LR archery story for Len \"the fathers day buck\"
I joined the Sauk Prairie Bow Hunters club to become a better archer. Did organized shooting events pay off? big time. I moved away from this area in 97, off to the big citie with my new wife. (new wife that sounds funny, what did I do with the old one? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif)
The summer of 98 found me back at the archery club, reminising with freinds during there annual fathers day 3-D shoot. We shot the course, had a couple, and I told some of the guys I was staying at my folks house and would come back to visit tomorrow.
That evening at my dads I grabbed my 22-250 to watch some hayfields for chucks. I walked up onto the neigbors farm. I positioned myself on the edge of a wooded ridge overlooking a large valley of young crops. It was a soggy evening, the humidity seemed to sap away all my energy as I lay in that field. That didn't matter though I was happy to be on my old stomping grounds again. As I listen to the rumble of distant thunder, I noticed four does enter the fields from the oposite ridge. They worked there way to the vally floor, when I noticed a large deer enter the field about 650 yards away. this was no doe.
I opened the bolt and put the 24 power scope on the bucks developing antlers. WOW, For this early in the year he was quite impressive. I watched the buck feed for the next 20 minutes, judgeing him the best I could. The start of 10 points was clearly visible with G-2 being about 6-7 inches and G-4 being 1 inch nubs. I figured the rack to be one inch either side of 19 inches. Then I noticed a small point developing on his left G-2 the start of a split tine I thought.
I secured permission from Wes to hunt his land. When I told him why, he laughed and said "Theres no bucks like that on my land." I meet the same disbelief Sunday at the fathers day shoot. Many of my friends were reluctant to believe a buck carried that much growth this early in the year.
October 17 found me sitting in a treestand. My first attempt to hunt this magnificent buck. It had been 3 months to the day that I first saw this buck, without a sighting since. The weather that morning was poor, 60's with a slight drizzel, but I was not to be detered. I had dreampt about this buck all summer, and shot by equipment 3-4 times weekly to become as proficient as possible. My shooting was becomeing second nature.
I knew were I was going to set my climber that morning long before I left the house. Years ago squirrel hunting the property, I had gained intimate knowledge of the terrain.
A large "tri-hollow" with a gulch that ran half way up before disipering. This was a perfect funnel. Animals rarely crossed this ditch, they mearly walked around it as they navigated the ridges and hollows.
As the first gray light started to displace the darkness, I was in position. Soon a young buck worked his way around the obstical that I was relieing on to funnel the huge buck.
About an hour into the sit, seven does fed through the white oaks off to the east. They were like hoovers sucking up acorns as the worked the ridge seventy yards away.
Then I heard him, the deepest guteral grunt. I scanned the ridge, there it was again. The does scattered like a school of baitfish as the buck entered there midst. I could see the massive rack but tried to keep my eyes clear and concentrate. I reached for my call Buurrrpp. That was pathetic, such a grunt wouldn't elicit a response from this buck. I gave that call the deepest grunt I could muster.
GGRRRUUUUUUPPPPPP. Go time baby. He was locked on. All his atention was focused in my direction, but he didn't move. Minutes passed as he searched for the intruder. Wait, here he comes. 45 yards He stops behind a large oak tree trunk. I pause and GGRRRUUUUUPPPP nothing. He's waiting things out. Minutes pass, and he takes a few steps closer, but wait.
Somethings different, like a switch I notice a change in his demeaner, glances back up the ridge, a twitch of his tail. I frantically search for an opening in the web of limbs that seperate us. As he begins a slow broadside departure, I find it!
I draw the 70 lb PSE, and as he enters the openning I let out a loud errie bleat. Before the buck can swing his head around at me the shaft is sent. Like a switch the forest errupts the buck curns the earth like a moleboard plow. Instantly I awake from the coma of concentration. I hear things now that moments ago I was compleatly oblivious to. I hear the thrashing in the leaves, could he be down? I can't wait I feel confident in the shot and the sounds that tell me he's passed. I climb down walk to the place were he stood, I can see him lying up the ridge. I lift his head out of the debree, Their, on his left G-2, a split tine.
I now know, I've killed the fathers day buck.
This whitetail holds a special place in my memory. He was my first pope and young buck. He is proudly displayed in my living room. Despite my wifes contention.
The details; 160 3/8 gross, 153 5/8 net official PnY
Inside spread 18.5, main frame 10 pt w split G-2 (total 11 pts) ave tine lengths G-2 10", G-3 9", G-4 8" main beams 24" I would post a piture but have no idia how or if I even can.
Sorry for the length this is the first time I ever put this story down.
Jim
I joined the Sauk Prairie Bow Hunters club to become a better archer. Did organized shooting events pay off? big time. I moved away from this area in 97, off to the big citie with my new wife. (new wife that sounds funny, what did I do with the old one? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif)
The summer of 98 found me back at the archery club, reminising with freinds during there annual fathers day 3-D shoot. We shot the course, had a couple, and I told some of the guys I was staying at my folks house and would come back to visit tomorrow.
That evening at my dads I grabbed my 22-250 to watch some hayfields for chucks. I walked up onto the neigbors farm. I positioned myself on the edge of a wooded ridge overlooking a large valley of young crops. It was a soggy evening, the humidity seemed to sap away all my energy as I lay in that field. That didn't matter though I was happy to be on my old stomping grounds again. As I listen to the rumble of distant thunder, I noticed four does enter the fields from the oposite ridge. They worked there way to the vally floor, when I noticed a large deer enter the field about 650 yards away. this was no doe.
I opened the bolt and put the 24 power scope on the bucks developing antlers. WOW, For this early in the year he was quite impressive. I watched the buck feed for the next 20 minutes, judgeing him the best I could. The start of 10 points was clearly visible with G-2 being about 6-7 inches and G-4 being 1 inch nubs. I figured the rack to be one inch either side of 19 inches. Then I noticed a small point developing on his left G-2 the start of a split tine I thought.
I secured permission from Wes to hunt his land. When I told him why, he laughed and said "Theres no bucks like that on my land." I meet the same disbelief Sunday at the fathers day shoot. Many of my friends were reluctant to believe a buck carried that much growth this early in the year.
October 17 found me sitting in a treestand. My first attempt to hunt this magnificent buck. It had been 3 months to the day that I first saw this buck, without a sighting since. The weather that morning was poor, 60's with a slight drizzel, but I was not to be detered. I had dreampt about this buck all summer, and shot by equipment 3-4 times weekly to become as proficient as possible. My shooting was becomeing second nature.
I knew were I was going to set my climber that morning long before I left the house. Years ago squirrel hunting the property, I had gained intimate knowledge of the terrain.
A large "tri-hollow" with a gulch that ran half way up before disipering. This was a perfect funnel. Animals rarely crossed this ditch, they mearly walked around it as they navigated the ridges and hollows.
As the first gray light started to displace the darkness, I was in position. Soon a young buck worked his way around the obstical that I was relieing on to funnel the huge buck.
About an hour into the sit, seven does fed through the white oaks off to the east. They were like hoovers sucking up acorns as the worked the ridge seventy yards away.
Then I heard him, the deepest guteral grunt. I scanned the ridge, there it was again. The does scattered like a school of baitfish as the buck entered there midst. I could see the massive rack but tried to keep my eyes clear and concentrate. I reached for my call Buurrrpp. That was pathetic, such a grunt wouldn't elicit a response from this buck. I gave that call the deepest grunt I could muster.
GGRRRUUUUUUPPPPPP. Go time baby. He was locked on. All his atention was focused in my direction, but he didn't move. Minutes passed as he searched for the intruder. Wait, here he comes. 45 yards He stops behind a large oak tree trunk. I pause and GGRRRUUUUUPPPP nothing. He's waiting things out. Minutes pass, and he takes a few steps closer, but wait.
Somethings different, like a switch I notice a change in his demeaner, glances back up the ridge, a twitch of his tail. I frantically search for an opening in the web of limbs that seperate us. As he begins a slow broadside departure, I find it!
I draw the 70 lb PSE, and as he enters the openning I let out a loud errie bleat. Before the buck can swing his head around at me the shaft is sent. Like a switch the forest errupts the buck curns the earth like a moleboard plow. Instantly I awake from the coma of concentration. I hear things now that moments ago I was compleatly oblivious to. I hear the thrashing in the leaves, could he be down? I can't wait I feel confident in the shot and the sounds that tell me he's passed. I climb down walk to the place were he stood, I can see him lying up the ridge. I lift his head out of the debree, Their, on his left G-2, a split tine.
I now know, I've killed the fathers day buck.
This whitetail holds a special place in my memory. He was my first pope and young buck. He is proudly displayed in my living room. Despite my wifes contention.
The details; 160 3/8 gross, 153 5/8 net official PnY
Inside spread 18.5, main frame 10 pt w split G-2 (total 11 pts) ave tine lengths G-2 10", G-3 9", G-4 8" main beams 24" I would post a piture but have no idia how or if I even can.
Sorry for the length this is the first time I ever put this story down.
Jim
