Holy smokes Dave, awesome buck! Congrats also to Will and Isaiah on the does too. You guys are making me feel like a chump , I need to get out more. Been a pretty slow season for me, but this weekend I'm after it. Things are definitely heating up here in Illinois! Good luck Team!
Here is the story with better pictures folks. Showed up at the property I hunt around 2:30pm, as soon as I get out of the truck I hear way off to the west a chain saw running "darn, I forgot the landowner told me she was cutting deadfall Sunday". I sit on the tailgate of the truck and decide heck with it I am here may as well hunt, I will go to the creek/swamp stand (farthest stand from were they are cutting). I get in stand around 2:50, I text a friend and tell him what is up and I may just head home and do some honey-do chores to keep the wife happy. He responds "your there, may as well stay, maybe they will finish up soon". My text back to him was " yeah, may as well stay". Now I am settled in for the next three hours not expecting much of this evenings hunt. As I pondered life and how thankful I was to have property to hunt I suddenly realized the chain saws had stopped and it had been awhile. Quick look at the watch and it is 3:50, "Hmm, maybe I will get lucky and a young doe will wonder by". I sat until 5:15 not seeing anything until I happen to look up the small hill and a little off to my left, There is a big bodied deer moving down through the thicket heading for the swamp. I quickly stand, turn and ready my bow, the deer entered and exited my one opening for a shot fast, he was moving with his nose down to the ground and was clearly on a mission. As he exited the thicket and entered the swamp I heard him splashing through the water, I grunted hard once and instantly the splashing from his quicken pace stopped. I grunted again and the splashing starts again but I can tell it is coming back out of the swamp. Luckily I am one of those guys who ranges everything as soon as I get secure in stand, "28 yards I tell myself if he comes back out the way he went in. Bingo, he pops out on the exact same trail and stops but I got a problem, NO CLEAR SHOT !!! I bend down, steady myself find a small hole to shoot through and let the arrow go for my only shot which was a mid to high lung shot. WHACK, the arrow hits him and he falls to the ground. He got hit high shoulder from a slight deflection off one tiny leaf. He expired rather quickly and I soon was down off my stand standing over him thanking the good Lord for the chance to hunt such a marvelous animal. 35 years I have bow hunted and for 33 years ( 2 years could not hunt due to military deployment) I always wanted a halloween buck. Finally this long term goal has been accomplished. Enjoy the pictures, will score him as soon as possible. Be safe guys Dave
Awesome buck Dave, congrats on your halloween buck Will awesome job with your longbow brotha!! Isaiah congrats on the doe bro!!! WTF you knock her down with....a machette? I starting to feel like a chump here.....too much chit to do around new house. On a good note upstairs is finished except for the trim...all flooring in,back splashm cupboards, new drywall instead of that lovely 70's paneling. I will post before and after pics once completed, and AFTER I anchor a deer. Stay safe out there fella's and Good Luck!!!
Dang Isaiah....what you shoot her with? Get your hands on some of the "Rambo" explosive tip broadheads?))))). Really, what broadhead did you use? That is massively impressive. Congrats.....she's a keeper. Dave
I have come to the conclusion that the woods that I hunt have no does in them, at least not in the places I hunt. Did a run and gun hunt on the public land tonight in a spot I scouted last winter. Saw a fork at about 20 yards right at last light. Going to try to get back to the farm tomorrow after work.
Had a 6 pointer come oh so close to giving me a shot ......I may break up this week and take part of next week .... they are really chasing hard here yet ...
Scott, Stay positive man! It only takes three seconds and things can change for the good. A negitive attitude will keep you from being there (in the woods)...don't let that happen! You'll get him, I have faith! Tony, hunt hard...you'll get him too! Arron, get your hinny out there and lay one down! It's time for everyone to stay focused. We can do this! "Did the Americans quit when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?" Not only NO, but HELL NO! Dig in Team 6!
Guys, I totally agree with Will.......in the blink of an eye things can change for the good. Keep hunting hard, from what I have read in your post you guys are seasoned hunters, you know your property and what is there. Like Will said "stay focus and good things will happen". Keep positive !!!! I am now hunting doe's to comply with my states requirement to have 2 doe down before a second buck can be taken. I am here to lend support/advice/encouragement when needed. We can do this guys and I believe in each of you. Be safe, Knock'em down guys. Dave
I feel like I just got a pep talk from my two parents ...... but wait...which one was mom??? :D There is no quit in this guy ... tho my discouragement is evident, obviously So ... Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it's off o kill I go
No worries boys. It's November in Illinois and I know things can change in a hurry. Last year I put in nearly 10 sits at our farm without seeing a deer. On November 3rd I finally saw a small buck, and later that afternoon I shot my buck, and today I'm headed right back to the same stand.
Good luck out there guys!!!! I am living vicariously through you all till I get this effin house finished!!! LOL
Saw my first sign of chasing yesterday, I saw a 4pnt go after about 3 does, I could've shot a doe, but I was hoping for exactly what happened... just wish he would have had more head gear, Ive seen 11 bucks this year... none would even break 75"... But I must say... I heard my first fight this morning also... It was unlike anything I've ever heard, leaves trashing, bone cracking, it was crazy, and when they were done I never heard another sound....?
Ok fella's, got the greenlight from the missus for a morning hunt this weekend!!WOOT!! From what I have seen around town the bucks are hunting for some loving....should be an interesting sit I think! If not....a doe is going to take a dirt nap!
Well guys, I'm falling apart here. In the last 24 hours I have shot and lost a doe, and shot and missed a 140+ buck. Yesterday afternoon got in around 2:00 didn't see deer until around 5:30, 6:15 I shot a doe, hit her high on the front shoulder. She ran through the field and didn't seem to be laboring at all. Went and looked after dark and found very little blood decided to back out and come back in the morning. I called a buddy and asked if he could come help me track in the morning. We decided we would hunt and then look for her after. Got in the stand around 6:40 this morning, right at 7:00 I had deer come up out of the creek behind me and start milling around. Occationally there would be some quick movement so I figured there was probably a buck and a doe playing grab a$$. At first light one of the does moved in to around 15 yards behind me and I got my first glimps at the buck, no doubt shooter! He was past his ears and pretty heavy, couldn't see tines yet but didn't need to. The buck moved behind my tree around 50 yards back and the 2 does milled around within 15-25 yards of my stand for at least 30 minutes. At this point I've been on my feet with bow in hand locked and loaded for a long time, my legs are feeling the stress and my shoulders are getting tight. I remind myself to relax and was able to stretch my legs a bit and shift my weight enough to keep them from going to sleep. Finally one doe turns away from my stand quartering away hard, the other doe starts to follow her. The buck who I haven't been able to spot through the trees for quite some times comes running in and starts to push the closer doe around. He passes through a couple shooting lanes but doesn't seem to hear me trying to stop him, he is focused only on the doe. (Oh by the way I now have a clear look, he was a large frame 10 with everything a guy could want.) Finally he ends his chase and ends up 15 yards directly behind my tree, NO SHOT. I get myself turned around in the stand and ready for a shot, he walks behind another tree when he comes out I have a 25 yard quartering away shot. Perfect right? There is one troublesome limb hanging horizontal just above his body, as I come to full draw I think to myself "make sure you shoot under that limb". I let it fly.... under the limb and under the buck, #*$&(#*!. He jumps and runs a few yards. Ends up coming back in to around 30 yards but behind heavy cover. Eventually he feeds away. Insult to injury we tracked my doe for about 250-300 yards but after her 3rd creek crossing we couldn't get back on blood and I needed to get back to work. All I can hope is that the good Lord gives me another chance in the next few days. Thanks for listening guys. My name is Matt and I'm a bowhunter...
Matt, keep at it. We have all had days like that. Evaluate the situation and turn a negative into a positive. Think about were he came from, think about were you think he was going. Remember the trail he took that got him behind you and cut some lanes. totally evaluate the situation for what it was " a learning experience". I know it is hard to think positive but now that you have had that encounter get prepared for the next encounter in that treestand/setup. Be safe guys Dave
You are absolutely right Dave and thats exactly what I've been doing. Thinking about what I did right and what I did wrong. How many guys can say they have had that big of a buck within 50 yards for an hour without getting busted... thats a serious positive to me. The great news is the big bucks are moving, I've had a couple close encounters in the last few days. Just a matter of being in the right stand at the right time again. Get out there boys!
BTW, the wife put me on high speed hold until Friday))) her words " I let you run crazy in the woods for 45 days, you got your 1st buck and now I want my honey-do list done" I can not complain one bit, she has always been supportive, 4 days not hunting will not kill me. Dave
