Oklahoma public land buck

huntinsonovagun

By huntinsonovagun
in Bowhunting

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huntinsonovagun Monster Buck

huntinsonovagun

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My wife, Megan, and headed down to my parents house Friday evening so I could hunt the archery opener on some Corps property behind my mom and dad's place.

I had intentions of shooting a doe (or two) on their way to bed in the morning, but thought you never know what could walk by. Maybe I could get lucky and even find a 3.5 year old buck heading to bed.

Things started off a little slow, but around 8:15 or so caught a big bobcat trying to sneak by me. I was wishing he was legal, but not for another couple months here, so I shot him with the camera instead.Shortly after the big cat wandered off, I caught some movement into one of my shootin lanes, as my adrenaline began to flow...turkeys! I was reaching for my Elite and stopped once it had it in hand. Even though they're legal to take, I decided to just watch, since their numbers seem to be a little low in the area, and I still had some meat in the freezer from my spring gobblers.By the time the dozen or so turkeys left it was 9:00, which was when I had originally planned on ending my hunt, but I was having such a good time I decided to sit another 30 minutes or so.

It wasn't 10 minutes later I see a button buck behind me, then passed up a big spike passing through my lane. This is turning out to be a great hunt! Little did I know what was to transpire. Another 10 minutes goes by and I hear a large commotion and I instinctively grab my bow a attach my release. Out comes a solid 3-4 year old 115" buck with another 100" buck. I was lucky enough stop them as they were running, but unlucky enough to have the bigger stop 8 yards from me and have his vitals covered by a 6" tree while I had him in my sights at full draw. I made a quick decision to go for the smaller buck, which was in the clear at 26 yards- they bolted. Feeling dejected, I kep reflecting on the mornings events, wondering what I should have done different. Less than ten minutes later, I see deer legs moving, then I see a good rack, and another, then another, and then I see a big, tall, heavy rack attached to a buck that walked with a swagger. I knew this was one of the bigger deer I'd ever laid eyes on while hunting.I had heard a few shots earlier in the morning from someone with a .22, and I soon realized that was why this group of deer was up moving around in daylight this time of year. I knew these deer were headed my way and would pass easily within range. Then, like a stampede on the Chisholm Trail, they all came running under my stand. All I could see was good 2, 3, & 4 year old bucks, and then the big one. There was nothing but mass, height, and possibly a sticker point, but they just wouldn't stop. They were obviously running from whoever was plinking.

I knew these deer were held up in a block of timber of about 15 acres between me and some railroad tracks. I decided to wait them out. At 12:00 I decided they must have bedded up and I should take this chance to eat some lunch and take a little break. After a 20 minute nap, I was back up in the tree at 2:00, and things were looking pretty bleak. I had sat for another 5 hours without seeing more than a few busy squirrels.

I began slowly collecting my gear 20 minutes before shooting light would end. Things weren't looking good, as I hoped the deer would move earlier since they weren't in their normal bedding area.

15 minutes before shooting light would end, a spike walks through once again. I had to really strain to see his headgear even though he was only 15 yards in front of me, as it was so dark in the with all of the foliage on the trees. I grabbed my bow because I knew one of the big ones could be right behind him. Sure enough, I catch movement and barely see a glimmer of a good rack on a swagger-stepping deer, with another "good" buck following him. I grunt him to a stop at 25 yards and can't hardly see my pin through my peep sight. Using both eyes at this point, I got my pin on the deer and squeezed it off, immediately followed was a solid "thwap!" I knew I had hit him, but thought maybe it was a little forward, which my broken arrow shaft confirmed, only having an 8" blood stain on the front end.

I gave him an hour before I tried to trail him. I was so nervous about shot placement I was literally nauseous. My dad helped me trail, but things weren't looking good. Very little blood, but I found him within 25 minutes of starting the blood trail. He didn't make it more than 100 yards from the shot. Immediately I knew it was the big buck I had seen earlier in the day. My shot placement was nearly perfect, and the pop I heard was the opposite leg breaking.

After 11+ hours of hunting opening day, and a lot of luck, I had my biggest buck to date. I released the arrow on this buck exactly 8 years (almost to the minute!) of my very first bowkill.

He has 11 scoreable points and I gross scored him at 136 3/8". Not bad for a NE Oklahoma public land buck. I'm thrilled with him, and couldn't have asked for a better start to a season!6fa40902.jpg98a17ca7.jpg

Edited by huntinsonovagun
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