A series of moments, my hunting book

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briar
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A series of moments, my hunting book

Unread postby briar » Tue Oct 27, 2020 3:02 am

I know the beast is based off of the struggles of public land. I appreciate that work and struggle and guts it takes to succeed in that arena. That being said, this is not one of those stories, so if thats what your after, stop reading now.

This is my story about my 2020 buck and a series of moments both high and low I had in getting him. Im a lucky guy. I have access to a beautiful little piece of ground about an hour from me. That area has 1 public spot. Its not pretty. This is suburbia through and through, but the deer have a chance to grow old. Its near my dads house, and I'm rarely there. I let him hunt it and enjoy his slice of heaven. He is 74 and not quite as spry as he once was. Im blessed, he and my mom are in great heath, but have other places they go so he hunts there basically monday through Thursday. He is a guy who just loves the woods. No method to what he does, just sits and is happy to see a deer

My first MOMENT of this journey was last rifle season. I had tagged a buck the last day of archery but I always want to spend as much time as I can with my dad do I told him I'd go wherever he wanted and just carry my recurve to doe hunt. He wanted to stay home...and hunt there so down I went. I sat in one of his junky hang on in the morning, ate lunch with him, and grabbed my assault and sticks for the afternoon. I only went about 250 yards from my morning sit, but it was a whole new world. A real light bulb MOMENT. I sat that afternoon in an awesome tree about 12 feet up and hidden like a ghost, i saw a few deer, but nothing close. Locked that tree in my mind and basically my season was over there.

Come spring 2020 I was back down there with my sticks, stand, and saw. I trimmed that tree and others and left it alone. I had found quite a bit of sign from the last fall. I knew I needed a north wind to hunt it, which is hard to get around here. I hung some stands for my dad late in the summer he was just tickled with.
That area has an early start in our state, mid Sept, and lo and behold, opening day, i got my wind and headed down. I was basically doe hunting with my recurve. I got to my tree, set the stand and with the bow on the ground, I see a buck coming. He walks right into 5 yards, blocked by cover, and I had no shot. I was positive he heard my sticks set and thought another buck was rubbing and came to check it out. I was just floored! I saw a few more deer that evening but snuck out to wait til I had my wind again.

I hunted there again in a different tree the 26, but the wind was a mess, it was hot, just a bust. I hunted the next month closer to home and actually had seen 10 other bucks, and 2 other good ones..just never worked out. I was patient and just waited til the MOMENT I had my good wind and that was october 24. I had all my gear ready to go and headed down early Saturday morning. Got in clean, and it was cool and drizzly. Early in the day about 8:30 I heard some ruckus and some grunts. At about 80 yards 3 does busted through. I could hear the grunts and 20 minutes later saw the buck. He got to about 30 yards in the brush, then lopped back to my left and worked his way away from me down a little tree line. He was just bullying around...checking his turf. I thought that was going to be my highlight of the season. A great MOMENT for sure.

Now I am not a guy that loves long sits. 2 hours and I've about had it, but I hold myself id do all I could to stay a long time today. I had some food and water it wasn't freezing and my phone had my sports radio in my one earphone. I was pretty happy. About 11:35 I see the same buck taking the same path AGAIN...step for step, and I had a MOMENT of a light bulb going off. I had read on the beast about making agressive moves rather than sitting it out...and I was about to make mine. I looked from a distance to see if there was a tree on that path i could get into. I felt there was and my plan was in motion.

At 12 I tore down the set, went and ate my sandwich, switched the alpha for the assault and was heading back in at 1 in kill mode. I snuck in, and all the trees needed way to much work, or the lanes to shoot were junk. 1 however looked doable and I went to work, slowly sawing 2 dead limbs, setting 2 sticks and the stand about 12 feet up but totally concealed.

I sat from 2-4 with not much action. At 4 or so a nervous 3 point showed himself, looped me, and got nervous, and worked away. At 5:30 I hear something to my rear and see an absolute giant behind me at 40...no shot. He works to my right, stops from my grunt at 80, but is fussy about my entry, snorts and is gone. THAT was one heck of a MOMENT. At 6:30 I hear antlers thrashing in front of me on brush...here he comes, my buck. He gets to 20 yards, makes a scrape and licking branch, and i need him to go 5 yards to my left and its wide open broadside. Nope, goes the other way, coming almost right at me at maybe 15 yards, with a lot to shoot through. I knew it was a now or never MOMENT, he hits the clearest spot, I hit the trigger, and a sinking MOMENT, the arrow hits back..either from deflection or rushing. He trots behind me and I can see him hunched up at 80 yards. I know its not good. I sit til dark, sneak out , call a buddy, and head home to plan.

My wife is not quite thrilled that I have to go back, but understands, I bust my tail getting all our usual chores done, and convince her to come. She is an A+ blood tracker and I'm always glad for help. After a restless night, my buddy shows about 7:30 and we start the drive. We get there, find white hair at the shot sight, and my arrow where he stopped. We spend the next hour piecing together the trail of drops of blood ever 2-5 yards. Im marking with tp to keep us in line. He travels a 400 plus yard loop, never bedding down. We end up about 150 yards in front of the shot location. Blood has stopped and a briary golden rod patch is in front of us. This was a very low moment. i was sick and convinced it was over. With my buddy to my left i head in, just waking. About 75 yards in as i reach the end of the patch, just before a steep ravine, I see him. He is still breathing 14 hours later, but not able to move. We had done it, we made up for my bad shot and recovered the buck. What an amazing MOMENT. This was my 3rd buck with the same arrow and head.

It was now handshake, hug and picture time. We took our time, got some good photos and I just soaked in that MOMENT. The best part having my friend and wife there with me. That is the kind of MOMENTS i miss so much from my youth. Everybody today hunts themselves, and is so secretive. I miss just being part of something and enjoying those relationships. Yesterday however I got that MOMENT and I hope I never forget it. We got him gutted out. Clean punch through the liver and gut after that. In 400 yards he never bedded. He was still going after 14 hours. Unreal the toughness of these animals. So we got hom home, later in the day my folks stopped by and I had another great MOMENT with them. All in all it was the most complete days of hunting maybe in my life. The highs, the lows, the defeat and triumph. The deer was very special to me, but its the MOMENTS I truly and dearly will hold onto forever.

I just typed this on a phone so ill clean up the errors and gramatics later. Things are just heating up guys and gals. Stay at it, shoot straight, but please take a second to soak it all in and make your own MOMENTS. we never know when its our last. God bless, Ron
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blackwidow
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Re: A series of moments, my hunting book

Unread postby blackwidow » Tue Oct 27, 2020 6:40 am

Well done and congratulations. Very nice story and a handsome buck to boot. Pretty special when you're able to share the experience with your family and friends like that.
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Tsom
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Re: A series of moments, my hunting book

Unread postby Tsom » Tue Oct 27, 2020 9:04 am

Congrats! Nice story and buck!
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hunting_dad
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Re: A series of moments, my hunting book

Unread postby hunting_dad » Tue Oct 27, 2020 9:21 am

Man that is such an awesome story! When I commented on your post the other day about moving, I was really hoping it would work out for you. Your story is so similar to mine some years back, right down to finding him alive the next day and getting a finishing arrow in him. That’s crazy! So happy you found him and I 100% agree about sharing the moments with friends! Congratulations on a super buck!
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seazofcheeze
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Re: A series of moments, my hunting book

Unread postby seazofcheeze » Tue Oct 27, 2020 9:48 am

Congrats on a great buck. Way to play it smart, back out and give him time. Glad to see you were able to recover the buck after a tough track job, congrats again!
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1STRANGEWILDERNESS
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Re: A series of moments, my hunting book

Unread postby 1STRANGEWILDERNESS » Wed Oct 28, 2020 1:06 am

Great buck and some great points you make. Nice work.
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john1984
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Re: A series of moments, my hunting book

Unread postby john1984 » Wed Oct 28, 2020 1:13 am

:shock: Gr8 buck :clap:
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Dewey
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Re: A series of moments, my hunting book

Unread postby Dewey » Wed Oct 28, 2020 1:15 am

Congrats 8-)
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Boogieman1
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Re: A series of moments, my hunting book

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Wed Oct 28, 2020 9:07 am

Nicely done! :clap:
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muddy
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Re: A series of moments, my hunting book

Unread postby muddy » Wed Oct 28, 2020 1:45 pm

Congrats
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Uncle Lou
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Re: A series of moments, my hunting book

Unread postby Uncle Lou » Mon Nov 02, 2020 10:30 am

Congrats Briar. I hope we all get to take in a moment like you did on that one. Well Done
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Jackson Marsh
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Re: A series of moments, my hunting book

Unread postby Jackson Marsh » Thu Nov 05, 2020 8:18 am

That's a dandy briar. Congrats :dance:
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BJ99Robinson
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Re: A series of moments, my hunting book

Unread postby BJ99Robinson » Tue Nov 10, 2020 1:38 pm

Nice buck congrats!!


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