PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

Well, I finally got a PA buck down. I went back to the spot I had hunted last weekend and seen around 40 deer and 8 or 9 bucks during an all day sit. I slipped in nice and early into a tree 40 yards from where I had been a week earlier that put me right in the middle of the action. I had a SSE wind which was just about perfect. There was a misting rain that had everything soaked and dripping so hearing deer would be a problem.

The action started at around 6:10 as I saw deer coming in from the field above me and feeding on the ridge I was sitting on. As time passed I saw a really nice buck out near the field about 200 yards away. I tried bleating and grunting to him, and he heard the calls but he had somewhere else he wanted to be. Shortly after that I caught some movement behind me and saw a good buck chasing a doe with a little buck in tow. The buck was grunting as they circled below me. He eventually ran the doe out of range and they disappeared. I quickly grabbed my Hunt Nut Switch call (shameless plug;)) and started bleating and grunting and the buck started heading back in a bee line to the smaller buck. He was coming from my right to my left and I drew on the left side of my tree and waited. I bleated to stop the buck and he stopped about 10-12 yards up from the bottom of the ridge which I knew was 45 yards away. Figuring on a 35 yard shot I held my 40 yard pin on what I thought was the bottom of the buck's chest but couldn't be sure due to some leaves covering the bottom portion of his body. I held released and watched my arrow sail over his back.[:@] It was more than likely a 33 yard shot and I completely forgot to compensate for the deer being very much downhill from me in my excitement.

Deer continued to come through and I saw a couple more bucks including a small 6 that had a death wish and is lucky I wasn't looking for any buck and another smaller 8 point came through as well. After a while things slowed down and I got a text from my buddy Damien asking me if I was getting rained on as bad as he was.

I replied to him about the weather and told him about my miss and just as I put my phone away this buck steps out from my right 5 yards under my tree.[:o] I saw a good rack and quickly picked up my bow as he continued up the hill. He got behind some branches and I couldn't see him that well despite only being 12 yards away. I made a quick decision to take him and drew back and leaned out as far as I could to my right, which is very difficult being left handed. I found his ribcage anddespite the contorted position I was in settled my pinright behind the 2nd to last rib as the deer was quartering away hard. Just as I released the deer turned to his right and the arrow hit very high and back.

Crushed to see where I had hit the deer I watched him run off and started grabbing another arrow from my quiver. The buck stopped about 55-60 yards away broadside and I prepared to get another arrow into him. As I looked down to nock the arrow and hook up my release I heard what I could have sworn to be a crash and looked up and the deer was gone.

I glassed the area looking for him, but could not see him. I knew there was a gully near where he was standing and thought maybe he fell in that. I figured I'd wait an hour or soand glass up the gully as I quietly backed outto formulate a plan. After waiting I glassed and saw nothing in the gully as Ibacked outso took my gear back to my truck and called my buddy Karl for some help. I went and got breakfast and waited for him and to my dismay the misting rain turned to a downpour as he got there. I knew that whateverminiscule blood trail there would be from my shot was now gone.

It was now 3 hours after the deer was shot. I showed Karl where the deer was when I shot and where I was in the tree and we started walking over to where I last saw him. With an arrow nocked and release clipped on I approached on the ready where I thought I heard him fall. It was all unnecessary and the buck lay there dead in the gully!

What happened with the shot was it was high and back, but punched through the diaphragm took out one lung and stopped as it took out the top portion of the heart. The deer was dead within 20 seconds of the shot. Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good.

The buck is a little smaller than some of the ones I had been seeing and had on trail camera, but I had to make a quick decision and I'm just glad things worked out the way they did. I'm tickled to death with him and he is my second biggest bow kill to date.

Here he is:

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

Nice buck! Good for you!

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

Great story and pictures. Congrats.

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

I can't see the pictures from work, but way to go. Put more points up for the team.

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

Awesome!!! WTG. Nice buck, looks to be very symmetrical

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

Great buck! Congrats!

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

It's about time you got this up! ;)

Congrats, that's a fine buck, nice pix too.

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

Congrats!! Nice pics too!

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

congrat's

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

Way to go Bry!! Congratulation's!!

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

Good job Bryan...congrats!

I like the pics too, your woods look really nice in those pics - almost looks like a back drop :D

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

Thanks, that's what I thought. You'll notice that big hill in the backgound. We just dragged that deer UP that![:'(]

Karl did a great job with the pics.

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

Nice buck, congrats

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

Way to go Bry! Nice buck! Congrats!

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

Awesome buck man!

the background in those pictures almost looks fake! Very cool!

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

Very nice buck,Congrats to a fellow PA bowhunter!Good decision on waiting since you were not sure where he went!

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

Way to go Bry!!! Great buck. CONGRATS BUDDY!!!

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

Thanks for sharing, nice buck, and great pictures.

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

Way to go bro...Nice deer!

Congrats!!

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

Great story.

The pics are so good they look like they came from a studio.

Congrats.

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

Congratulation's!! Beautiful Picture and story as well.

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

I hate to pull a Rob and thank everyone individually, but it does mean so much to me I feel I have to.

Jimi-Thanks I've been at it hard this year.

MN/Kyle-Thank you. I take a lot of pride in the writing I do. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Navy (Craig)-Congrats again to you too. Look out for Team 38 everyone.;)

V8-Yes, he was very symmetrical. His right side was a little busted up from fighting otherwise he'd be dang near perfect.

Rory-Thanks. You're due for a good one here.

Rybo-Yeah, I had about 15 minutes on the computer this weekend. I've got to make up for all the time the wife gives me out in the woods somehow. Congrats to you too again. I was so happy when I got your text. I knew it was either you or Fran and was happy to find out it wasn't him.;) J/K of course.

John Deer-Thank you.

130-Thanks

Schultzy-Thanks Steve. You are always one of the first guys to congratulate people on their success here. I just can't wait to see your post so I can return the favor.

WV-You should have seen the woods in person. It was a breathtaking day.

Canuck-Thanks, your buck was a beauty too.

Carpmaster-Thank you. I was definitely pumped.

Mikey Hunsucker-Thank you buddy. It was a great day in the woods.

BrokenArrow-I saw you had some success on a great buck too. Congrats. Good to see the PA boys puttin em down.

Frocb-Thank you. My buddy Karl really came through with the pics.

PA Hardwoods-Thanks Chad. Those pics would look even better in some Enigma.;)

BigJ-Thanks John. I'm really glad to hear you're bouncing back from your surgery.

Antler Eater-Thank you on the compliment on the story. Coming from you that means a lot. I look forward to yours every fall.

Walleye-Thank you. The only thing that would make the pictures better is if I didn't have such an ugly mug.;)

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

Congrats!! Nice looking buck.

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

Congrats Bry!!!!! Way to go!! Are those picstaken in a Wal-mart studio???[8D]

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

Congrats on the nice buck!!

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

Great Buck Bry...Congrats man..:D

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

Congrats Bry! Is that a rub on that tree to the left??:D

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

Congrats! Great deer and great pics!!

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

That's a nice buck and some great pictures. Congratulations

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

congrats on that nice deer

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

Nice buck. Congrats.

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

Way to go brother! Congrats!

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

Nice buck!

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RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

Pops-Thanks. He sure got my attention when he snuck up on me. LOL

Preach-Thanks Tony. Yes, the backdrop is in WalMart. I was really surprised they let me drag a dead deer in the store.;)

finner-Thank you.

Muck-Thanks, it's been a grind this season.

buckmaster-Thank you, and yes it is a rub. We dragged him up that hill and that seemed like a good place to take the pictures and low and behold there's a rub.

GooseHunter-Thank you. I do try to get the best pics possible.

WIbuckchaser-Thanks

lemond35-Thank you

jim1966-thanks

BowHuntingFool-Thanks Joe. I'm still waiting to see yours.

Deer Destroyer-Thank you. He's got some big brothers I'll be trying to see next season.;)

DropTine-Thanks Ant. I think this morning is going to be awesome. If you're out there good luck. You'll be knocking one down soon I'm sure.

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RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

nice buck

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

What AStory...Those pictures are like nothing I've ever seen. What an awesome background shot. You need to blow your favorite shot up and put it on your wall. That scenary is unreal!

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

thats a hog for a pa buck.. did you happen to see the thread about what happened to the buck ive been after in PA? Found dead on the road next to my house, taped out at 151". Sickening feeling. Look for the post "Shattered Dreams" to read on it.

RE: PA Buck Down! 11/8/08
 

Dude!!!!!! I just got on here and saw your post! Big congrats bud! Beautiful buck.


Shane