He isn't a monster but.....
10-25-2004, 09:27 AM
#1
Boone & Crockett
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Lehigh County PA USA
Posts: 12,157
He isn't a monster but.....
.....I am sure proud of him. 
I took my buck for the year folks and only my second ever with a bow. He is a standard six with one little kicker point off of the base of the antler (hidden behind my right hand). I shot him Friday evening just before dark.
The story......
Friday afternoon found me sitting at home with my 2 year old son debating on whether to go pheasant hunting with the in-laws or bowhunting for an hour or so by myself up at the local gamelands. I ended up choosing the latter because my wife did not get home from work until close to 5 pm and the in-laws had been out hunting for over an hour at that point. So, with the car loaded up I headed to the one of my usual "haunts".
Upon approaching the location I noticed another car parked close by. I then decided to hit a field that was very productive two years ago but was allowed to remain barren last season. This year it was hit or miss in my opinion as I had very few pics on the game cam despite a plentiful crop of corn. After rounding the bend next to the field I noticed another vehicle parked alongside the road. Luckily, this time it was one of my neighbors and I knew he would not mind if I set up next to him.
After locating him and giving him the heads up that I was over there I proceeded to hang my stand and get settled in. The time was 5:15 pm. My thoughts were that I would hunt for about an hour and then discuss our plan of attack for tomorrow morning back at the car. After about a half hour I heard what sounded like a bell and some hollering coming from the direction of my buddy but out in the cornfield. After a few seconds a small game hunter and his dog appeared. (Note, our small game season started Saturday and many small game hunters take their dogs out on the local gamelands the day or two before the hunt starts to get the dogs "ready" for the upcoming season) The dog and hunter proceeded to circle the little corner of the field that I was set up in and then headed back towards the vehicles.
At this point it was late and I was sure that I would not see any deer because of the amount of noise that the dog and hunter had made. I put away my binoculars and my can-call but left an arrow nocked. I thought I would give it a few more minutes and then get down and wait for my buddy to head over to my location before heading out. Just as I was about to put my arrow back in the quiver I heard the snap of a branch in the little jut of woods that I was sitting next to. I scanned the wooded area but just expected it to be a squirrel or another hunter moving through.
After not seeing anything I decided to start packing up but before I did I took one last look into the woods....and was able to pick out the rear end of a deer moving parallel to my location with its head down feeding. As it continued to walk it lifted its head up and I immediately noticed the rack. Having put away my Nikons I had no way of determining just how big it was and therefore whether or not it was legal. (Note, Pennsylvania instituted antler restrictions a few years ago and in my area the minimum requirement is 3 points to a side). However, I thought I might as well try to call it in to get a better look.
I never took my eyes off of the buck but used my right hand to reach behind the tree in my pack to pull the can-call back out. By the time I was finally able to find it the buck had made a beeline away from me towards the private land. I eventually pulled it out of the pack and let out two long, slow doe estrus bleats from it. The buck's head immediately shot up and he proceeded at a slow trot directly towards my stand. As he got closer I was able to count the points and determine that he was indeed a legal buck.
He had to step through about 4 yards of thick undergrowth before coming out into the little open clearing where I could get a shot. He did so and proceeded to sniff the little scent canister that I had hanging on a limb above the trail. As he turned his body slightly away I settled my 20 yard pin directly above his shoulder (downward angle) and let the arrow fly. In all the excitement I did not see the arrow penetrate but knew that I had a solid hit by the feel of the shot and the sound of the arrow impacting the target. The buck ran down the hill through a very thick area of undergrowth. I lost track of him after about 50 or 60 yards.
My neighbor, on the other hand, was literally jumping up and down in his climber with excitement. As I watched him descend the tree I heard another branch snap in the same direction that I first saw the 6 pointer. As I turned my head to look in that area I saw an 8 pointer emerge from the darkness and proceed down the trail that the 6 pointer was originally on. I decided to try to wait him out as I did not want to spook him as I knew my neighbor was going to be hunting the area again this week. I waited about 10 minutes and he finally drifted off towards the private land.
To make this long story short, the neighbor came over and we tracked the buck for 60 or 70 yards before finding him down at the bottom of the hill. I had hit him just above the right shoulder and the arrow exited under the left leg catching the one lung and part of the heart. It was a short drag to the truck and a very nice ending to what was a very stressful day at work.
The buck dressed out at 148 lbs and scored (roughly) in the upper 60s for the big buck contest.
My gear.....
Bowtech Mighty Mite VFT
Beman ICS 340s
Rocket Steelhead 100s
I took my buck for the year folks and only my second ever with a bow. He is a standard six with one little kicker point off of the base of the antler (hidden behind my right hand). I shot him Friday evening just before dark.
The story......
Friday afternoon found me sitting at home with my 2 year old son debating on whether to go pheasant hunting with the in-laws or bowhunting for an hour or so by myself up at the local gamelands. I ended up choosing the latter because my wife did not get home from work until close to 5 pm and the in-laws had been out hunting for over an hour at that point. So, with the car loaded up I headed to the one of my usual "haunts".
Upon approaching the location I noticed another car parked close by. I then decided to hit a field that was very productive two years ago but was allowed to remain barren last season. This year it was hit or miss in my opinion as I had very few pics on the game cam despite a plentiful crop of corn. After rounding the bend next to the field I noticed another vehicle parked alongside the road. Luckily, this time it was one of my neighbors and I knew he would not mind if I set up next to him.
After locating him and giving him the heads up that I was over there I proceeded to hang my stand and get settled in. The time was 5:15 pm. My thoughts were that I would hunt for about an hour and then discuss our plan of attack for tomorrow morning back at the car. After about a half hour I heard what sounded like a bell and some hollering coming from the direction of my buddy but out in the cornfield. After a few seconds a small game hunter and his dog appeared. (Note, our small game season started Saturday and many small game hunters take their dogs out on the local gamelands the day or two before the hunt starts to get the dogs "ready" for the upcoming season) The dog and hunter proceeded to circle the little corner of the field that I was set up in and then headed back towards the vehicles.
At this point it was late and I was sure that I would not see any deer because of the amount of noise that the dog and hunter had made. I put away my binoculars and my can-call but left an arrow nocked. I thought I would give it a few more minutes and then get down and wait for my buddy to head over to my location before heading out. Just as I was about to put my arrow back in the quiver I heard the snap of a branch in the little jut of woods that I was sitting next to. I scanned the wooded area but just expected it to be a squirrel or another hunter moving through.
After not seeing anything I decided to start packing up but before I did I took one last look into the woods....and was able to pick out the rear end of a deer moving parallel to my location with its head down feeding. As it continued to walk it lifted its head up and I immediately noticed the rack. Having put away my Nikons I had no way of determining just how big it was and therefore whether or not it was legal. (Note, Pennsylvania instituted antler restrictions a few years ago and in my area the minimum requirement is 3 points to a side). However, I thought I might as well try to call it in to get a better look.
I never took my eyes off of the buck but used my right hand to reach behind the tree in my pack to pull the can-call back out. By the time I was finally able to find it the buck had made a beeline away from me towards the private land. I eventually pulled it out of the pack and let out two long, slow doe estrus bleats from it. The buck's head immediately shot up and he proceeded at a slow trot directly towards my stand. As he got closer I was able to count the points and determine that he was indeed a legal buck.
He had to step through about 4 yards of thick undergrowth before coming out into the little open clearing where I could get a shot. He did so and proceeded to sniff the little scent canister that I had hanging on a limb above the trail. As he turned his body slightly away I settled my 20 yard pin directly above his shoulder (downward angle) and let the arrow fly. In all the excitement I did not see the arrow penetrate but knew that I had a solid hit by the feel of the shot and the sound of the arrow impacting the target. The buck ran down the hill through a very thick area of undergrowth. I lost track of him after about 50 or 60 yards.
My neighbor, on the other hand, was literally jumping up and down in his climber with excitement. As I watched him descend the tree I heard another branch snap in the same direction that I first saw the 6 pointer. As I turned my head to look in that area I saw an 8 pointer emerge from the darkness and proceed down the trail that the 6 pointer was originally on. I decided to try to wait him out as I did not want to spook him as I knew my neighbor was going to be hunting the area again this week. I waited about 10 minutes and he finally drifted off towards the private land.
To make this long story short, the neighbor came over and we tracked the buck for 60 or 70 yards before finding him down at the bottom of the hill. I had hit him just above the right shoulder and the arrow exited under the left leg catching the one lung and part of the heart. It was a short drag to the truck and a very nice ending to what was a very stressful day at work.
The buck dressed out at 148 lbs and scored (roughly) in the upper 60s for the big buck contest.My gear.....
Bowtech Mighty Mite VFT
Beman ICS 340s
Rocket Steelhead 100s
10-25-2004, 09:39 AM
#3
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Dekalb, Illinois
Posts: 431
RE: He isn't a monster but.....
Alrighty then, a super good story and great picture PABowhuntr,, the time limit you had on this buck had me on the edge of my seat LOLGood shooting and luck to you and your bud on the 8 pointer
10-25-2004, 09:40 AM
#4
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Maine
Posts: 3,555
RE: He isn't a monster but.....
Congrats! He looks like a big bodied deer, thick through the neck and shoulder.
I must admit that you look older next to the deer then you do in your sig pic. I always thought you looked a little young to be a moderator
Congrats again! Can you still hunt does?
I must admit that you look older next to the deer then you do in your sig pic. I always thought you looked a little young to be a moderator
Congrats again! Can you still hunt does?
10-25-2004, 09:55 AM
#8
Boone & Crockett
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Lehigh County PA USA
Posts: 12,157
RE: He isn't a monster but.....
Thanks guys.
I am glad you folks enjoyed the story as well.
Adams,
I have aged quite a bit since I got married. He was a hefty deer for his age. Judging by his physical appearance and his reaction to my bleat call I would definitely say he was already on the look out for some does.
Justin,
Yeah, it is surprising but now I am left with 3 weeks of archery and no buck tag. It has been quite some time since that happened.
I am glad you folks enjoyed the story as well.
Adams,
I have aged quite a bit since I got married.
He was a hefty deer for his age. Judging by his physical appearance and his reaction to my bleat call I would definitely say he was already on the look out for some does. Justin,
Yeah, it is surprising but now I am left with 3 weeks of archery and no buck tag. It has been quite some time since that happened.
10-25-2004, 10:05 AM
#9
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Oct 1998
Location: Hughesville, PA USA
Posts: 18,322
RE: He isn't a monster but.....
Congrats again Frank and that was a great story. I really enjoyed the read and was right there in my mind throughout it....
You've helped your teams score and took home some tasty venison for the family but remember, the contest ain't about a big buck contest, it's about the team that pulls together and scores...it might come down the team with more bucks rather than the team with only a couple larger ones.
Nice going.
You've helped your teams score and took home some tasty venison for the family but remember, the contest ain't about a big buck contest, it's about the team that pulls together and scores...it might come down the team with more bucks rather than the team with only a couple larger ones.
Nice going.