Well my wife and I are expecting our second baby (girl) in October or Early November. With knowing that for the last 8 months, I knew I’d need to hunt early and often.
As season neared - I remembered several bucks daylighting on the farm early season, last year, and felt like there could be a great chance of connecting.
The drought this year, really impacted the plots. Specifically this new field (recently cleared). Because of this, I decided to re-drill this field about 3 weeks ago- just in the hopes of getting some growth and moisture. Well it worked and all the seed started to pop!!
As my vacation time was nearing - I was monitoring the cameras, and this buck day-lighted Thursday before opener. However, I really needed a NE or S wind to kill this deer - if he was to daylight again. I was feeling good that deer would be in plots with all the rain, and the plots popping. I’ve noticed this numerous times in the past - they cannot resist the fresh growth.
With the all day rains and the break in the rain Sunday evening - everything felt right and I had a NE wind. I headed to the blind and waited. At one point, I watched a couple does and a couple small bucks enter the field. I was going to shoot the doe- and even got to full draw - only to have a squirrel jump on the roof of the blind and spook her out of range!! lol! I guess that wasn’t meant to be and I took that as a sign, that something better was going to come.
As the night went on- I found myself looking through my phone and finding pics of Dozer from 2022 just a few hundred yards from where I saw that evening. As the sun began to set- I figured my hunt was over, only to look up and at the other end of the field see a large bodied deer step out. I grabbed my binos and as soon I put them on him, I about threw them back into my seat and grabbed the bow.
It was getting dark inside the blind - although shooting light was still plenty to be had. He came in facing me and the turned and qtr away at 18 yards. I drew back and realized I couldn’t focus on my peep. I came off the bow string, told myself to slow down, I allowed my eyes to re-adjust through the peep, settled pin again, and let it rip!!
As the arrow flew - I heard thuuummpp! Sounded like a hallowed pumpkin and he ran out for there like a scalded cat! I couldn’t believe it just freaking happened. I texted my wife and cousin saying “I just shot a freaking giant!”.
The nerves and shakes then set in and I needed to calm myself down. I got down- found the arrow and felt really confident. Arrow was soaked in blood, albeit a little dark, but plenty of bubbles on the fletchings. I figured the deer must have been qtr away harder than I realized and I got liver and lungs. I am never truly confident until I have him in my hands.
As my cousin and I met back at the house, we called a few friends and shared pictures of the arrow. Everyone said the same thing - “that deer is cooked”. I still wanted to give him plenty of time, but then out of nowhere - a large rain front was headed our way. It had been about 1.5 hours since the shot, so we decided to go look for him
As we got to the arrow - we struggled to find blood. As we neared where he ran, my cousin said the words we all love to hear “I got blood, and good blood”. As I got closer to him - I too could see the blood, it was steady and heavy - loaded with bubbles and some darker liver blood.
We took the trail slow, never losing blood, and within 100 yards from where he ran out of the field - I yelled to my cousin “holy cow, there he is!” The hugs and handshakes began and so did a look to the stars to thank God and Grandpap (I know he was smiling down!).
I started getting pictures of this deer back in 2022 (that’s when my buddy said - damn he looks like a d8 dozer blade). I believe he was 4 then. I’ll send his jaw in so I can see what he really ages at.
I’m so happy to wrap my tag around this deer.
Dozer - thanks for the years of pictures, excitement and ride.
Off to the next one!! Hunt hard and safe yall! Thanks for reading.
Update on the Vitalize Tomato patch. We never stop testing!!
