Target buck beat me but scored on a different PA Stud

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xpauliber
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Target buck beat me but scored on a different PA Stud

Unread postby xpauliber » Thu Nov 09, 2017 12:43 am

My obsession started the night of the solar eclipse when I went out shining and saw this buck I nicknamed "Wheel" because the tines on his right side looked like spokes on a wheel when I first saw him.

Image


[img]https://www.snapfish.com/library/photos?website=snapfish_us&cobrand=snapfish&locale=en_US#state={"pgvw":"siav","aid":122819094212070}[/img]

He was on a property I've been hunting for a few years and know pretty well. I can't learn everything about the deer movement there because it's bordered by posted land, some of which includes some prime thick bedding areas. Anyways, he ran down into a bottom that I can hunt so I immediately went the next day and hung a cam in an area that I thought he may be hanging out in. In two weeks, I got one picture of him but that picture was at 12:31pm and he was heading up onto a thick pine top. I thought that I knew where his bedding area was! I stayed out of there until season opener on September 30th. I "KNEW" he was bedding up high, so my plan was to sneak in from the downwind side, get about 75-100 yards from where I thought he was bedding and setup on the FIRST buck sign I found. Sounded like a great plan but I never found ANY sign. I got about 100 yards from where my cam was setup and I was right in the bottom going super slow in full Beast mode. I found what I thought was a decent looking trail and stopped to setup a cam. I just closed the door on the cam, picked my bow up and took 3 more steps and he busted from his bed 20 yards from where I was.....I instantly thought "Bump n Dump" but you can't hunt on Sundays in PA :cry: :cry: :cry:

The rest of my season, I bumped around that bottom coming in from every direction based on the wind and setting up. I never saw him from stand. I saw him shining a couple other times but that was it. I couldn't believe the lack of buck sign! He left me NO clues for where he was staging, feeding, traveling. I spent 90% of my season hunting him. I made my mind up that it was Wheel buck or no buck for me this season.

The first day of my vacation, I was back in his area to do an all day sit. It was 2 days before I leave for Ohio (actually this morning as I type this!). It was 100% chance of rain but I still went. I got soaked and by 10:30am with pruney fingers, he had broken my will. I climbed down, packed up my stuff and went to Mom & Dad's to dry out, grab a bite, and re-group.

I was back on stand at 1:00pm in a funnel that was good for the North wind that was blowing in. I was quite a ways from where I knew Wheel buck was staying but there was still a "chance" that he could come dogging a doe by. I rattled off and on all afternoon. At 3:00pm, a small 6 point responded and came to 10 yards looking for the fight. I sent my buddies a video of him and most of them were saying "SHOOT IT!! GET YOUR SEASON OVER WITH!" But, you've got to let them grow up. I had to pickup my daughter at my Mom's at 4:30 to run her to dance class. I forgot clothes to change into so I texted my Mom at 3:45 and asked her if I could borrow a pair of Dad's jeans to run into town in. As soon as I sent her the text, I rattled the horns and I thought I heard a stick break. I grabbed my bow and waited 4 minutes.....nothing. I grabbed my grunt tube and made 4 or 5 grunts and I heard a commotion and looked over and this buck was running directly towards me. He crossed the stream, got up onto the knoll I was on and didn't even look my direction before he started raking the ground as hard as he could making a scrape! He was trying to intimidate whoever was in his territory and it worked cause my heart was pounding!!! He turned broadside and went 5 yards to an existing scrape and I drew. I got on him and like an idiot, I punched the trigger rather than squeezing it. I hit him more forward than I wanted and took out his front legs and heart. He tore out of the there and I watched him go 50 yards before piling up. I sent my Mom a text at 3:59 saying "I just crushed a stud!!!" and she said "You just were asking for jeans and now you have a buck down!?!?" And just like that, my PA season turned around.

Hunting Wheel buck was tough. I didn't see a single legal buck from stand all season until that 6 point showed up and then this buck I shot. Off to Ohio until the 15th! Good luck fellow BEASTS!


Image

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[url]https://www.snapfish.com/library/photos?website=snapfish_us&cobrand=snapfish&locale=en_US#state={"pgvw":"siav","aid":122819094212070}[/url]


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Edcyclopedia
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Re: Target buck beat me but scored on a different PA Stud

Unread postby Edcyclopedia » Thu Nov 09, 2017 12:52 am

No pic?

I'm sure it's Spectacular!!! :clap:
Expect the Unexpected when you least Expect it...
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xpauliber
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Re: Target buck beat me but scored on a different PA Stud

Unread postby xpauliber » Thu Nov 09, 2017 1:37 am

AHh, my snapfish links aren’t working. I’ll try to have a mod correct. Thanks Ed!
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jwilkstn
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Re: Target buck beat me but scored on a different PA Stud

Unread postby jwilkstn » Thu Nov 09, 2017 3:06 am

Congrats! Sounds like a super exciting hunt 8-)
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Stanley
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Re: Target buck beat me but scored on a different PA Stud

Unread postby Stanley » Thu Nov 09, 2017 5:30 am

xpauliber wrote:AHh, my snapfish links aren’t working. I’ll try to have a mod correct. Thanks Ed!

Send me the picture I'll post it up for you.
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
Buckshot20
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Re: Target buck beat me but scored on a different PA Stud

Unread postby Buckshot20 » Thu Nov 09, 2017 5:42 am

Congrats.
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backstraps
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Re: Target buck beat me but scored on a different PA Stud

Unread postby backstraps » Thu Nov 09, 2017 6:11 am

Congratulations!!! Cant wait for pics

Goood job
kripp53
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Re: Target buck beat me but scored on a different PA Stud

Unread postby kripp53 » Thu Nov 09, 2017 7:02 am

Congrats, persistence pays off!
hunter10
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Re: Target buck beat me but scored on a different PA Stud

Unread postby hunter10 » Thu Nov 09, 2017 10:39 am

Congrats! Any history with that buck ?
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Jackson Marsh
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Re: Target buck beat me but scored on a different PA Stud

Unread postby Jackson Marsh » Thu Nov 09, 2017 10:40 am

Congrats xp!

Love the story and pics with the kids!

Well done. :dance: :dance:

Good luck in Ohio.
JAB
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Re: Target buck beat me but scored on a different PA Stud

Unread postby JAB » Thu Nov 09, 2017 10:45 am

Lots of neat character on him, good job!
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seazofcheeze
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Re: Target buck beat me but scored on a different PA Stud

Unread postby seazofcheeze » Thu Nov 09, 2017 11:02 am

Super cool looking buck, congrats!
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Matt6506
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Re: Target buck beat me but scored on a different PA Stud

Unread postby Matt6506 » Thu Nov 09, 2017 11:04 am

Awesome buck, congrats :dance:
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Re: Target buck beat me but scored on a different PA Stud

Unread postby Zonk54 » Thu Nov 09, 2017 11:12 am

Great shooting!
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Re: Target buck beat me but scored on a different PA Stud

Unread postby Uncle Lou » Thu Nov 09, 2017 12:09 pm

Yeh horrible heart shot ;) . Great buck and hunt XP
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