Opening Day and BBD
 

Yes the pics are bad and sorry.

We had seen this deer in a horse pasture just off Public land Sunday evening. I sneaked in about 3:00 Mondayand found a low spot in the fence and a scrape/licking branch near the fence. I set up about 21 yards downwind of the trail and scrape and sweated....I mean waited. About 3:30 a small spike come by and a nice six with 4 does. They passed within 37 yards. After about 3 hours of watching these deer slowy graze out of site munching on acorns I figure the day is over. I radio my Cousin and ask if he is ready to go. Just then I hear crunch crunch. The Hookster (as we named him Sunday) comes running off the bluff and comes right to the licking branch. He starts rubbing his antlers on the limbs and makes a scrape. Another smaller buck come in right behind him and is waiting his turn for the branch. It is approx 6:50 and getting dark fast. I made a split decision and took the shot while he was working the branch at 21 yards. The Muzzy Mx3 hit high just behind the left shoulder and exited low and back on the right side. He jumped a fence and ran about 40 yard before he expired in sight of my stand.

I admit he did shrink when he hit the ground as the often do. But I was again with my Family and God had blessed me with a great opportunity for anothey P&Y buck that some have never harvested. I was also again assistied by my Dad who helped us field dress and tag him. I know that someday my Dad will be gone but these memories will never be missed and I am truly blessed to have had such a great opening day and shared with those who love the sport as much as I.

Now the Trophy Hunt starts...............Got Jerky now to!

Thanks and Good Luck

Buck.

RE: Opening Day and BBD
 

2 Pic

RE: Opening Day and BBD
 

Congrats! I can see why you named hin hookster. Thats a sweet tine.

RE: Opening Day and BBD
 

Great work, i love that kicker on the G-2.

RE: Opening Day and BBD
 

Congrat's

RE: Opening Day and BBD
 

Good job on an opening day buck!!!

What state are you in?

RE: Opening Day and BBD
 

great story, great deer!!! :)

RE: Opening Day and BBD
 

Buck, that's a VERY nice deer.. love the kicker, too -- really gives him some character!!

Congrats!

RE: Opening Day and BBD
 

Concrats! sweet deer, on public land and opening day, seems like you know what you are doing!

RE: Opening Day and BBD
 

Something bothers me about that statement. First of all congrats on a great buck. If that's not a trophy to you, then what is? That would be a fine trophy and wallhanger in my book any time. If he is not a trophy to you, then why shoot him? If you wanted meat why didn't you just shoot a doe and let him get older and bigger? I'm not knocking you for shooting him. I would have taken him in a heartbeat, because in my eyes he is a trophy. Please don't take this the wrong way, just wanted to know what a trophy is to you and why you decided to take him for meat when you could have taken a doe.

RE: Opening Day and BBD
 

Defenitely a very nice deer by my books. Congrats!!

RE: Opening Day and BBD
 

Congrats on the nice buck!





GH

RE: Opening Day and BBD
 

Superstrutter:

I know that a trophy is in the eye and nothing more. I have had the opportunity to Harvest a 170 Class Buck with my Bow as well as 4 others in the 130 range. If this would have been on our Private land I would have let him walk and get another year older. But due to the location (Shawnee Forrest) he became a Public land trophy ( My largest such to date).

I was hunting just about 90 yards from my Fathers land on the Shawnee. Each year in Pope Co IL hundreads if not thousands of out of towners come in and hunt the firearms season. Within 300 yards of my location there are approx 15-20 olddeer stands and some new ladder stands left behind from last yearon the Goverment property. Most of these hunters are not trophy hunters and will take a basket rack or spike etc. I have no doubt that this deer would not have made it one more year due to the massive pressure in the area.

The venison was just an added bonus ( I just had my last pak of slim jims today). I was going to take a Doe about 15 min before he came in but she was on my bad side (No cover) and spoted me getting into postion. I will not take bucks in the less than 125 range as the norm. This was a close one to that.

Thanks for all the Congrats.

Good Luck to all!

RE: Opening Day and BBD
 

Congrats on a great buck!

RE: Opening Day and BBD
 

great buck