Completed East TN Mature Buck/Slob Slam
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Completed East TN Mature Buck/Slob Slam
The Good Lord blessed me with two hit list bucks this past Thanksgiving. Best of all, I was able to share this experience with my entire family. This is the first season that I've been able to harvest 3 mature, hit list bucks. What a season!
On the evening of Nov. 26, I harvested "Bama," a 4 1/2 yr old who I have 3 years of history with. I was sitting on a steep bluff overlooking a large beaver pond surrounded by thickets. After watching 3 different doe groups bed around the pond, I slipped out of there for a quick lunch (the location allows me to enter and leave w/o disturbing the deer). When I returned, I noticed 3 of the does were on their feet and acting a little funny. Almost immediately, Bama steps out of a thicket and starts pushing the does around. After confirming it was Bama, I settled in for the long shot and waited for the wind to stop blowing.
This is where it gets crazy. I missed my first shot (insert excuse here), but luckily the buck didn't know where it came from. As I was trying to get another shot, I heard something behind me running straight for me. I couldn't believe who it was- my dang dog! Somebody let her out and when she heard the shot she ran straight to me!
Although she was loud, our location prevented Bama from hearing or seeing either of us. As I'm calming her down, Bama decides to bed down- facing me. After crawling to 5 different locations, I finally found the angle I was looking for. With my dog right beside me, I squeezed the trigger and fired the fatal shot. What a crazy, but memorable hunt- I killed a mature, hit list buck with my dog by my side!
Around lunch the next day, I harvested "High Rise"- a 5 1/2 yr old buck. As many of you know, last Saturday was a nasty, rainy day. Guess who was out cruising around lunch time? With the help of trail cameras, I developed a pretty good idea of this buck's core area. Although I didn't know exactly where he bedded, I located a bench that I felt he used to travel the steep terrain. As the rain continued to fall, I began to doubt my sanity. But, just as they always do, he appeared out of nowhere like a ghost. I grabbed my gun and waited for his chest to enter one of my shooting lanes.
After stopping on his own, I settled the crosshairs and squeezed the trigger. After recovering from the recoil, I watched the brute tear through the woods and run out of sight. Due to the nasty conditions, I took up the trail a little sooner than I usually do. Despite the rain, I was able to follow a heavy blood trail. As I eased along the trail, I peaked over a little rise and saw a big, saggy, white belly. I couldn't believe it, I harvested back-to-back hit list bucks and my first 5 1/2 yr old. It was certainly easy to give thanks!
As with the majority of mature mountain bucks, these guys won't score very high. However, I consider any buck 4 1/2 and older to be a trophy regardless of antler size!
In addition to both bucks, I was able to harvest a big ol' male bobcat. I didn't weigh him, but I would guess he's around 30lbs.
Here is "Bama." If you look closely, you can see a unique point between his right G2 and G3 that makes him easily identifiable:
"High Rise" is on the left, "Bama" on the right:
Here is my wife holding the bobcat:
This is where I killed Bama. This location is one of those rare spots you can hunt multiple times without messing up the area. I can enter and exit the bluff without alerting any deer below me. In fact, I have slipped out of this area several times without disturbing multiple does bedded around the pond. This is one of the few upsides to hunting the mountains of East Tenn!
As I have previously shared, this was my first hit list buck of the year and my first buck with a bow on our property.
On the evening of Nov. 26, I harvested "Bama," a 4 1/2 yr old who I have 3 years of history with. I was sitting on a steep bluff overlooking a large beaver pond surrounded by thickets. After watching 3 different doe groups bed around the pond, I slipped out of there for a quick lunch (the location allows me to enter and leave w/o disturbing the deer). When I returned, I noticed 3 of the does were on their feet and acting a little funny. Almost immediately, Bama steps out of a thicket and starts pushing the does around. After confirming it was Bama, I settled in for the long shot and waited for the wind to stop blowing.
This is where it gets crazy. I missed my first shot (insert excuse here), but luckily the buck didn't know where it came from. As I was trying to get another shot, I heard something behind me running straight for me. I couldn't believe who it was- my dang dog! Somebody let her out and when she heard the shot she ran straight to me!
Although she was loud, our location prevented Bama from hearing or seeing either of us. As I'm calming her down, Bama decides to bed down- facing me. After crawling to 5 different locations, I finally found the angle I was looking for. With my dog right beside me, I squeezed the trigger and fired the fatal shot. What a crazy, but memorable hunt- I killed a mature, hit list buck with my dog by my side!
Around lunch the next day, I harvested "High Rise"- a 5 1/2 yr old buck. As many of you know, last Saturday was a nasty, rainy day. Guess who was out cruising around lunch time? With the help of trail cameras, I developed a pretty good idea of this buck's core area. Although I didn't know exactly where he bedded, I located a bench that I felt he used to travel the steep terrain. As the rain continued to fall, I began to doubt my sanity. But, just as they always do, he appeared out of nowhere like a ghost. I grabbed my gun and waited for his chest to enter one of my shooting lanes.
After stopping on his own, I settled the crosshairs and squeezed the trigger. After recovering from the recoil, I watched the brute tear through the woods and run out of sight. Due to the nasty conditions, I took up the trail a little sooner than I usually do. Despite the rain, I was able to follow a heavy blood trail. As I eased along the trail, I peaked over a little rise and saw a big, saggy, white belly. I couldn't believe it, I harvested back-to-back hit list bucks and my first 5 1/2 yr old. It was certainly easy to give thanks!
As with the majority of mature mountain bucks, these guys won't score very high. However, I consider any buck 4 1/2 and older to be a trophy regardless of antler size!
In addition to both bucks, I was able to harvest a big ol' male bobcat. I didn't weigh him, but I would guess he's around 30lbs.
Here is "Bama." If you look closely, you can see a unique point between his right G2 and G3 that makes him easily identifiable:
"High Rise" is on the left, "Bama" on the right:
Here is my wife holding the bobcat:
This is where I killed Bama. This location is one of those rare spots you can hunt multiple times without messing up the area. I can enter and exit the bluff without alerting any deer below me. In fact, I have slipped out of this area several times without disturbing multiple does bedded around the pond. This is one of the few upsides to hunting the mountains of East Tenn!
As I have previously shared, this was my first hit list buck of the year and my first buck with a bow on our property.
- Dor
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Re: Completed East TN Mature Buck/Slob Slam
Excellent Photos! Thanks for sharing.
Call The Footed Shaft to order Kwik-Straps 507-288-7581 or order at the kwik-strap.com
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Re: Completed East TN Mature Buck/Slob Slam
That there is a truly Happy Thanksgiving! Congrats to you and your family!! Awesome...
- Stanley
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Re: Completed East TN Mature Buck/Slob Slam
Great stuff there.
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.
- headgear
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Re: Completed East TN Mature Buck/Slob Slam
Heck of season you had.
- Casper
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Re: Completed East TN Mature Buck/Slob Slam
Wow, great season. Congrats.
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Re: Completed East TN Mature Buck/Slob Slam
CONGRATS and thanks for sharing!!
- rack addict
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Re: Completed East TN Mature Buck/Slob Slam
Dream Season!!!! awesome job
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Re: Completed East TN Mature Buck/Slob Slam
Magnificent! !!
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Expect the Unexpected when you least Expect it...
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Re: Completed East TN Mature Buck/Slob Slam
congrats you are slamming em this year, what a great season,!
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Re: Completed East TN Mature Buck/Slob Slam
Congrats..looks like a great place to hunt!
Be safe and enjoy!
Bob
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Bob
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- Southern Man
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Re: Completed East TN Mature Buck/Slob Slam
Congrats on the kills. I love that pic of you on the bluff. I've been to east TN many times, beautiful country there. Congrats again!
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Re: Completed East TN Mature Buck/Slob Slam
Casper wrote:Wow, great season. Congrats.
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- cornfedkiller
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Re: Completed East TN Mature Buck/Slob Slam
Awesome! Congrats for a heck of a season!
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