Yep just a 6 pointer but he was kind of a tank and dressed out at 195.
I had some buddies coming to town to hunt Camp Ripley Military Base in MN but I just couldn't help myself and shot this guy Friday night in the public swamp, my 2nd beast style kill. My buddies aren't quit beast level hunters so I sent them to some high ground on a large island and I headed to one of my best bedding areas on the far end of the same island. This place is tough to hunt because there is a large ridge on the island that creates swirling winds and thermals. Because of the wind I had to access from the side of the point and my approach was going to have to be flawless to get in there without blowing any deer out of there. So I just get to the edge of the point and up jumps a buck 30 yards away. They normally bed off the end off the point in the tamaraks but this time he was on the tip and I thought my hunt was over when he ran off. I instantly thought of the buck Dan jumped on an island and came back to him later on so I said what the heck and setup. The buck never got my scent and I was in some thick stuff when he busted out so I had a chance.
Two hours later I hear some noise in the directions he ran and there he is making a scrape with over an hour of shooting light left and only 40 yards away. It was a moon night so I think that could of been helping me out too. He just kind of milled around over there for the next 15 minutes and made another scrape and I didn't know if I was going to get a shot. Lots of thick stuff between us and I didn't want to force anything and have my arrow deflect. Finally he headed right for my tree, he was at 15 yards and closing fast so I had to make a move and get to full draw. He hesitated for just a second and I thought I was busted but he kept coming and I was ready. Then at 10 yards he got too darn close and there was a small branch in the way of my bow and I couldn't get the pins on him. Not to mention I was only 10 feet off the ground in a in the biggest tree I could find. So finally he locked in on me and it was now or never. I leaned into that branch and he was so close all the pins were on him and I let it rip before he had a chance to bolt. He ran 80 yards in a half circle and went down. Had a nice long/wet drag through the bog and I was happy to have some extra help on hand.
We did hunt Camp Ripley this weekend which is well known for producing large bucks but didn't have much luck so I was extra happy take the buck I did. As the old saying goes a buck in hand is worth two in the bush.
