The Last Buck on my Lease

I have leased 600 acres for 9 years and intensively managed it for deer. I have killed 5 150-160" deer on the farm over the years. The owner sold it and it closes the first week of January. It will be changed into a landscape with 1000 homes unfortunately.

My kids, 11 and 6 killed their first deer, turkey and squirrels here. They also caught their first bass, rode their first four wheelers and jumped on all kinds of mud puddles here.

I have had the pleasure and misery of hunting a big 8 for two years. Last year we found the matching sheds 6 feet apart.

It all came full circle on Nov 26. I was hunting with my McWhorter 300 PRC on a RRS tripod when The big 8 ran out at 455 yards chasing a doe. They were crossing a 300 yard wide field in a slow lope. I never get buck fever but for some reason I did on this one and somehow pulled the first shot which put him in high gear! The second shot I increased my lead and pressed the trigger. Feeling good about the shot I waited 30 minutes and then went to see him. Time did not disappoint. I have not scored him bet but he is over 160". His matching sheds with a 17" spread put him at 152 last year.

I tried to post pics but I couldn't get them to load.

Great story, great buck but sorry to hear another beautiful piece of land will be developed.

That is a very nice deer. Sad and happy story though. I have a place to hunt like you have described and know the possibility is there for the family to sell the property. I am now 71 and hope I can still hunt it until my hunting years are over. I hope you can find another place to continue hunting….especially with your kids.

crashlanding said:

Great story, great buck but sorry to hear another beautiful piece of land will be developed.

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The price of progress is way to expensive it seems.

Rick Richard said:

That is a very nice deer. Sad and happy story though. I have a place to hunt like you have described and know the possibility is there for the family to sell the property. I am now 71 and hope I can still hunt it until my hunting years are over. I hope you can find another place to continue hunting….especially with your kids.

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Yes, I can't blame the owner as he is making almost 5 million profit but it is sad to see.

That's a great buck and can't blame a feels for selling. Just the way it goes. The memory will
Last though.

Rick Richard said:

That is a very nice deer. Sad and happy story though. I have a place to hunt like you have described and know the possibility is there for the family to sell the property. I am now 71 and hope I can still hunt it until my hunting years are over. I hope you can find another place to continue hunting….especially with your kids.

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Couldn't have said it better from a lifelong Hunter who is on your heels!

BenelliHunter said:

I have leased 600 acres for 9 years and intensively managed it for deer. I have killed 5 150-160" deer on the farm over the years. The owner sold it and it closes the first week of January. It will be changed into a landscape with 1000 homes unfortunately.

My kids, 11 and 6 killed their first deer, turkey and squirrels here. They also caught their first bass, rode their first four wheelers and jumped on all kinds of mud puddles here.

I have had the pleasure and misery of hunting a big 8 for two years. Last year we found the matching sheds 6 feet apart.

It all came full circle on Nov 26. I was hunting with my McWhorter 300 PRC on a RRS tripod when The big 8 ran out at 455 yards chasing a doe. They were crossing a 300 yard wide field in a slow lope. I never get buck fever but for some reason I did on this one and somehow pulled the first shot which put him in high gear! The second shot I increased my lead and pressed the trigger. Feeling good about the shot I waited 30 minutes and then went to see him. Time did not disappoint. I have not scored him bet but he is over 160". His matching sheds with a 17" spread put him at 152 last year.

I tried to post pics but I couldn't get them to load.

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Really good buck.

BenelliHunter said:

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Good story.... all too common..... when I was growing up in Wis.all you had to do was ask permission from the farmer and you hunted....

I had some leases like that in South Texas. The wind farm/developer people screwed everything up. It was a good couple of decades and a bunch of nice deer. Now I'm up in CO/WY. That's a beautiful buck.

Great buck, great story, hopefully this is not the end, but the beginning of a new chapter in an even better place.

Congrats on an absolutely amazing deer. I to have lost hunting areas and understand missing memories associated with hunting the areas. On the other hand I'm pushing 60 and still get buck fever and stomp in mud puddles.

Congratulations on a once in a lifetime buck! He's absolutely gorgeous. If you look in the B&C RECORD BOOK, the most difficult entry is a 160+ 8 pointer. They are also, in my mind, the most impressive. Just take a look at the 192+" 8. Perfection!!
Again, Congratulations my friend!
MERRY CHRISTMAS