My 2002 10 pt. Buck (Pictures)
01-17-2003, 11:48 AM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Rainy Day Texas/USA
Posts: 1,145
My 2002 10 pt. Buck (Pictures)
I know everyone enjoys a good story to go along with the harvest so here it goes.
I live on 13 acres and I have been hunting it hard for the past 3 years. Back in 2000 I let 9 different bucks walk hoping to see them the following year a little bigger. Well 2001 rolled along and it was year that I would love to forget. I only saw one buck the entire year and it was opening morning and he stayed out in my opening for a whole 30 seconds. Well I had high hopes for this year because I made a 100x40 yard clear but back in the middle of my woods. The mature trees I let stay but all the underbrush, saplings and vines had to go. Well opening day came and I found myself in my stand anticipating on what the day had to offer. A nubbin' buck came out and got him a bite to eat underneath my feeder. Then a big doe came trotting out and right behind her was a 6 inch spike. That spike chased her around for a good hour and then the doe came out by herself and nibbled on a little bit of corn.
Well the next couple of days brought flooding rains and I was not able to get back out. Tuesday afternoon the rain had faded away and the sun came out. I decided to leave work early and hunt my stand. At about 5 o'clock I saw two does sneaking through the brush on the opposite side of the clearcut. Trailing them was a dark bodied deer and I knew it was a buck. The does came on out and went to the feeder but he hung back a few and I looked him over. He was a very nice 6 pt. with about a 16 inch spread. I tried to talk myself into taking him but I knew there were better deer in these woods. He then came out of the brush on a trot and chased the does back into the woods. Well that was it for that hunt.
It was now Wednesday and I was back in the office and all I had on my mind was deer hunting. The rut was in swing and I didn't want the window of opportunity to pass me up so off I go back to the house. Well I get my gear and head out and when I come around the corner to the clear cut I spooked a nubbin' buck feeding on some acorns underneath an oak tree. I get settled in and wait. 5:15 rolls around and nothing and the sun was starting to sink. Finally at about 5:20 a big doe comes out off of a trail at the far end of the clear cut. She starts nibbling on some corn and I figured this would be the highlight for the evening. Right about that time the nubbin' buck comes right out in front of me and starts walking towards the feeder. When he was about 20 yards from the feeder he freezes and his ears become alert. The doe does the same thing and she looks behind her back towards the trail where she came from. I see movement and then I see rack. Up goes my .243 Parker Hale rifle. I knew right away that it was a shooter and I had no time to b.s. around since he was hot on this does trail and I figured he would chase her off into the brush like the 6 pt. did the evening before. He chases her off away from the feeder and he stopped just to the left of the feeder and then....BANG!!!!. He ran along the clear cut and then disappeared into the brush.
Well about 10 minutes later I head back to the house to let him lay up, just in case. I tell my step-son Brett (8 yr. old) what happened and man was he excited. I asked him if he would help me find it and I knew I didn't even have to ask that question. We headed out into the woods 45 minutes later and I entered the spot where I saw the buck disappear. I looked and I looked and I looked but no blood. I was starting to get sick to my stomach because I had waited patiently for this moment for almost 3 years. I back tracked a few more times and after 20 minutes of looking I found blood. I was so excited I could barely hold it in. The blood trail was easy to follow and it lead me to this buck. I'd like to give many thanks to all of you on the board and to TxCowboy especially. He's helped me make decisions on hunting approaches in the past. Thanks bud. Looks like all my time and effort paid off!!!!
Edited by - Johnny on 01/21/2003 09:49:12
I live on 13 acres and I have been hunting it hard for the past 3 years. Back in 2000 I let 9 different bucks walk hoping to see them the following year a little bigger. Well 2001 rolled along and it was year that I would love to forget. I only saw one buck the entire year and it was opening morning and he stayed out in my opening for a whole 30 seconds. Well I had high hopes for this year because I made a 100x40 yard clear but back in the middle of my woods. The mature trees I let stay but all the underbrush, saplings and vines had to go. Well opening day came and I found myself in my stand anticipating on what the day had to offer. A nubbin' buck came out and got him a bite to eat underneath my feeder. Then a big doe came trotting out and right behind her was a 6 inch spike. That spike chased her around for a good hour and then the doe came out by herself and nibbled on a little bit of corn.
Well the next couple of days brought flooding rains and I was not able to get back out. Tuesday afternoon the rain had faded away and the sun came out. I decided to leave work early and hunt my stand. At about 5 o'clock I saw two does sneaking through the brush on the opposite side of the clearcut. Trailing them was a dark bodied deer and I knew it was a buck. The does came on out and went to the feeder but he hung back a few and I looked him over. He was a very nice 6 pt. with about a 16 inch spread. I tried to talk myself into taking him but I knew there were better deer in these woods. He then came out of the brush on a trot and chased the does back into the woods. Well that was it for that hunt.
It was now Wednesday and I was back in the office and all I had on my mind was deer hunting. The rut was in swing and I didn't want the window of opportunity to pass me up so off I go back to the house. Well I get my gear and head out and when I come around the corner to the clear cut I spooked a nubbin' buck feeding on some acorns underneath an oak tree. I get settled in and wait. 5:15 rolls around and nothing and the sun was starting to sink. Finally at about 5:20 a big doe comes out off of a trail at the far end of the clear cut. She starts nibbling on some corn and I figured this would be the highlight for the evening. Right about that time the nubbin' buck comes right out in front of me and starts walking towards the feeder. When he was about 20 yards from the feeder he freezes and his ears become alert. The doe does the same thing and she looks behind her back towards the trail where she came from. I see movement and then I see rack. Up goes my .243 Parker Hale rifle. I knew right away that it was a shooter and I had no time to b.s. around since he was hot on this does trail and I figured he would chase her off into the brush like the 6 pt. did the evening before. He chases her off away from the feeder and he stopped just to the left of the feeder and then....BANG!!!!. He ran along the clear cut and then disappeared into the brush.
Well about 10 minutes later I head back to the house to let him lay up, just in case. I tell my step-son Brett (8 yr. old) what happened and man was he excited. I asked him if he would help me find it and I knew I didn't even have to ask that question. We headed out into the woods 45 minutes later and I entered the spot where I saw the buck disappear. I looked and I looked and I looked but no blood. I was starting to get sick to my stomach because I had waited patiently for this moment for almost 3 years. I back tracked a few more times and after 20 minutes of looking I found blood. I was so excited I could barely hold it in. The blood trail was easy to follow and it lead me to this buck. I'd like to give many thanks to all of you on the board and to TxCowboy especially. He's helped me make decisions on hunting approaches in the past. Thanks bud. Looks like all my time and effort paid off!!!!
Edited by - Johnny on 01/21/2003 09:49:12
01-17-2003, 12:28 PM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: East Texas
Posts: 1,382
RE: My 2002 10 pt. Buck (Pictures)
Congrats buddy! No need to give me thanks, you've helped me a great deal too. We'll be even when I get that wall-hanger I'm after.<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle> Folks, Johnny ain't lying. He's spent 3 long years passing up those young bucks so they can grow. We've talked about our management strategies for hours on end and we both realize that you have to make sacrifices if you want to have a quaility deer herd. You've paid your dues buddy, contgrats on a great buck.
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Hunting the Piney Woods of Deep East Texas.
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Hunting the Piney Woods of Deep East Texas.
01-17-2003, 02:10 PM
#4
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Hamilton Square NJ USA
Posts: 557
RE: My 2002 10 pt. Buck (Pictures)
Nice buck Johnny, and good job on the patience to let them grow up, and sharing it with your step-son. I'd bet you have another hunter in the making.
"In heaven, even the fish have antlers"
"In heaven, even the fish have antlers"
01-18-2003, 01:35 PM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Lancaster, PA
Posts: 3,240
RE: My 2002 10 pt. Buck (Pictures)
Congratulations on that really nice looking buck! <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>
Walk softly and carry a big gun...or just make accurate shots.
Walk softly and carry a big gun...or just make accurate shots.
01-18-2003, 06:53 PM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Rural Kansas... Where Life is Good
Posts: 4,139
RE: My 2002 10 pt. Buck (Pictures)
Congrats on the deer Johnny, nice looking buck!
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Visit My Updated Hunting Page
