I knew from the first picture that Rocky was going to be a special buck. I tried to share as many pictures as possible with the members here. It is a long story so for those don't want to read it all drop down to the pictures. Rocky hung out in the same area that we did the HUGE winter feeding and was shot just south of that wood line. I did what I could to try and keep him in the center of the property. I put a ton of mineral, corn, apples and pears all summer by the point where I have my cedar cam. I also stayed out of his main bedding area and never even walked the perimeter of it. It seamed to work and I kept getting pictures of him. Once he lost his velvet he became completely nocturnal and I decided early we would not even go in that section of the property to hunt him until he started showing up during daytime. Last year he was very visible the end of October on during daylight. This year was no different, he showed up on camera multiple times right before our gun season and the plan was set. I put up a tower blind on November 1st and was sure we would kill him from there. It is about 30 yards from where I shot that big 9 pointer last year. We were taking turns to see who would hunt it when. I sat there on Sunday and watched him for over 4 hours 200 yards away bedded with a hot doe. It was an incredible morning watching him chase of several different bucks including 2 that were in the 145-150 range. I was comfortable with that distance but because of the crp I didn't think I had a clean enough opening to take a ethical shot. I thought if I would wait it out they would walk into the wind to feed when the doe decided to get up. I was wrong!!! The doe got up and walked with the wind on her back and he followed Today I got the BOOM text and knew right away which buck was shot. One of the guys on the lease shot Rocky midday from the tower I put up. He was chasing does again and at least spread his genes around for the last week. He looked HUGE while I was watching him and I was thinking he was closer to 180" than 170" but after the final tally he comes in at 170 1/8" with an inside spread of 23 1/8". He made a HUGE jump from the 8 pointer he was last year. Here are some of the trail camera pictures from the year and the Hero Shot I was sent today. PS this was the only picture they sent me and I talked to Fitz before posting it to make sure it was ok. Most of the regulars know I don't spam and put pictures like this in the manufactures section but a number of you have followed the trail camera pictures and I wanted to share it with you. Congrats Jeremiah he is a true trophy!
man what a stud of a buck wish you could have got him but looks like the guy in the picture will never forget that hunt!! Congrats to him
I almost want to dislike both those posts just because I wanted to see you put that big guy on the ground Tom. Congrats to the lucky hunter, awesome deer!
Any word on what he weighed? Maybe just the pic (maybe the hunter is a huge guy) but Rocky doesn't look as big bodied as I thought he would.
Gun kill... Should be moved to another forum.... :p I'm starting to think you guys don't bow hunt. Congrats to the lucky hunter. That is a heck of a buck!
