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GWSmith

By GWSmith
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RangerClay Monster Buck

RangerClay

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"Got me toes in my boots my ass in my stand, not a care in the world, got my bow in my hand. Life is good today, life is good today."

It was my weekend to head to my hometown. My weekend to stay with my parents and hunt the ground that I cut my hunting teeth on. Everything just felt right as I arrived in town on Friday night.

I hunted all day Saturday and all I saw was one doe. I normally will see a dozen deer or so I was very depressed. To make matters worse, as I walked out to my truck I saw a true monster buck. They just cut the corn over there so the deer were all over it like pigs on slop. I figured I needed a change so I grabbed my climber and moved it a little higher up the hill.

That night I didn't sleep well. The more I thought about the new stand location the more I disliked it. I made up my that I was going to move it but it would be tough because I was really close to a bedding ground and my climber is noisy. I figured nothing ventured and I took it farther up the hill. As I moved my stand, I thought about a Realtree episode that talked about how Bill Jordan is never really happy with a stand location and is always moving them. Thanks Bill!

I got the climber set-up and I climbed about 12 feet off the ground. I tested the wind with my new wind indicator (thanks again AdvantageTimber Lou) and the powder dropped straight to the ground. With no wind at all, I settled in for what was a beautiful warm sunny morning.

Normally about 8am is when deer activity starts on this hill and sure enough at 8:10 a crotch horn made his way down the hill. I grunted to him and he turned my way. It was go time! It was go time until he came to my scent trail that I laid down on the way up the hill. He caught the scent and started to track me back to the truck. LOL, just my luck.:clown: I was bummed but a least I saw a buck. He made his way down the hill and I watched him make/refresh a couple scrapes over the next 45 minutes. I decided to send my best friend (who was at hunting camp up north) a text to tell him about what I saw. I was about half way through the text when I heard something. I looked up to find my buck standing 40-45 yards in front of me. I said holy something and tossed my phone in my coat pocket. I had to move fast but he was close and the sun was shining on me. I slowly stood up and the stand didn't creak. Whew, got over the first hurtle. I got my release clipped and he continued to move to a spot a ranged at 30 yards. I waited for him to move and I drew. I remember saying to myself, "I cannot believe this is actually going to happen." I mouth grunted to stop him, put the pin on his chest and let the Slick Trick fly. In hind sight I rushed the shot. I knew it wasn't a good shot when I heard a "Thoop" and not a "Thwack". The buck made a few bounds then started to walk away. I think I said, "Oh no" about a hundred times. Then at about 80 yards out he stopped and laid down. Thank God! I watched him sit there for about 30 minutes. After that he tried to stand up and collapsed over sideways. I began to feel a little better about the shot so I decided to wait him out. I was pinned down in the stand but my old Big Game climber is very comfortable. For the next 2 hours I watched him lay there and get sicker with each passing minute. I finally felt that I could quietly climb down and sneak out. I was cut off from my truck so I walked across the hill and had my brother pick me up. Now came the tough part, WAITING, I've never had to do this in my 28 years of gun hunting. But thanks to the great advise I've read from all of you here at Realtree, I knew I made the right decision. Once home, I couldn't eat or drink anything. My nerves and thoughts were frazzled with what if's. I knew there was a big coyote in the area.

So about 3 hours later my brother, father and myself went up on the hill to see if he was still there and most of all DEAD. What a sigh of relief I made when I found him, he was dead and he was mine. I said a quick prayer then hugs and high 5's began. I showed Dad and Tim where everything transpired and sent out a few text messages. When I gutted him I discovered I got mostly stomach and I nicked a lung. We drug him off the hill, got him in the truck and the celebration began.

Here is some more pics. I had stripped out of most of my hunting clothes for my tracking clothes but I made sure to keep my bowhunting hat on.

picture.php?albumid=97&pictureid=1593

picture.php?albumid=97&pictureid=1600

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RangerClay Monster Buck

RangerClay

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glad to see you included the kids in the pic... congrats

Thanks! Since day one I have made them part of everything I bring home. What you cannot see is them helping me drag the deer to the spot where I took the pic you mentioned. I have a pic on my phone of them cranking the handle and lifting the deer in the garage. They will help me cut up the deer and wrap it too.

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ruttinbuc Monster Buck

ruttinbuc

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"Got me toes in my boots my ass in my stand, not a care in the world, got my bow in my hand. Life is good today, life is good today."

It was my weekend to head to my hometown. My weekend to stay with my parents and hunt the ground that I cut my hunting teeth on. Everything just felt right as I arrived in town on Friday night.

I hunted all day Saturday and all I saw was one doe. I normally will see a dozen deer or so I was very depressed. To make matters worse, as I walked out to my truck I saw a true monster buck. They just cut the corn over there so the deer were all over it like pigs on slop. I figured I needed a change so I grabbed my climber and moved it a little higher up the hill.

That night I didn't sleep well. The more I thought about the new stand location the more I disliked it. I made up my that I was going to move it but it would be tough because I was really close to a bedding ground and my climber is noisy. I figured nothing ventured and I took it farther up the hill. As I moved my stand, I thought about a Realtree episode that talked about how Bill Jordan is never really happy with a stand location and is always moving them. Thanks Bill!

I got the climber set-up and I climbed about 12 feet off the ground. I tested the wind with my new wind indicator (thanks again AdvantageTimber Lou) and the powder dropped straight to the ground. With no wind at all, I settled in for what was a beautiful warm sunny morning.

Normally about 8am is when deer activity starts on this hill and sure enough at 8:10 a crotch horn made his way down the hill. I grunted to him and he turned my way. It was go time! It was go time until he came to my scent trail that I laid down on the way up the hill. He caught the scent and started to track me back to the truck. LOL, just my luck.:clown: I was bummed but a least I saw a buck. He made his way down the hill and I watched him make/refresh a couple scrapes over the next 45 minutes. I decided to send my best friend (who was at hunting camp up north) a text to tell him about what I saw. I was about half way through the text when I heard something. I looked up to find my buck standing 40-45 yards in front of me. I said holy something and tossed my phone in my coat pocket. I had to move fast but he was close and the sun was shining on me. I slowly stood up and the stand didn't creak. Whew, got over the first hurtle. I got my release clipped and he continued to move to a spot a ranged at 30 yards. I waited for him to move and I drew. I remember saying to myself, "I cannot believe this is actually going to happen." I mouth grunted to stop him, put the pin on his chest and let the Slick Trick fly. In hind sight I rushed the shot. I knew it wasn't a good shot when I heard a "Thoop" and not a "Thwack". The buck made a few bounds then started to walk away. I think I said, "Oh no" about a hundred times. Then at about 80 yards out he stopped and laid down. Thank God! I watched him sit there for about 30 minutes. After that he tried to stand up and collapsed over sideways. I began to feel a little better about the shot so I decided to wait him out. I was pinned down in the stand but my old Big Game climber is very comfortable. For the next 2 hours I watched him lay there and get sicker with each passing minute. I finally felt that I could quietly climb down and sneak out. I was cut off from my truck so I walked across the hill and had my brother pick me up. Now came the tough part, WAITING, I've never had to do this in my 28 years of gun hunting. But thanks to the great advise I've read from all of you here at Realtree, I knew I made the right decision. Once home, I couldn't eat or drink anything. My nerves and thoughts were frazzled with what if's. I knew there was a big coyote in the area.

So about 3 hours later my brother, father and myself went up on the hill to see if he was still there and most of all DEAD. What a sigh of relief I made when I found him, he was dead and he was mine. I said a quick prayer then hugs and high 5's began. I showed Dad and Tim where everything transpired and sent out a few text messages. When I gutted him I discovered I got mostly stomach and I nicked a lung. We drug him off the hill, got him in the truck and the celebration began.

Here is some more pics. I had stripped out of most of my hunting clothes for my tracking clothes but I made sure to keep my bowhunting hat on.

Great story and pics of you and your family members, Joe! There is nothing quite like taking a buck with a bow and sharing the joy! :)

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