139-4/8" Gross
136-2/8" Net
3-1/4" Deduction
Well, big for around here. He' s only got a 16" spread, but he' s got very heavy beams and tines. G2' s are about 7" , G3' s are 9" , G4' s are 6" , brow tines are 2.5" & 3.5" , beams are 20" . He carries the mass out all the way to the tips and has huge bases. I don' t know the actual weight of the deer, but comparing it to know weights of other deer taken by friends this year we estimate him at around 170 dressed.
The story:
11-8-03
6:45 am I hear the telltale sound of a deer approaching from behind....and a truck rolls up the road only 100 yards away. I see the deer stop in some very thick saplings just 20 yards away....all I could see was his neck and head and that rack! The truck stops! I think somebody had to pee, they get out of the truck, rustle around a little and they get back in the truck and leave. The buck stands motionless for about 10 minutes staring in the direction of the noise....he didn' t even blink, twitch an ear or anything! Finally he takes a few steps into my shooting lane....he turns and quarters away.....I release! I see the arrow hit him way too far back, in the hind quarter.....I don' t know what happened, I think I hit my sleeve on my heavy parka, but not sure didn' t check the bow yet. The deer runs a circle around me and stops in a clearing at just ten yards, I draw and as I begin to touch off another shot he bolts and I miss. He runs down over the hill right towards my buddy Ryan and stops just 20 yards from him. Ryan sees my arrow sticking out of his rump and decides he has to try and get another arrow in him. His shot deflects off of a twig and the buck runs down over the hill to the creek. We wait an hour and then I climb down to check for blood, all the while thinking the worst and praying for the best. I find blood right where he' s standing and a solid trail all the way to Ryan' s stand and beyond. A blind man could have followed this blod trail it was so thick! I start down over the hill on the trail, but Ryan forgets his orange, so he goes back to his stand and grabs it and then starts down over the hill right there near his stand. I' m following the trail when Ryan starts yelling " You got him, you killed him, he' s down by the creek" .....then the buck lifts his head! He was laying on his back with his antlers dug into the ground....then roled over to a bedded position and picked his head up. We decide to back out of the area and wait longer, but before we could he gets a little bit of clarity and energy and gets up after three tries and trots up the hill and crashes. We back out and call a buddy 45 minutes away....he get there in 30 minutes! At 10am the three of us decide to go up the valley.....I take the low side, Ryan goes up the middle of the hill and Steve goes up towards the top. After a short, quit walk Steve whistles and I come up the hill....HE' S STILL ALIVE! I had to put another arrow into him, but he was not going anywhere. I felt bad that I made him suffer for 3 hours, but I' m very happy that we didn' t lose him or push him. This is the biggest buck that I' ve ever seen in the woods! After a pisture taking session and hoots and hugs and high fives it was time to get messy. I' ll never forget that morning, that buck, or sharing those memories with my two best friends!
I' ve got about 20 pictures, but don' t have a way to post them. If anyone wants to help me out here I' d really appreciate it.....email:
jasonn@loranger.com. Thanks.
Got a BIG 10 Point!(UPDATE : Score Added!!)
