What a year!!!! I got my first ever archery whitetail in early October and my first archery buck (and biggest with any weapon) in mid November. After many years of trying and never closing the deal, I go and get 3 deer in one season. Here's the story of the buck.
I found this location in early October and decided to hang a lock on stand there. It is a nice location with a gully that runs on the west side and thick bedding areas to the east. My stand was facing North knowing that the prevailing winds for the area would be Northerly and it really didn't look very good to the South of me anyway.
I did not hunt this stand for about 3 weeks after I hung it. I out to my stand early on a Sunday morning and got settled in. The wind was out the North and everything was looking great. Well, mother nature had different plans and decided that a Southerly wind would be in order for the day. I seen a few smaller bucks playing around but nothing even close to being a shooter. It sure was nice seeing the activity though. All was quiet and I heard a water splash and a stick break right behind me. Lucky for me that ol mother nature played switch-a-roo with the wind. I slowly look over my shoulder and see this buck already in shooting range and didn't have a clue that I was there. I still have no idea where he came from. I start to stand and either my binoculars or my range finder clanked on my stand. Not a good move!!! He hears this but can't make out where it came from and continued eating. I get turned around and range him at 26 yards. Get ready to draw and get busted. He begins to trot off and stop him with a mouth bleat. At this point, I have no idea how far he is. I slowly raise my range finder and get him a 36 yards. I still don't know why he stopped. Maybe it was because of the smaller buck 30 yards from him. With his attention on the smaller buck, I draw, place my 40 yard pin a little low behind his shoulder, and squeeze my release. The Rage 2 blade broadhead hit home and made for a short tracking job of less than 50 yards.
It isn't huge by any means but he is a monster in my eyes and much bigger than anything I have ever killed with any weapon. What made it even more special was that my wife and daughter were able to make both trips with me and were waiting on me when I got back to camp. Truly a season that I will never forget.
Enough of the story...Here are the pics.
And one with my daughter.
First archery buck!!!
