130s 8pt... good surprise I guess! That mass seemed to put the rest of the rack out of perspective but he's got great tine length and beams!

 

[zvholk]

Congrats!! Nice deer

 

[bowman]

Congrats! Great documentation on that buck and excellent photos!:way:

 

[Rack480]

Wow. Lots of Trail cam pics of that buck. Great job and congrats!

 

[JNRBRONC]

Congrats! Lots of history with that one.

 

[JakeWym]

Great buck! Congrats.

 

[horkeymike]

Great job guys thanks for sharing :way: