HuntingNet.com Forums - Illinois 8 pt

I wish this were a grand story but.... I had seen 5 bucks earlier that morning and they were all 1 1/2 or younger. I was facing toward the south in a stand that is in a big travel route about 3o yards wide. It is pretty open on both sides of this corridor but I noticed from 100 yards away last year, that all the deer were walking through this heavy cover. The honeysuckles are right in the middle of the timber but real thick. When you look at this area you might think they bed there but its more of just a corridor. Anyway, I had just received a call from a friend that was hunting too. He was asking about what all I had seen and at what times of the day. As I was whispering the necessary info to him I saw a big body jump the fence 120 yds to my right. I saw thisbuck move his head to get around a tree close to the trail and I immediately said gotta go. I knew he had some serious width. I closed the phone, grab the handle of my bow and waited a few steps. The buck was angling right towards the thick cover and I knew he was going to go through. Since I play rangefinder games all day long I know all the distances around my stands. I knew on the other side of the cover was 29 yards. I waited for him to hit the cover and stood up and drew pretty much in one motion. He got to the other side of the cover and stopped to look to the south. I centered my pin and let loose the Grim Reaper I cherish so much. The arrow noticeable struck home and he took of hard for about 20 yards and then looked like a newborn calf just standing for the first time. HE continued on but wobbled up the hill a bit and just fell over. The arrow had passed through and was laying on the ground at about 31 yards. I raised the binocs and could see his rack when he was laying down and was beside myself with joy. I had no time to shake before and now I was letting them go. I called my buddy back and could not keep the phone to my ear because I was shaking so bad. After a 30 mintue wait, I got down and retrieved my trophy. As you can see by looking at my picture, man was I the proudest guy in the trees that day.

When I cleaned him his heart was even attached to his circ. system. It was pretty much lying in his chest cavity. Hoyt Trykon and Grim Reapers. What a combo.