It began Tuesday evening when I was told I was to accompany the owner of my company to Dallas. He asked me to be at his house at 7:00am and we'd leave. I began thinking, "cold front, 30 degree low, the company lease is towards Dallas... etc." So I called him and asked if he'd meet me in Ardmore about 9:00am, he agreed then said, "you want to hunt the lease don't you?"... I agreed.
I packed my stuff including my "professional looking clothes" and went to bed. I woke up at 3:45am and headed south, got dressed at the lease and packed my climber to a tree that was perfect for the North wind. I'd seen a huge bodied deer out of this stand last Saturday but never could get a look at his rack. So anyway, I'm in a very thick pocket that is open all around me with thickets very close by. The platform on my Summit climber is about 6 feet off the ground (it's low, but if you could see the thicket, you'd understand). It's low enough that I hold my bow vertical while sitting to reduce movement when I see deer. Here are a few pics out of my stand...
To the NW
To the NE
To the South
As shooting light begins to make an appearance I tip over my can a couple of times with a few soft grunts. No action to start with, about 15 minutes later I tickle the antlers together and sit back. I was hoping for stuff to happen quckly because I'd have to leave the stand around 8:15 to make my meeting point on time. At 7:10 I see two does pop out near the big oak tree in the first photo (above). They slowly feed by at 4 yards, crossed my entry trail and never winded me. 5 minutes later the second doe looks back up towards the big oak, I'm already clipped on and ready to draw, I look up and all I can see are tines and big tines!! The does made a "U" shape and casually walked back to the North and the buck followed, but instead of following their path he cut the corner through the big thicket in front of me. I came to full draw at 35 yards and had 1 limb about 2" that ran across the vitals... no shot. I slowly let down as he watches the does and I call, and call again. He was interested but liked the ladies he could see. He followed them and I didn't see him again he was a perfect typical 10 somewhere around 140". I was bummed but happy to have seen him, and happy to know that my scounting had paid off.
By this time I have about 45 minutes to hunt. I knock the antlers together and grunt softly a couple minutes later I turn over the can and grunt softly again. 10 seconds later I hear heavy foot steps in the thicket back behind me, I quickly turn that direction and clip on my string. I saw the deer for a split second as he went through an opening in the other thicket, immediately I knew he was a shooter. He stopped and I could hear him thrashing a tree but I couldn't see him... so I grunt. No sooner had I lowered my call and I could hear him coming and then I see him at 30 yards trotting directly at me. I figured he's skirt the outside of my thicket and walk through my lane heading back into the wind, I was wrong. He barrelled into my thicked with his nose down, he went behind a tree at 17 yards and I drew back and moved my bow to the only lane I had on that side... 12 yards. His shoulder entered the lane and as he crossed I made a noise and touced the trigger simultaneously. The white blazers quickly disappeared, he high kicked, bolted, and went out of sight wobbling at 60 yards. I sat down so that I didn't fall 6 feet out of my tree and tried to calm down. I had no nerves until after the shot, I had to put in a "calm down" dip to keep my shakes under control... I climbed down (or stepped down
) and walked 13 yards to my arrow... it was beautiful red and bubbly. I called the boss and and told him, his response was "alright I'm on my way, I'll bring someone to drive your truck back and we can go to Dallas." I followed the MASSIVE blood trail the 100gr Slick Trick had produced, I crested the hill and there he was laying in the oaks. I may have yelled out loud (I don't really remember). I took a few pictures with my self timer and some others when my bosses arrived... so here he is.
In all his 146 & 3/4" of glory (**(edit)** forgot to add the 3 1/2 kicker). He's a 4 on his right and a 5 on his left with a 3" kicker for a total of 10. He's sporting 23 1/8" Main beams and 19.75" inside spread. I couldn't be happier, I'm going after the big 10pt tomorrow!
Thanks for bearing with me through the long story!!
