Zim

After losing virtually my entire 2020 deer season to a severe case of Covid last year, I can’t describe how great it was just to be in a tree this fall. I spent the peak rut quarantined 10 days on a cot in my Kodiak 10'x10' tent. Getting out just once to go to the ER for oxygen. It was so awesome just to be outside to watch the leaves change and take in the views. On November 3rd I took a nice 140” buck with my first Illinois tag. Then on November 16th, after 32 years of bow hunting, my dream buck finally paid me a visit.

That morning I overslept an hour and had to rush just to get to my stand at dawn 6:15 am. That may have actually helped me. Wind was light and variable. I always move around between trees and areas to keep my setup clean. This buck may have been patrolling and scented me had I been there longer. Will never know. Was set up in a telephone pole tree 22’ high with a primary bedding area marsh to my back. Facing a thick briar filled clear cut. With timber, lots of rubs/scrapes beyond that 30 yards. Forty minutes later at 6:55 am this buck walks out of the marsh to my right 30 yards and I freeze. He was downwind but not completely. I had about a 15 degree advantage. My next pacer checkup at Central DuPage the cardio nurse is probably going to ask me what I was doing 11/16/21 at 6:55 am.

The buck stared me down for about 20 seconds, but I did not budge. To my surprise, he then just put his head down and proceeded across the clear cut. Later I noticed he was blind on the driver’s side, likely from a fight with another buck. When he went behind a shrub, I was able to stay seated and pivot my legs to the right, in position to draw. 8” Tree was too thin to stand up and not shake. Buck walked up a trail I had ranged the evening before at 25 yards. My only chance would be to draw now, before the trail split, because if he took the right trail I would only see his rump. My mode shifted to stone cold and I held the 20 yard pin a bit high, rock steady at release. (My 30 yard pin had bent the day before pulling it through some briars) The pop sound on impact was right, but he bounded off before I could see the arrow. It was not an easy shot. I had to squat down to send arrow under an overhanging branch. And the buck’s bottom 1/3rd of his torso was covered by grass. Despite my confidence, I stayed on stand for 2 1/2 hours, giving him time.
At 9:30 I climbed down and began searching. Found no arrow and zero blood for an hour of searching, so began a grid search. Not ten minutes into it, looked up and saw an image I thought was a mirage. A bow hunter’s dream mirage. Afterwards measured my shot at 28 yards. A center punch heart shot. Found buck 50 yards from impact. Really thankful I was able to hold it together to make this shot after waiting so many years.

Taxidermist green scored him at 205” but said he would not trust his number because he was not sure how to measure all the junk. Most folks who looked at him said more like 190”. I have no idea because I’ve never shot anything close to this caliber. Will find out in January when I’ll have him measured by P&Y. Was very fortunate to buy the last real Illinois lifetime hunting license back in 2006. Finally paid off when I bailed on the state and moved here to Indiana two years ago. Otherwise I could not have even bought a 2nd archery buck tag this year, much less for only $26.

I need to thank my best hunting bud, Don, for storing and taking home the venison from my doe and first buck, and my portable boat and motor from our first hunt. I don’t know what I’d have done without that. Also need to thank Hunters Haven in Champaign for staying late to install new string & cables on my bow. It had blown up October 15th. They also put that pink whisker biscuit on my bow, as my old one was worn out.
Gear: My bow was a 14 year old Redhead Toxik made by Bowtech. Tree stand was a 14.7# Lone Wolf Assault climber at 22’ up. I don’t use trail cams. I don’t use scents or any gadgets.