Ten Point Down! Nicknamed "Bubba Jr."

Buckslayer · December 3, 2005

This morning, Saturday 12/3, I shot the biggest buck of my life. "Bubba Jr." was pushed past my stand by some unwelcomed hunters on the farm. (at least something good came of it) He's a 10 pointer, 19 inches wide.

It was 12 degrees F when I left my house and had breakfast with my cousin Jon. After that we got in our stands by 6:30am. Between 7am and 9am I saw three little bucks, and bunches of doe... then a truck pulled up in the bottom of the ravine my dad's stand sits half-way up. Five guys were beginning a push through the woods and crabs that border my stand. I was definitly not moving, and didn't care who they were because its my uncle's farm. Shortly after they began their ridgeside push, I heard 2 shots and then a dozen or so does started barrelling past my stand. I didn't know which way to look - until I saw the body of this huge deer. I focused my scope crosshairs on him alone. When he passed through my shooting lane at 80 yards, I didn't think he'd stop to my grunt because he was running. But he slammed the brakes right on and pricked up his ears. My crosshairs quickly settled on his shoulder and I instinctively touched off the shot - there was no question he was a legal buck for PA. When he crashed down, I started shaking uncontrollably. I quickly climbed down as I wanted to make sure he was down for good. Those 80 yards were the longest of my life. When I reached the deer I immediately dropped to my knees and all I could say was thank you God, thank you God... It was "Bubba Jr." a huge ten pointer that we had been watching all summer. I think my Grandpa helped me out, even though he died a little over 2 years ago from Hodgkin's disease. He and I still talk when I'm hunting because he taught me a lot of what I know... and the .270 Model 700 that he left to me when he died surely spoke appropriately this morning. I'm thrilled guys and girls... maybe there was a reason why I missed that smaller 10 point the last Saturday of archery season?... Him. Those guys that were pushing the hill just stood in awe at what they had done. I thanked them, even though they knew no one on the farm, and hadn't asked permission. I asked them to talk to my uncle before hunting the farm again and they agreed. I hunted as much as I could this season with my internship in Ohio and all... I think my patience finally paid off. I didn't stop smiling for at least an hour. Thanks for the support and observations everyone on the boards made during my scouting this summer.

December 3, 2005