Hello everybody I figured with the season open and folks are out making great memories in the woods bowhunting I thought this would be a good time to share a few words about a hunt that meant alot to me and one that really boosted my confidence as a bowhunter. Well I started bowhunting officially in 2011 but it wasn't until 2012 that I actually got an opportunity at a whitetail with my bow. It was a cool November 27th evening when it all came together I had just got off work and told myself when I got home that I was gonna gear up for a hunt as soon as I arrived. I camoed up sprayed down grabbed my 90s model darting lightning and headed for my camo ground seat roughly just 200 yards from my backdoor. It was an urban hunt, and I had already shot a doe in October so now my goal was to get on a buck. The only time that I had seen a buck was one night on my way home and one crossed right in front of me and to my surprise it stopped right in front of me and my wife while we were in the car you know the old deer in the headlights literally small buck but a buck, and thats exactly what I had been after. I had heard talk about a big urban deer in my area so I was out to get him but hadn't seen him up close yet. Let's rewind to early November first because this wasn't the only time that I had hunted this spot. It was a decent patch of woods between a main road and my neighborhood i,d say about 70 acres thick stuff too with a few open fields that had been previously planted with sweet potatoes and a small Creek that ran through it so not a bad habitat for deer. Food, water, and cover/bedding perfect spot. Well I was set up just off a field where I knew they had been crossing to get from one patch of woods to the next it was about 430 or so when I sat down facing the west when I caught a glimpse of antlers it was the big one I thought, and he was coming from the south headed north or right past me on a string back to bed but very slow and to my luck shooting light was very scarce for evening hunts and by the time he got up there broadside it was so dark I couldn't see through my peep sight to shoot this deer. So to answer your question yes a drew on him and to be honest I let the arrow fly and all I saw was the luminock fly right towards the beast standing a mere 8 yards from me. Talkin about a heart pounding nervous wreck I could smell this buck he never saw or heard me until he heard the bow go off and after all that and going to recover my Arrow no blood a clean miss. I was happy that I didn't wound this deer but honestly I never saw him again afterwards not the big one anyway. Great encounter none the least but very immature bowhunting on my part lol. I learned a lot from that hunt and now I was thinking to myself it's over its the Rut and I just blew it on a great trophy whitetail and I will never get another shot but something deep within fueled me towards giving it another try. After getting that close to such a great animal I was hooked and nothing could stop me from conquering my goal. Fast forward back to November 27th so it was pretty slow at work and my boss let me out a Lil early and I was headed right home washed up changed and headed for my ground seat in the same field but this time facing west. It was a very calm evening a cross wind blowing south so I'm semi downwind if the come from the north I may be screwed if they come from the south. So again it's getting closer and closer to last light an I'm telling myself it'd now or never so I pick up my rattle bag that I had made from and old broom handle btw it sounded great, and I started a rattling sequence I hit it against my left hand with a loud Crack!!! then a steady rattle afterwards for about a min and then stopped to look and listen. Nothing no movement no deer so now it's right at about 5 10 and light is started to fade away again so instead of something coming in again and I can't see to shoot in just gonna get out of there and not repeat what I did early that month so I proceeded to get up I stoop up looked right and then looked left and surprisingly there he was about 60 yards out. I quickly sat back down easy he didn't see me nor smell me he was coming from the bedding area to my north and fast. This is it I have plenty of shooting light I know I can see this time this is it but this buck was hung up bow in my hand I'm ready light is fading I ask myself what should I do to get his attention. It's the peak of the Rut so I'm thinking ok this guy heard my rattle he responded he came to it so he wants a fight but buck don't fight for no reason it's all about breading that hot doe so I reached down easy grabbed my primos bleat can and turned it up it let that bleat out and his head turned so fast I thought for sure he saw me but he didn't he came out of there on a string straight towards me like a speeding bullet nose down lookin for that doe it was awesome he turned 60 yards into 20 like it was nothing and before you know it he was broadside at 15 yards I had already drew my bow on his way there it was that quick I put my top pin on him right on behind his shoulder and let it rip that rage hit him so Hard it sounded off smack he runs back the same way he came snapped off the arrow on a small tree so not a pass through but a great shot and stopped right back out there in that field at 60 yds looked one way looked my way and dropped right in front of me in plain sight. I could not believe what had just happen I did it!!! It wasn't the big urban deer it was another buck a great bow kill for a beginner like me he was down and he was not getting up!!!! I soaked it all in for a minute and I stopped and looked to the heavens and thanked God for the day and for allowing me to succeed and accomplish and see it happen like that. So I walked over slow after 15 because I know he's dead and to my surprise it was my first ten point buck laying dead from an arrow shot by me. I sat my bow down on his belly and grabbed those antlers amazed because he wasn't the biggest in the woods but he certainly has some character and is my first bow buck so to me he is just as big as any imo. The buck I call ACE because he is my number 1 bow kill and if I could have gotten this hunt on film it would have been great but I hope you can understand from these words I've shared just how much it meant to me and just how much bowhunting as a whole means to all of us I know. I hope you enjoy my story it defines me as a hunter I'm not the best but I try hard and since then I've gotten better and also still learn everyday about bowhunting.Here's a look at my buck my Biggest harvest and best to date. I have never scored this buck either so I'm curious as to what he grosses I'd like to hear your guesses. This buck has been at my grandmother's for the last 3 years. I look forward to hearing some of your stories if you would care to share. Thanks reading. Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk
Your story has me pumped up for the season. I have to wait another week but it coming fast. Thanks for sharing
