Well there was no ground shrinkage with this deer. We had a lot of history with this buck. I had him guessed at 3.5 last year and figured he was at least 21 inches inside, i was right. His antlers made his body look small last year, but it certainly wasn't. I saw the deer probably 20 times from different stands last year and passed him each time, instead taking video and pictures.
My goal was to try to get my son on him last year, and I did but he missed him clean. We had hundreds of trail camera pictures of him last year and I got excited when he showed back up this year. He wasn't as regular as last year but he was around. I saw him late October from a stand and had him stopped broadside at about 22 yards to my right, but as luck would have it I had a limb and an upright post from the stand in the way and was afraid the crossbow limbs would hit.
We didn't see him during the juvenile hunt this year and he was now only showing up on cams more sporadically and only at night. I was hoping my wife would see him and get a shot last week during her vacation and she hunted hard and passed up a decent buck, the same 2.5 year old I shot video of this morning, but the wide one never showed for her.
I had been watching this 8 this morning directly out in front of me, that was now a 7, busted brow. Pretty 2.5 year old. Had does all over, and I hear grunting coming from down the hill and to my right. He is steadily coming up the hill and I knew it was him. I had borrowed my wife's accura, mine got dropped on the scope and didn't get a chance to recheck it. Got the gun up and there he comes. Yep it's him. He comes up the hill starts heading towards the doe and when he's broadside straight out in front I take the shot, tight behind the shoulder.
Couldn't see where he went for the smoke but was sure I heard a crash. Smoke cleared and the smaller buck and doe are still there wondering what just happened.
Felt good about the shot, waited about 15 minutes, doe and other buck didn't take off until I walked over the rise. Found blood pretty quick.
As he lay
Loaded wife's accura with 105 grains triple 7 and 240 grain hornady interlock.
Turned out to be right at 24 inch inside spread. His tines added nothing from last year. 9 scorable points with a flyer off the left beam.
He was a really good deer, drag to the tractor bucket was maybe 2 yards. Exit side.
Entry
So now I guess my focus shifts to playing guide for my son and my son in law and killing coyotes the remainder of the season.
My goal was to try to get my son on him last year, and I did but he missed him clean. We had hundreds of trail camera pictures of him last year and I got excited when he showed back up this year. He wasn't as regular as last year but he was around. I saw him late October from a stand and had him stopped broadside at about 22 yards to my right, but as luck would have it I had a limb and an upright post from the stand in the way and was afraid the crossbow limbs would hit.
We didn't see him during the juvenile hunt this year and he was now only showing up on cams more sporadically and only at night. I was hoping my wife would see him and get a shot last week during her vacation and she hunted hard and passed up a decent buck, the same 2.5 year old I shot video of this morning, but the wide one never showed for her.
I had been watching this 8 this morning directly out in front of me, that was now a 7, busted brow. Pretty 2.5 year old. Had does all over, and I hear grunting coming from down the hill and to my right. He is steadily coming up the hill and I knew it was him. I had borrowed my wife's accura, mine got dropped on the scope and didn't get a chance to recheck it. Got the gun up and there he comes. Yep it's him. He comes up the hill starts heading towards the doe and when he's broadside straight out in front I take the shot, tight behind the shoulder.
Couldn't see where he went for the smoke but was sure I heard a crash. Smoke cleared and the smaller buck and doe are still there wondering what just happened.
Felt good about the shot, waited about 15 minutes, doe and other buck didn't take off until I walked over the rise. Found blood pretty quick.
As he lay
Loaded wife's accura with 105 grains triple 7 and 240 grain hornady interlock.
Turned out to be right at 24 inch inside spread. His tines added nothing from last year. 9 scorable points with a flyer off the left beam.
He was a really good deer, drag to the tractor bucket was maybe 2 yards. Exit side.
Entry
So now I guess my focus shifts to playing guide for my son and my son in law and killing coyotes the remainder of the season.
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