I was fortunate to tag this buck last Thurs. I got to the stand at 4:45 overlooking a clover plot that I disked up Sept. 28th and then broadcast rye and some leftover rape seed into. One and one half inch of rain fell the next week and a beautiful stand of 3 to 4" rye is grew with one inch brassicas mixed among the rye.
The first deer came out, a fawn doe, about 15 min later momma and her other two fawns came into view. There is only one male of the three. His buttons are about one inch out of skull. The fed by me at 10 yards, then another doe with a fawn joined in the feeding. They worked themselves out of my sight. At 6:30 another doe and two fawns came into the field and fed the same direction as the others. Another doe with a buck fawn joined them. This buck fawn has the largest developed buttons I have ever seen. They extended out of the hair by an inch and I would guess they were almost 2" in total length. They too fed the direction of the others.
I glanced back to the north and could see a set of horns sticking out of the giant ragweed and brush. I knew immediately what buck it was and knew I would take my shot if he gave it to me. He stepped into the plot and proceeded to graze on the rye heavily. Behind him came a smaller buck.
Both were about 35 yards from me and started to spar. They playfully shoved each other around closer and ultimately farther away from me but a great show to see none the less. Once they stopped they were at about 45 yards. The old tim
er ate a bit more and then started walking to the north, away from me and I thought gone. I said to myself that at least I got to see him. He stopped about 65 yards away and then started feeding back. He reached the 40 yard mark and I was on him but he started sparring again. I looked at the time and I had 7 minutes before legal time was up.
The stopped sparring and as if on cue the old time stepped away from the other buck, turned broadside, and stepped forward with his front leg. I settled the cross hairs of the crossbow scope on the heart, called heart shot to my self and sent the bolt on its way. It looked like it was perfect. They bolted off and I took my eyes of them to set the cbow down and get my binocs on them. I couldn't find the one I shot but the other was standing looking back to where I last saw them running off together.
I waited a half hour reluctantly knowing that being color blind seeing blood in the dark is very hard for me. That worry came to fruition. I found my arrow stuck nicely in the dirt coated with what looked to me as the best blood to see on and arrow that has zipped through a deer but my color blindness still didn't give me much confidence. The only thing that told me I made a good shot was seeing where the bolt hit on the deer.
Eventually I found blood but just a few small splatters of it. I found a lot of holes in mint weed that made me think was blood until I touched them. I laid my cbow down at the last spot I found blood and after looking more for than 20 min. could find no more blood. I called my wife and told her the situation and said I would be calling in to work tomorrow and come back to find this buck. She was not impressed with that idea. I said I was going to look a little longer but didn't want to ruin any sign that the deer left by me blindly walking over it in my so far futile attempt at finding him.
After hanging up I decided to walk into the switchgrass a little ways even though I had no blood sign saying to go that way. After 20 steps and fanning my flashlight beam ahead of me I stumbled onto him. He was not more than 60 yards from where he had taken the bolt through the boiler room. I shouted thanks to God, took a pic and sent it to my wife. She called immediately and excitedly congratulated me.
I walked back got the truck and drove to where he laid. I tried to lift him into the truck but barely could budge him towards the bed. I normally load and gut away from hunting area but I gutted him hoping I could get him in the truck afterwards. Got the job done on both accounts and got to a gas station a mile away at 9 pm, they close then but I caught the guy prior to getting it locked up and bought a bunch of ice to ice him down overnight.
I worked the next day and then Dad and I drove up to MN to enter him in a big buck contest that I had entered this summer as we were having bloody marys after a fishing outing. Weight has more bearing than antler score in this contest so I had a chance. However I really didn't care what the outcome of the contest was, it was just and excuse to go up and see my friends, watch some football, and enjoy some more marys and other elixirs.
This buck was first seen in 2013. He shows up in Oct. and is always busted to hell before the end of Dec. We have always been after a certain buck we knew was on the farm when we have seen him so we didn't pull the trigger but this year that was no longer going to stop us as we finally figured out he is one of those bully bucks that chases other deer off that we'd like to stay.
Guess the weight and score if you'd like. I will post it later. Give the age a shot if you wish but sorry I don't have any pics to share that would help you age him. I am going to send the teeth in to deerage.com to see if they agree with my estimation based on the history.
The first deer came out, a fawn doe, about 15 min later momma and her other two fawns came into view. There is only one male of the three. His buttons are about one inch out of skull. The fed by me at 10 yards, then another doe with a fawn joined in the feeding. They worked themselves out of my sight. At 6:30 another doe and two fawns came into the field and fed the same direction as the others. Another doe with a buck fawn joined them. This buck fawn has the largest developed buttons I have ever seen. They extended out of the hair by an inch and I would guess they were almost 2" in total length. They too fed the direction of the others.
I glanced back to the north and could see a set of horns sticking out of the giant ragweed and brush. I knew immediately what buck it was and knew I would take my shot if he gave it to me. He stepped into the plot and proceeded to graze on the rye heavily. Behind him came a smaller buck.
Both were about 35 yards from me and started to spar. They playfully shoved each other around closer and ultimately farther away from me but a great show to see none the less. Once they stopped they were at about 45 yards. The old tim
The stopped sparring and as if on cue the old time stepped away from the other buck, turned broadside, and stepped forward with his front leg. I settled the cross hairs of the crossbow scope on the heart, called heart shot to my self and sent the bolt on its way. It looked like it was perfect. They bolted off and I took my eyes of them to set the cbow down and get my binocs on them. I couldn't find the one I shot but the other was standing looking back to where I last saw them running off together.
I waited a half hour reluctantly knowing that being color blind seeing blood in the dark is very hard for me. That worry came to fruition. I found my arrow stuck nicely in the dirt coated with what looked to me as the best blood to see on and arrow that has zipped through a deer but my color blindness still didn't give me much confidence. The only thing that told me I made a good shot was seeing where the bolt hit on the deer.
Eventually I found blood but just a few small splatters of it. I found a lot of holes in mint weed that made me think was blood until I touched them. I laid my cbow down at the last spot I found blood and after looking more for than 20 min. could find no more blood. I called my wife and told her the situation and said I would be calling in to work tomorrow and come back to find this buck. She was not impressed with that idea. I said I was going to look a little longer but didn't want to ruin any sign that the deer left by me blindly walking over it in my so far futile attempt at finding him.
After hanging up I decided to walk into the switchgrass a little ways even though I had no blood sign saying to go that way. After 20 steps and fanning my flashlight beam ahead of me I stumbled onto him. He was not more than 60 yards from where he had taken the bolt through the boiler room. I shouted thanks to God, took a pic and sent it to my wife. She called immediately and excitedly congratulated me.
I walked back got the truck and drove to where he laid. I tried to lift him into the truck but barely could budge him towards the bed. I normally load and gut away from hunting area but I gutted him hoping I could get him in the truck afterwards. Got the job done on both accounts and got to a gas station a mile away at 9 pm, they close then but I caught the guy prior to getting it locked up and bought a bunch of ice to ice him down overnight.
I worked the next day and then Dad and I drove up to MN to enter him in a big buck contest that I had entered this summer as we were having bloody marys after a fishing outing. Weight has more bearing than antler score in this contest so I had a chance. However I really didn't care what the outcome of the contest was, it was just and excuse to go up and see my friends, watch some football, and enjoy some more marys and other elixirs.
This buck was first seen in 2013. He shows up in Oct. and is always busted to hell before the end of Dec. We have always been after a certain buck we knew was on the farm when we have seen him so we didn't pull the trigger but this year that was no longer going to stop us as we finally figured out he is one of those bully bucks that chases other deer off that we'd like to stay.
Guess the weight and score if you'd like. I will post it later. Give the age a shot if you wish but sorry I don't have any pics to share that would help you age him. I am going to send the teeth in to deerage.com to see if they agree with my estimation based on the history.
