HuntingNet.com Forums - Finally some pics of my 7pt

I copied the story about my hunt from my post when I got him for you to read. it is a long one!!! This deer is a good size one for my area, body wise and rack wise. We do not see many bucks with a good spread or tine length by us, just too many does to compete with. We are in the process of thinning out the herd during this last month of bow season.

Quote:

I thought you posted on how you should pass on the small ones!! I think you are a bit of a hyprocrite!!!

As for this I hope it was a joke!!! Pass on the small ones I do a hypocrite I am not. This is the biggest deer our family has taken in our neck of the woods in some time. I try to go eight or better but this guy was too hard to pass up having a 15 1/2 inch spread and decent mass to his main beams. And body, look at it!!!

Here is my former post on the story:

Well I had posted yesterday about my morning hunt Subject reading " Almost Busted" . The morning excitement carried itself into the evening hunt. I got in my stand around 2 pm and got settled in just having a feeling something was going to happen. It was that dreary type of weather, a light fog rolling through the woods around 42 degrees with a south southwest wind, perfect for this stand location. I had put out two scent wicks (wifes tampons) with tinks 69 on them one at 12 yards and one at 17. Around 3:45 a doe came in from the north west and 5 minutes later a three point came in too at this point hearing him come in I thought it could be the buck I had in that morning so I was up and ready with my bow without getting picked off by the doe. At around 4:15 another doe came in from the south west. The three point started grunting at her and she was very jumpy. As the three pointer went towards her I heard one of those gutteral grunts coming from the west and then I saw him coming. A deffinate shooter by the looks of his spread and mass. He grunted quite a few times on his way in and the little doe took off heading north and the buck circled to where she headed not giving me a good look at him. Well he mosied his way into my opening behind some balsams thankfully not following the doe when I drew. I held my pin an opening where he needed to take one more step for me to get a broadside shot. I was probably at full draw for 20 or 30 seconds when he finally took the step. I settled my pin in and triggerd the release and watched the arrow glance off a balsam limb and pass through his guts. I couldn' t believe it!!!! Below my breath I was saying @#@$%@@@%@@&$%^$. I knew it was trouble for me. I waited a while then got down as quietly as I could, walked to my arrow checking it out and noting it was covered in gut mud with a little blood on the feathers. I left as quiet as I could and headed home. I called for a babysitter (my mother-in-law) and some help for today knowing I had to let him lay all night. I had a tough time sleeping getting only a few hours because 8:00am could not come quick enough. My mother and father-in-law came and I called my buddy and said lets go. We met up around 9:00 and headed to my stand. We could not find anything but tracks so we picked trails and started looking. Not one bit of sign and some pretty thick stuff to look in. Two days ago the ground was covered in snow, I was wishing I had that then. Well after about 25 minutes my buddy yelled " I' ve got blood" so we headed over there. I got there and was looking but could not see any so I asked where is it. He then grabbed one arm and my other buddy grabbed the other and spun me in the direction where the buck was laying. We walked up to find he was still alive but not going anywhere so my buddy stuck him in the lung with his knive. It was over shortly after that. Ted, my buddy is a taxidermist so when we walked up he said you better mount this but if you don' t I want the cape. He was a short deer but had a thick neck and a nice 7 point rack with a 15 1/2 inch spread 142# dressed. It is the biggest deer I have taken yet rack wise.

I am so glad I decided to come back today instead of pushing him. He was only 150 yards or so from my stand. My buddies kept telling me it was a good call to wait until this morning to go after him. I also learned something in the process, take a little more time and make sure of what is in front of you. I could not see the branch there just the opening and the bucks sweet spot. I mentally practice on most deer that come in so I can be prepared for the moment, guess I need a little more mental practice and patients for when the moment arrives.

As I wrote in the post, he was very short from front to back and his hind quarters were pretty small but the front end was quite hefty. His neck was was a little over 18in. measured without the cape on below the jawbone. His weight was the real shocker but he was still a nice deer. He was definately built for fighting!!!!