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The Story of Heavy 8

OhioHunter88

OhioHunter88

Junior Member
270
68
Perry County
I feel i could write a book and upload thousands of pictures of this deer but I wont, I will try to keep this as short as possible.

This story will actually go all the way back to 2014 when i noticed a very good looking young 9 point, he looked like he had great potential and his rack grew a little out and up higher than what a normal deer usually does.
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2015 comes around and he has definitely put on some size, I knew that hear he wasn't a deer I wanted to shoot but hopfeully he could survive and really turn into something. He was Heavy and an 8 that year, he looked as though he tried to sprout his g4 on the left side like the year before but he never did. At this time is when I named him "Heavy 8". I did end up seeing him from stand this year.
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2016 rolls in and immediately as antlers are sprouting and they are pounding the minerals I start getting pictures of a weird racked buck, at first I wasnt sure who he was but soon after I realized the similarities with his left side being a bit more "upright" and "higher" that it must be Heavy 8! His rack was funky and i figured he had some sort of injury but he was back to having a g4 on his left side.
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OhioHunter88

OhioHunter88

Junior Member
270
68
Perry County
Although he was an awesome deer in 2016 my focus wasnt really on him as I had another deer i was hunting at the time, late season of 2016 and the deer I was after had gave me an encounter in early november and I wasnt able to seal the deal, he then went missing in mid December and Heavy 8 started appearing daylight in pictures and videos. Heavy 8 seemed to have a limp in the videos so I assumed that the injury was probably the cause of last years funky rack. I turned my focus to Heavy 8 towards the end of season but we never did meet up.

2017 season is off the a real slow start, I have quite a few bucks on cam and some nice ones that seem to need a few more growing seasons so Heavy 8 becomes my target buck for the year. he did grow his g4 back on his left side but his name stayed the same.
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He is now my target for the year and its not gonna be an easy one! I put a good bit of time in the woods and it always seemed he was daylighting at another spot. I couldnt believe how daylight active this deer was!!! I continue to hunt this deer and never can get him to be in the same spot as me.

Evening of 2-2-18 and I set out for an evening hunt over top of a small 1/4acre foodplot that deer have been frequenting lately. The evening is cold with a light snow covering the ground. Finally deer start funneling into the foodplot from every direction and I literally cannot move except to swivel my head. I keep a close eye at all the deer and checking out every buck. FINALLY i spot Heavy 8 and another 4-5 bucks coming through the timber, I decided to let him come by me and present me with a shot before i even try to get ready for a shot with all of those eyes in my small plot. He gets to 20 yards and there is tree between us, I start to grab my bow and get into position.... I noticed it was taking him awhile to get to the other side of the tree so I have to lean and peak out from my hang-on a bit and BAM he is staring right at me. BUSTED! The other 20 some deer in the plot start to get sketched out and look and move around and he starts to do a 180 and head back the direction he came from.. seconds I have to make a decision and I decide it is now or never, 20 yard shot and the rage blew right threw him and he appears to be hurt bad. A pretty easy track in the snow leads us right to Heavy 8!! His mass and main beams really made him bigger than I ever thought he was. I taped him at 148 3/8 gross and 137 6/8 net, 60 days and an Official score will tell me how close it truly is, even though I am typically very close.

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OhioHunter88

OhioHunter88

Junior Member
270
68
Perry County
bowhunter1023 said:
Good read buddy! Do you mind sharing what you planted in that food plot? Definitely had the mojo to draw in that many deer!
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Jesse, it is a pretty well established clover plot that this fall I broadcasted oats and turnips into and then mowed it. I have also been broadcasting( throwing ) about 250 lbs of shelled corn in it per week. It is pretty well destroyed but produces and keeps them more spread out and feeds more deer than a corn pile.
 
bowhunter1023

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
49,525
288
Appalachia
OhioHunter88 said:
Jesse, it is a pretty well established clover plot that this fall I broadcasted oats and turnips into and then mowed it. I have also been broadcasting( throwing ) about 250 lbs of shelled corn in it per week. It is pretty well destroyed but produces and keeps them more spread out and feeds more deer than a corn pile.
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HA. Thought I had a secret tactic for a second. It's a deadly strategy for sure. I used my broadcast spreader this year. Full on Texas style. [emoji23]
 
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