Great Buck pic - you might like!
08-22-2005, 09:14 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location:
Posts: 13
Great Buck pic - you might like!
Hi all! I thought those who read the board might like this pic. Never mind the date. The pic was taken last year towards the end of August over a small clover and chickory food plot that we have next to one of our stands. Behind the deer is a large wood lot, in front of the deer (behind the camera) is a CRP grass field followed by various corn fields. This buck has been rarely seen, but we have 3 local residents who have seen it as well as me. The buck, no kidding, is estimated to be in the 190 - 200 class range which would put it way into the Wisconsin books. (Our land is in Polk County, Wisconsin). On top of the sightings, I actually had the thrill, honor and knee shaking experience to see this deer first hand and actually draw back on him!
The story goes:
I was hunting the stand on the morning of November 8th. It was a nice, typical morning, cool with mostly fair skies. It wass pretty much approaching the peak of the rut and we had been seeing nice deer and deer movement for the past 5 days. I am fortunate enough to hunt land where I can pass on 2 1/2 year old deer in the hopes of getting a shot at a more mature buck.
The stand I was hunting sits on the edge of a woodline, with typical Wisconsin hardwoods to the South of my stand, and CRP grass and corn to the North. Between my stand and the CRP field is a natural grass/swampy area with small ponds and tangle brush/alder sections that extend for 1/4 mile East-West, and about 100 yards wide to a fence line that borders the CRP grass. There are plenty of areas for deer to cross the fence line and actually a broken area in the fence straight across from my stand (100 yards). We often see nice bucks crusing the woodline looking for does that bed in the grass/alder to the Nort of our stand.
The morning was actually quiet, not one deer was moving or heard. About 30 minutes after sunrise, I glanced into the CRP field and noticed a deer moving. I assumed it was a doe, being so out in the open, that I did not get excited at all. I just picked up my binocs to watch the deer, excited that I had something to do. I literally almost fell out of my stand. As soon as I glassed the deer, I saw it had its head down and that the beams were out to the shoulders, it was this buck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Over the years of hunting, I had seen a few nice deer, but never anything even close to this, and not like what was about to happen. I immediatly (duh!) got to my feet. The deer was about 100 yards away and their was very little chance of getting picked up. My stand is 18 feet above ground and blends in pretty well. For the next 10 minutes, I watched this deer work it's way towards me, slowly, checking all doe trails and beds as it came in. I had full views of this deer at all times - looking straight my way, head up, head down, broadside, you name it. As it worked its way into my stand, it was heading right for my main lanes! At 40 yards (behind some brush) I pulled back. I had enough adrenaline in me that I could have held that for an hour!
Well, why are deer like this still around? I learned this lesson next. Instead of taking the lazy way into my area, this buck walked through stuff I did not think a mouse could. It followed the thick brush and woodline into my stand area so I had no shot, and popped out directly below me! There was NO way I was going to take a minimul shot and wound this magnificant animal, so I decided to wait till it was out a few yards and quartering away. Besides, it was walking right towards another main lane (my stand was in some thick stuff - we have to cut shooting lanes). Well, of course the buck did do this. Literally 2 steps from presenting itself a perfect 15 yard quartering shot, it veered parallel to the lane and dissapeared into the woods. I stopped it with a call, but the deer would not come back in, just slowley faded away.
Now, at first you would think that I was going to cry about not harvesting that deer, but, it was the most exilerating 10 minutes I have ever had hunting. You dream about just seeing a deer like this. I have taken about 40 deer in my lifetime, so with that in mind, I estimate the deers body would have field dressed at 250 pounds. It had approimately a 23-24 inch spread and its tines had to appraoch 10 inches. When looking at the picture, keep this in mind to give you an idea of how big this deer is. So, I had the thrill of a lifetime, and, I bet you can guess how many new lanes I cut this spring!!!!
Thanks for letting me rant! I always enjoy others pics and stories and hope you will too.
Good hunting!
The story goes:
I was hunting the stand on the morning of November 8th. It was a nice, typical morning, cool with mostly fair skies. It wass pretty much approaching the peak of the rut and we had been seeing nice deer and deer movement for the past 5 days. I am fortunate enough to hunt land where I can pass on 2 1/2 year old deer in the hopes of getting a shot at a more mature buck.
The stand I was hunting sits on the edge of a woodline, with typical Wisconsin hardwoods to the South of my stand, and CRP grass and corn to the North. Between my stand and the CRP field is a natural grass/swampy area with small ponds and tangle brush/alder sections that extend for 1/4 mile East-West, and about 100 yards wide to a fence line that borders the CRP grass. There are plenty of areas for deer to cross the fence line and actually a broken area in the fence straight across from my stand (100 yards). We often see nice bucks crusing the woodline looking for does that bed in the grass/alder to the Nort of our stand.
The morning was actually quiet, not one deer was moving or heard. About 30 minutes after sunrise, I glanced into the CRP field and noticed a deer moving. I assumed it was a doe, being so out in the open, that I did not get excited at all. I just picked up my binocs to watch the deer, excited that I had something to do. I literally almost fell out of my stand. As soon as I glassed the deer, I saw it had its head down and that the beams were out to the shoulders, it was this buck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Over the years of hunting, I had seen a few nice deer, but never anything even close to this, and not like what was about to happen. I immediatly (duh!) got to my feet. The deer was about 100 yards away and their was very little chance of getting picked up. My stand is 18 feet above ground and blends in pretty well. For the next 10 minutes, I watched this deer work it's way towards me, slowly, checking all doe trails and beds as it came in. I had full views of this deer at all times - looking straight my way, head up, head down, broadside, you name it. As it worked its way into my stand, it was heading right for my main lanes! At 40 yards (behind some brush) I pulled back. I had enough adrenaline in me that I could have held that for an hour!
Well, why are deer like this still around? I learned this lesson next. Instead of taking the lazy way into my area, this buck walked through stuff I did not think a mouse could. It followed the thick brush and woodline into my stand area so I had no shot, and popped out directly below me! There was NO way I was going to take a minimul shot and wound this magnificant animal, so I decided to wait till it was out a few yards and quartering away. Besides, it was walking right towards another main lane (my stand was in some thick stuff - we have to cut shooting lanes). Well, of course the buck did do this. Literally 2 steps from presenting itself a perfect 15 yard quartering shot, it veered parallel to the lane and dissapeared into the woods. I stopped it with a call, but the deer would not come back in, just slowley faded away.
Now, at first you would think that I was going to cry about not harvesting that deer, but, it was the most exilerating 10 minutes I have ever had hunting. You dream about just seeing a deer like this. I have taken about 40 deer in my lifetime, so with that in mind, I estimate the deers body would have field dressed at 250 pounds. It had approimately a 23-24 inch spread and its tines had to appraoch 10 inches. When looking at the picture, keep this in mind to give you an idea of how big this deer is. So, I had the thrill of a lifetime, and, I bet you can guess how many new lanes I cut this spring!!!!
Thanks for letting me rant!
I always enjoy others pics and stories and hope you will too.Good hunting!
08-22-2005, 09:27 AM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 1,469
RE: Great Buck pic - you might like!
You sure that isnt an elk!!!! LOL, wow that is one serious animal,one that may only be seeonce in a million lifetimes. Thanks for the story and i hope you get to hold his rack this fall. Good Luck.
08-22-2005, 09:44 AM
#3
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Kansas
Posts: 6,598
RE: Great Buck pic - you might like!
Nice deer indeed. If your not sure you could make the shot you did the right thing. Them straight under the tree shots are tuff but are lethal. Awsome blood trail when it is pouring out underneath. I've found that monster bucks hardley ever give you the perfect 20 yard broadside shot. Hope you get him this year.
08-22-2005, 11:30 AM
#8
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NY
Posts: 4,668
RE: Great Buck pic - you might like!
A deer like that would test a great many hunters idea of a "good" shot. My hat's off to ya for being aboe to keep your cool in the face of a monster like that. I can only hope that your patience is rewarded with a good clean shot at him this fall.
Good Luck.............he will look sweet on the wall.
Good Luck.............he will look sweet on the wall.
