great big buck for the opener, Now what?

Great job, congrats.

Great buck!

Great looking buck! Lots of junk on him. Congrats. That's the way to start the season!

Awesome deer! Congrats on the great buck!

Congrats on your opening day buck. Great looking deer.

OK... The story

Location: Private Land (my father's) 250 acres in north-central Kentucky; Bracken County

Set-up: A large white oak tree with a built in stand (platform). Acorns were falling hard. I shoot a Diamond Liberty 55-pounds, 100 grain slick trick mag broadheads with carbon arrows.

I went out in the morning at a different stand and let my buddy, whom had never had the shot at a decent buck sit in the "white oak stand". I screwed my morning hunt up trying to find my stand, it was one I was a little uncomfortable with, but I was overly confident. Anyway I didn't see a deer all morning. My buddy took a decent 8-pointer about an hour after daylight.

I helped my buddy with his deer, I was drenched and frustrated at my morning hunt so I was happy to give up early to help him. I got him packed up and on his way home (to West Virginia). I proceeded to go in and watch THE Ohio State University eek out a win versus Ohio U.

I decided after much debate to go to the "white oak stand" at around 4:00 pm. The gut pile was close, so I thought I might at least get a shot at a coyote. I saw nothing but a bunch of turkeys, including one bearded hen till abou 6:00 pm when I saw a coyote in the distance. It never came closer than 75 yards from me, so that was frustrating.

At about 7:00 all the action started. I watched two small 6-pointers come at me. From my stand I could also see two other distant fields, one had a decent buck (not a shooter for me) and a doe and the other field had 5 does (two of which were fawns). Nothing too exciting till about 7:30.

I was doing one of my turn my head slowly moves when I saw this buck. It caught me completely off guard, he was 20 yards away quartering strongly away from me. I had no idea where he came from, he was munching on some acorns. I quickly but quietly stood up and drew my bow back. I held back hoping he would go more broadside than he was. He was approximately at 11 o'clock away from me. I was losing strength, I am a small guy and helped drag a deer all morning up hill. I couldn't sustain much longer, so it was now or never.

I aimed behind his ribs and let if fly. I heard my string "woosh" and heard a great thud as it went through his body. In reality the arrow entered just in front of his left thigh and went straigh into his chest. The arrow went completly into his body and never exited. It creamed his heart and took out part of one lung. The deer ran approximately 30 yards and crashed. I love that sound from the stand. Unfortunately it took me almost an hour to find him. He left no blood train (no exit wound) and it was getting dark

He had crashed by ringing his antlers around a tree. He was 235 pounds prior to field dressing. My picture really doesn't do him justice. I didn't get a chance to score him yet, but he is in the high 130's / low 140's with very nice symmetry. Unfortunately with the temperature, I tried to ice him down, but the meat was a little green when I checked in the morning, hopefully just a little of the guts and just surface staining. The butcher seemed to think it would be mostly o.k.

He is at the taxidermist getting a semi-sneak forward looking mount! Sorry I don't have any good pictures.

Nice deer!

awesome buck!!

rick

Thanks for all the comments guys... I should have him back from my Taxidermist before Thanksgiving!!!! Add it to the wall. I am excited about the short haired cape. He is definately not my "biggest" but he might be my best scoring since he is symmetrical.

I am thinking 135 hopefully... Thoughts?

Unfortunately I lost all his meat. I live in Columbus and we were without power for too long