First Buck Bowkill - Story and Pictures


Chrud

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I finally had a chance to hunt a stand we hung before the season that is next to the little waterhole. There are a couple trails around, I made a couple small mineral sites and are being hit. There is the logging road that passes on the west side of the stand. And the waterhole is about 15 yards to the west. There is also a huge ridge to the east.

I was in the stand about 1:30 PM. It was about 45 degrees and a very light west-northwest wind. The afternoon hunt was pretty slow. I watched a gray squirrel and a black squirrel for a while. I also had a partridge about 40 yards away at one point.

The action finally started a bit after 4:30 PM. I heard footsteps to the north and it sure didn’t sound like the squirrels or partridge I had seen. I first spotted the deer about 70 yards away. It was walking right down the logging road towards the waterhole. When he was about 30 yards away, I saw that he had a pretty decent set or horns and something I’d definitely like to take a shot at. He walked right into the waterhole and I got to fulldraw. At that time, the deer turned to take a drink of water and was facing me head-on. I held at fulldraw for about a minute. When he started to take a drink, I let back down so I could get ready to start my shot sequence over. I got to fulldraw again and he backed up a bit and was now quartering towards me. He heard something on the other side of the ridge and looked like he was ready to leave. He was about 13 yards away. At that point I let the arrow fly.

The shot looked like it was pretty far back and wasn’t something I was thrilled about. He didn’t look too hurt and trotted up the hill about 45 yards away. I watched him stop there and disappear over the hill. I heard footsteps for about a minute and then silence. My brother and cousin were ready to go after him, but I didn’t feel confident in the shot and wanted to let him lay overnight.

We got back out there to look this morning. We walked the logging road in and I still wasn’t too excited, I figured we’d be in for a long day of searching. We were about 100 yards or so from my stand and just over the ridge there was about a half dozen crows flying around. My cousin said “should we just go get him now?” At that point, it was like a switch had been flipped. I went from angry at myself to a little bit excited. I still wanted to check out the blood trail though. We went to where I shot him and found some white hair. Then we got on the blood trail. I was surprised at how good of a blood trail we had. We got to the top of the hill, picked up my arrow and my cousin said “there is the whitetail!” I pert near freaked out. I was very happy that we found this deer just about 75 yards or so from my stand. The shot wasn’t near as bad as I thought it was either. We probably could have got him last night, but he was still just as dead this morning.

The buck is about a 2 ½ year old 3X5 8-pointer. The right side is busted up, it would have been a typical 10-pointer. We figured it would be about 17” wide and probably about 110” to 115” Pope & Young before deductions. It dressed out at about 160 pounds to 170 pounds, it had a pretty big body on it. It is my first buck bowkill and first buck kill with any weapon. I’m very happy with it. My brother Mark said he will have a shoulder mount made for my as a Christmas gift and a “thank you” for all my help during his benefit. A great end to a great hunt.

Hunt Stats

Hunter – Matt Chrudimsky

Location – Antigo, Wisconsin

Date – November 4, 2005

Weather – Warm and Overcast

Weapon – Mathews Switchback, Gold Tip Pro Hunter 75/95 Arrows and Muzzy 100 4-Blades

Deer Stats

Whitetail Buck

8 Points (3X5)

17” Inside Spread

160 Pounds to 170 Pounds Dressed

Matt_1.JPG

Matt_2.JPG

Matt_3.JPG

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Re: First Buck Bowkill - Story and Pictures

I didn't hit him as far back as I thought. The height of the shot was fine, it was probably about 4" or 5" right of where I would have liked to hit him. Just fudged the shot. I think I still got liver. What happened is I think he moved when the arrow hit and the arrow snapped back a bit and looked much farther back than what I hit.

With the amount of blood that was on the trail and the arrow, I must have hit something vital. But, the blood was pretty light in color, I might have clipped a lung. Either way, that Muzzy 4-Blade looked like a boring bit went to him. grin.gif

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Re: First Buck Bowkill - Story and Pictures

Well Matt...you finally did it buddy...you got a pretty arrow bloody as heck....lol...I am so proud of you...Im loving the bloody arrow against the tree, that is a fine deer buddy, a fine deer indeed....good for you....way to follow up and locating him....he will feed your family well..........al

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Re: First Buck Bowkill - Story and Pictures

Niiccceee buck buddy . great job and some super pics . i just like seeing the woods and deer pics with a happy bowhunter. they look better than the back of the truck pics. that arrow sticking in the ground and the smile on your face tells it all ..

that buck would have been a 10 point for sure if he wasnt busted off. maybe you will run into the one that messed him up next year.. grin.gif

congrats and hes going to look good on your wall..

Shoot Strong

Tony

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