So my 2015 Missouri trip is in the books. After nine straight days of daylight to dark sits, I return to PA empty handed. However, all wasn't lost, my best friend killed a beauty 140 class 10 pointer and another good friend took a small buck that is his best buck ever. The first four days of our hunt saw temps in the mid 70's that really slowed down movement, especially mid day movement that we often see this time of year. Nonetheless, on the second evening sit, I saw the biggest buck I ever saw in the wild at 70 yards and closing, following two does an hour before dark. I quickly realized this buck was a serious potential booner, a 170 class, heavy horned 10 pointer with trash. The does worked their way directly in front of me, 20 yards away as he followed behind at 60-70 yards. All of a sudden, a flock of turkeys to my left started fighting and the buck locked up and stared. For whatever reason, he got spooky, turned around and snuck off, back the way he came. Deflated a bit, but its only day 2 and I was still in the game. Two days later, in the morning, same stand as I wasn't about to leave that stand given what was in there, I saw a beautiful 140-150 class ten pointer working his way to me from behind me to my left. This buck was a whole different ball game. I never saw a deer so weary and spooky. Nothing about him suggested rut behavior and cautionless attitude. He slowly fed his way to me until he got about 70 yards away, then all of a sudden, he decides its time to a rest and bedded down. I'm thinking to myself, this is going to be a sore *** wait as I couldn't move much. Fortunately, he was facing away from me, allowing me to get my video camera in place and get some awesome footage of him. 30 minutes later, he jumps to his feet, looking in my direction. A doe was walking right at me from the left! That should do it! The walked to 20 yards of the tree, directly to my left and walked to my right. I was locked in on him at this point as he cautiously walked to me. I had a big clump a trees that was a perfect draw tree and when he stepped behind them, I came to full draw. He stopped momentarily and then proceeded into the shooting lane, 20 yards away. I settled the pin on his body, mouth bleated to stop him and quickly realized he was quartering to me at a 45 degree angle. Crap! I can't this shot. As I mentioned before, he was a jumpy deer and knew something wasn't right, he got spooky and quickly walked into my second shooting lane. Only issue was, he was facing away from me, not offering any shot. I had to let down and watch him walk away. The kicker was, and I didn't realize it at the time, was the doe actually walked out on the small logging road directly in front of the stand, which would have most likely put the deer broadside at 20 if I only waited. The rest of the week only yielded small bucks and small does in the various stands I was in. I'm a little bummed I couldn't put it together this year, but the success of my two hunting partners takes the sting out of it. Our motto is if one of us is successful, then the trip as a whole is successful. I learned a lot about myself and how I believe I've matured as a bowhunter and won't get caught up in the heat of the moment and take a shot that isn't high percentage. I also learned to keep a better eye on where the darn doe is! It was a great trip overall and I don't have any regrets. Already looking forward to next year chasing the midwest giants!
Great story. Sounds like a fun hunt! Pics of your friends' deer by chance? We need to see dead stuff.
Awesome...sucks making trips and coming empty handed tag wise, but the memories and friendship grown out of them for me always trumps a tag getting punched!
Here's a link to the video of the ten I was drawn on. https://youtu.be/4tYZPjjHFeg And here is my friends buck.
Here's a link to the video of the ten I was drawn on. https://youtu.be/4tYZPjjHFeg And here is my friends buck. View attachment 63837 I have no idea why its upside down....
Phone inversion orientation when taken...I had some like this come through this year on my buck thread. Gotta rotate in the phone first if like mine. Heck of a deer he got man!
Great story and footage. Sounds like it was successful in many ways. I hope to make it out there one of these years. Just to see a buck like that in the wild is reason enough for me to make a trip.
You're absolutely right. Its just a really cool feeling sitting in the woods knowing there are giants roaming around you and could show up at any time. Folks who live and hunt in the Midwest simply don't understand what us easterners are talking about.
