wtnhunt Posted December 3, 2016 Report Share Posted December 3, 2016 We had a pretty decent 9 point that we had been getting pics of on trail camera before our neighbor had his woods timbered out. Quit getting pics of him once all the activity over there got going. There had been equipment in, then he had trackhoes in back during our muzzleloader season. That 9 point was at the top of our targets, but there were a few other bucks I said I might take if given the opportunity and with hopes fading I settled on a decent 8 with the muzzleloader. I really had hoped my wife would get a shot on the 9 point if he was still around. She had an almost experience with him with with the muzzleloader with him giving her only a texas heart shot and a neck shot. She opted to not risk it. With her excitement over seeing him, I hoped she would see him again and get a shot at him. About a week after she saw him I watched the buck come across the bottom one morning very early in the scope of my accura and actually had him broadside and let him walk since I had already killed one and my wife had not gotten one yet at that point. I had encouraged my wife to go that morning and she said it was too cold and rolled back over in the bed. I saw the 9 point again the Monday the week of Thanksgiving and my wife had sent me a text not 30 minutes earlier telling me if I saw him to kill him. Needless to say at 8:22 that crisp cool frosty morning I shot at him and missed at just shy of 200 yards with my .270. No excuses, I missed. I noticed before I shot that the deer was limping. The next morning she killed a different buck from that same stand. I had seen buzzards circling a few times in that area got to thinking maybe I didn't miss, we went yesterday and spent 2 hours combing an area where I had seen the buzzards circling low and nothing. This morning had an east north east wind forecast. I wanted to go back to the bottom where I had seen the deer twice before, but not a good wind for that stand and not a good wind for the stand by the river where I killed a decent 8 with the muzzleloader either, so opted to sit our back field about half a mile from where I had seen him which is also next to the woods that were timbered out. I was a little late getting out the door, but was in the stand about 15 minutes before legal shooting light. Like I always do said a little prayer, in which I typically ask God to let me make an effective kill shot given the opportunity. Legal shooting light would be at 6:20, at 6:23 I see something at the very back of the field in my binos. I can see it is a decent body size and I see the deer, but it is very dim and he is about 175 yards out. I could see antlers and they looked to be outside his ears, then I see him lift his back leg and lick it, ding light goes off, it might be the 9 I missed. Was overcast and without the binoculars could barely see him. I actually got the shakes a little thinking what are the chances I am seeing this buck a third time, but calmed down. I get my gun up and by this time the buck drops his head and charges as another smaller buck comes out. I find him in my scope and squeeze a shot, he just stands there. Unbelievable I missed this deer again. He charged the little buck again and looks around and I get good and steady and and put the crosshairs of my scope just inline with the back of the shoulder and a little high this time and squeeze again and this time he takes off hard and runs into a brush pile. He made it maybe 50 yards, bullet did not exit, but there was a decent blood trail, took the top of his heart. Was not quite as big as I thought he was, don't think he is a 130 inch deer like I initially thought, but he is 16 1/2 inches inside and is a very respectable deer for this part of the country. Any thoughts on score. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogdoc Posted December 3, 2016 Report Share Posted December 3, 2016 congrats William. Glad you were able to close the deal on this buck! I'm sure you got a lot of relief knowing that buck was still around and you were able to get him today! good job buddy todd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maine Hntr Posted December 3, 2016 Report Share Posted December 3, 2016 nice job William, you guys have had a pretty darn good season. Congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly Posted December 3, 2016 Report Share Posted December 3, 2016 Congratulations William! Glad you were able to close the chapter on this one - third time (shot) is a charm! Looks like the left brow tine is broke? I'm going to guess 125 gross score. Beautiful buck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted December 3, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2016 1 hour ago, fly said: Looks like the left brow tine is broke? It is. Last time I saw him I think it was still intact. I may have taxidermist match it up to trail camera pics. His back right leg looked like he had hung it in something, maybe barbed wire. Looked infected, very swollen. Had it not been for his leg giving him away I might have let him walk this morning because I was really not too sure what he was. I almost didn't even go this morning, still battling this crud(sinus and upper respiratory). Got a shot Tuesday at the Dr office and was feeling a little better, also been on augmentin since Tuesday as well and kind of backsliding with cough getting worse again the past few days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted December 3, 2016 Report Share Posted December 3, 2016 (edited) Congratulations William! The quest to bag that 9 point is over and in the books now. Have to admit, I got a little chuckle about you giving him another warning shot. You know, what he scores doesn't really matter. He was the top buck in the area and he's been on your mind since the pre-season. Now he's yours to go on your wall. Every time you look at him you'll think about a very memorable season pursuing him. Cheers! Edited December 3, 2016 by Rhino Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted December 4, 2016 Report Share Posted December 4, 2016 Congrats William, Glad you got to closed out the season with that 9 pt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly Posted December 4, 2016 Report Share Posted December 4, 2016 Glad you will have some time to battle your infection now. I just saw my doctor for a persistent cough and he wants me to try an acid reflux medication. We'all see. I think antler repair is the way to go for a mount. Some people don't like it, but I see taxidermy as the art of returning the bucks appearance to what it was. Especially since you have trail cam pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted December 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2016 On 12/3/2016 at 5:53 PM, Rhino said: Congratulations William! The quest to bag that 9 point is over and in the books now. Have to admit, I got a little chuckle about you giving him another warning shot. You know, what he scores doesn't really matter. He was the top buck in the area and he's been on your mind since the pre-season. Now he's yours to go on your wall. Every time you look at him you'll think about a very memorable season pursuing him. Cheers! Be a memorable one for sure. He got a few "warning shots", was beginning to think he was "bulletproof", that was what I told Catrina we should call him. lol. I have pics of this deer going back from early velvet all the way until he shed velvet, then he disappeared about the time the loggers got real busy. Not sure how many pics, but quite a few. I am going to have to do some checking, but there is a camera I always run on a scrapeline once they get cranking up on scrapes and I don't think we ever got pics of him there until 12 minutes before I shot him. That last pic of him was not far from where I had the 10 I shot with my muzzleloader a few years back out of the same stand. Deer was just standing there that time too and actually standing at the camera when I shot that time. We found out why when we went to recover him, there were 3 deer that blew out of the brush pile he was on the edge of. After I shot the deer the little 8 point he chased away walked around the brush pile and ended up bedding down in the field beside the brush pile in my view. He was still there 30 plus minutes later when I got down from my stand. Has to either be a late hot young doe or one coming in her second time around. Figured the secondary rut should get going around the second week of December. 9 hours ago, fly said: Glad you will have some time to battle your infection now. I just saw my doctor for a persistent cough and he wants me to try an acid reflux medication. We'all see. I think antler repair is the way to go for a mount. Some people don't like it, but I see taxidermy as the art of returning the bucks appearance to what it was. Especially since you have trail cam pics. Hope that gets you fixed up Frank. Taxidermist looked at tc pic on my phone, said looked like the brows were pretty well matched. Last pic of this deer was an aggressive posture with his ears pinned back. That is how I am going to have him mounted. This deer had a pretty cool marking on his cape, a white streak in the middle of the black in the center of his chest. Seen plenty of double white throat patches but had never seen that before. Taxidermist said it was kind of rare but he had seen maybe 4 like that before. Form he is going to use should hopefully keep some of that. Can kind of see it between his front legs on the as he lay pic. Last tc pic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MUDRUNNER Posted December 5, 2016 Report Share Posted December 5, 2016 Congrats on a nice buck William! You ended up having a pretty good year despite all of the obstacles.Hope you start feeling better soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbarcheryhunter Posted December 5, 2016 Report Share Posted December 5, 2016 Great buck William congrats on a great year so fun wen u can finish it off like that !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted December 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2016 Thanks guys. Very thankful to have had so much luck with this deer and yes it feels good to know where he is. Truly blessed this season and the girls are not done hunting either. Taxidermist said 120's, still a wallhanger for the backyard. Probably end up my 2nd or 3rd highest scoring deer, a pretty deer. Think he was probably a 4.5, will check his teeth when i get them back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkeygirl Posted December 8, 2016 Report Share Posted December 8, 2016 Congrats wtnhunt, that is a buck to be proud of! He is a beauty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted December 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2016 Thanks Ruth. Yep, he is one to be proud of, especially coming from the backyard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archerjg Posted December 16, 2016 Report Share Posted December 16, 2016 Congratulations on a great buck. Archerjg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun_300 Posted January 1, 2017 Report Share Posted January 1, 2017 Awesome buck William! My original thought on score was also mid 120s. That trail cam pic he looks like mid 130s for sure! Congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strut10 Posted January 1, 2017 Report Share Posted January 1, 2017 Nothing like wrapping things up on a high note !! Good looking buck !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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