Thanks guys, got a little time, story goes like this. I was set up deep in the hardwoods down off of a big ridge that ran down into a thick sanctuary. A stand we saved for late in the hunt if I hadn't tagged out yet. I had seen several young bucks and does along the way but nothing real big near my stand. Saw a couple dandy bucks at distance but nothing big close enough. At about 4:00 p.m. I glanced behind me down past a deep ditch and could see through a little opening out in the crp through the timber. I noticed a white, tall rack profiled. I immediately new it was a shooter, a buck I recognized from day 2, we called the phantom 4, but he was a good 130-150 yards out. I just watched him as I also had 2 little 4x4s mingling around up above me on the ridge. As I studied the buck I could see he was headed towards the thick stuff and not my way, so I snort weezed at him with my mouth just to see what kind of body language I might elicit out of him. Surprisingly he jerked his head my way and stopped in his tracks. I didnt make a sound and just watched him. 20 seconds pass and he turns towards me a bit and starts angling at the timber I was in. He gets to the edge of the timber and hits a licking branch and then starts working a tree, rubbing pretty good. As I am glassing him, a hawg appears out of the crp; just over the rump of this rubbing buck eminates a GIANT wide racked beast of a buck. I did a double take and instantly recognized the spread that I had seen so many times from trail camera pix and video. Pix and video of J's whom I was hunting on he and Mike's land. I couldn't believe it, right behind the big 4x4 that I had snort weezed at steps in "Double-Wide"! Double-Wide is a 7x6, 24 inch wide hvy beamed giant with an 8 inch droptine. This buck looks like a steer in the body, he is a true giant buck, both in body and antlers. He makes his way up to the 4x4 and then walks by and starts hitting a tree himself. I am really liking this situation now, so I just watch these two work over these trees; happy to see them on the edge of the timber. They hang out there for a bit and stop rubbing and start to mill around again, slightly losing interest, so I snort weeze again. Both bucks jerk up their heads and look my way. The two young bucks up the slope from me are still milling around behind me and look my way as well. The wind is blowing directly down the hill from my stand and I can see that if either of these two big dudes decide to come to me they are gonna have to cross a deep ditch. There is a very distinct crossing trail below me and to the east, which is exactly where my wind is blowing. At that time I pray my scent control helps if they come. After about 30 seconds after the second snort weeze I add in one loan doe grunt. Both of the big bucks hear it and jerk their heads my way and gaze up in my direction. I study them. I forget about the youngster bucks behind me at this point because these two big dudes seem to like what I am saying to them. About 2 minutes goes by and the big 4x4 starts my way, as he does the big dropper buck cuts him off and passes by him, I realize now I may have a chance at them. I get my bow ready and start visualizing where they might approach. They both work their way towards the ditch crossing and sure enough they stop at the top of the bank. They dont move for what seemed like a long time, they are still a good distance away. I figure what the heck how about one more challenge. So I throw one more snort wheeze with my mouth at them, followed by 2 short soft doe grunts. BINGO! The big boy bristles up and so does the 4x4. They both trot down through the ditch and up the bank, big boy first. They are now 60 yards from my stand downslope, right in my wind, the big 190 buck walks ahead of the 4x4 and is working up a trail towards my stand, he stops at 50 yards and stares up the hill towards the deer above me, then glances over near my tree looking for that snort wheeze and doe... I look at this giant and think of Jay and Mike telling me if I get a shot at him to kill him. I think about the evening Jay and I spent breaking down the monsters score from trail cams. I then think of just how much Jay and Mike have talked about this buck. It all processes in a few seconds. They love this buck, its their favorite buck on this property. The big brute is standing still, I decide right then if I can get a shot at the 4x4 I am gonna let the giant walk. I dont need him and I know how much that big bruiser means to my buds, this buck has grown up on their land and they have 2 years of pix and 1 year of sheds from him. So at 50 yards I have the big bruiser and at 55 the 4x4 is standing behind the big boy. I make up my mind I aint shooting him and hit the grunt one more time. Bam! They both start my way. I am facing the tree and watching them very closely because I need to anticipate which side of my tree they are gonna pass by. I can see a Y in the trail they are headed up at 30 yards. I wait for the big boy to pass it and he takes the North trail, which passed 8 yards past my stand. I swivel my feet to the north. He marches up it as I get ready to draw, the 4x4 right behind him 10 yards back... The biggest buck I have ever laid eyes on ..(over 300lbs) built like he's on steriods walks into my lane at 15 yards and then passes by on the trail at 8 yards broadside. I draw as he goes by and I get my eyes on the 4x4. He's coming fast and ducks under a little hanging brush and pops into my lane at 15 yards..then he closed to broadside at 8 yards, at full draw and on a steep angle, (stand is 20 feet up and the ground is steep) I lay the pin high and right behind his shoulder, I follow him with my bow hand and let it fly, I didnt stop him I shot him walking. I see the arrow kick slightly right before impact and hit 3-4 inched back from where i wanted it too. He jumps a bit to the side of the trail, I keep my eyes on him. He stands still and I glance over at the giant, he has swivled around and is looking right at the 4x4, the 4x4 turns straight away from me and walks off, Doublewide makes a big arc and then meets up with the 4x4 60 yards from me. The 4x4 lays down. The big boy circles him all postured up, ears back and then walks over to a tree and starts rubbing the heck out of hit.. (what a sight that was) then he goes back to the 4x4 and postures over him again. At this time I am not wanting this big guy to bump my buck up so I decide to grunt at him. As I do I noticed he is a little concerned now, so I do a long winded grunt one that sounds like a hunter over grunting/calling.. Immediatly the big buck knows something is up and displays a worried body langauge and slinks back past the bedded 4x4 and off the ridge out of site. I am happy he leaves and doesn't bump my bedded deer. I stay deathly silent and do not want to bump this deer either, I know hes hit back a bit and just want him to stay bedded and die. So I pray a lot and watch him in my binocs for 20-30 minutes.. Its starting to get dark and I see him try to get up, as he does he tips straight over backwards and crashed out of site downslope towards the big deep ditch. I think he's done as he makes a bunch of ruckus down in the ditch. Sounds to me like hes done down in the ditch, I was just sure of it. Still, I wait a full 1/2 hour after this and sneak out quietly. Back to the farm. to get the guys. Tell them about the WHOLE scenario and how I just didnt want to shoot their monster buck, I wanted them to get him! We go back in 2 hours later and pull my arrow out of the dirt 8 yards from the stand, look up in the moonlight and I can see a long branch directly in my path of site to the stand.. made me wonder if the slight kick of my arrow was from clipping that ... will never know but my arrow did definatley kick back 3-4 inches right before impact. We track blood down the big dtich and surprisingly we find NO dead deer. we go 30 yards more and decide to back out till morning to be safe. I hang my bow on a tree to mark our spot.. Back in the A.M. go to my bow and start tracking. We go 20 more yards and find fat in the blood trail. Then NO more blood. NONE. Hands and knees ..nothing.. J and Mike take off on a trail, while I am searching for blood I hear Mike say.. we found him! I can't thank those guys enough and for how well they just knew their ground where they thought that buck would go. Mike had found one more spot of blood before J found him. I was so stoked, bout balled, didn't want that buck lost. J found him up from Mike about 70 yards. He evidently tipped over backwards, got on his feet and ran as hard as he could up there and died..pretty much in a straight line. After the field dressing a liver hit was 100 % evident. That encounter, passing up the big boy, getting the other buck was just an undescribable experience. The entire week was just a dream come true for me, I've always wanted to hunt the midwest for whitetails. I can't wait to return again.
Troy Congrats on a great buck !! Not many would have passed the bigger buck and that say a lot about your character !! Great stuff !! Sounds like a heck of a hunt that most will never get to experience. Congrats again !! Tim
Thats a great buck and a awesome hunting story. Congrats. Any chance of seeing pictures of the other one?
What a story there. Props on your decision, as it was a tough one. A great friend you must be. And what a dandy of a buck you got. Again congrats.
Troy - you are a better man than I am, that's for sure! Congrats again, that story makes the whole thing just that much better. Incredible.
Troy, you are the real deal my friend. Hats off to you for having the manners to pass on the big boy. Not many "Anywhere" would have done that. You are a cut above for sure. Congrats again on a great buck, and a great story.:D
You got that right Bobby!! Mucho respect for Mr. Pottenger!! One of the best story's I've ever read Troy, thank you!!! A huge congratulation's once again, just awesome my friend!!
I think you should double space the next long winded story! LOL! Awesome story Troy. Must have been hard to pass that 190" deer, you're a better man/friend/hunter than I am, lol. BUT because you made the decision you did, I'd say you'll be invited back for many years to come. It truly shows what a great person you are!
