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Well my wife and I are expecting our second baby (girl) in October or Early November. With knowing that for the last 8 months, I knew I’d need to hunt early and often.
As season neared - I remembered several bucks daylighting on the farm early season, last year, and felt like there could be a great chance of connecting.
The drought this year, really impacted the plots. Specifically this new field (recently cleared). Because of this, I decided to re-drill this field about 3 weeks ago- just in the hopes of getting some growth and moisture. Well it worked and all the seed started to pop!!
As my vacation time was nearing - I was monitoring the cameras, and this buck day-lighted Thursday before opener. However, I really needed a NE or S wind to kill this deer - if he was to daylight again. I was feeling good that deer would be in plots with all the rain, and the plots popping. I’ve noticed this numerous times in the past - they cannot resist the fresh growth.
With the all day rains and the break in the rain Sunday evening - everything felt right and I had a NE wind. I headed to the blind and waited. At one point, I watched a couple does and a couple small bucks enter the field. I was going to shoot the doe- and even got to full draw - only to have a squirrel jump on the roof of the blind and spook her out of range!! lol! I guess that wasn’t meant to be and I took that as a sign, that something better was going to come.
As the night went on- I found myself looking through my phone and finding pics of Dozer from 2022 just a few hundred yards from where I saw that evening. As the sun began to set- I figured my hunt was over, only to look up and at the other end of the field see a large bodied deer step out. I grabbed my binos and as soon I put them on him, I about threw them back into my seat and grabbed the bow.
It was getting dark inside the blind - although shooting light was still plenty to be had. He came in facing me and the turned and qtr away at 18 yards. I drew back and realized I couldn’t focus on my peep. I came off the bow string, told myself to slow down, I allowed my eyes to re-adjust through the peep, settled pin again, and let it rip!!
As the arrow flew - I heard thuuummpp! Sounded like a hallowed pumpkin and he ran out for there like a scalded cat! I couldn’t believe it just freaking happened. I texted my wife and cousin saying “I just shot a freaking giant!”.
The nerves and shakes then set in and I needed to calm myself down. I got down- found the arrow and felt really confident. Arrow was soaked in blood, albeit a little dark, but plenty of bubbles on the fletchings. I figured the deer must have been qtr away harder than I realized and I got liver and lungs. I am never truly confident until I have him in my hands.
As my cousin and I met back at the house, we called a few friends and shared pictures of the arrow. Everyone said the same thing - “that deer is cooked”. I still wanted to give him plenty of time, but then out of nowhere - a large rain front was headed our way. It had been about 1.5 hours since the shot, so we decided to go look for him
As we got to the arrow - we struggled to find blood. As we neared where he ran, my cousin said the words we all love to hear “I got blood, and good blood”. As I got closer to him - I too could see the blood, it was steady and heavy - loaded with bubbles and some darker liver blood.
We took the trail slow, never losing blood, and within 100 yards from where he ran out of the field - I yelled to my cousin “holy cow, there he is!” The hugs and handshakes began and so did a look to the stars to thank God and Grandpap (I know he was smiling down!).
I started getting pictures of this deer back in 2022 (that’s when my buddy said - damn he looks like a d8 dozer blade). I believe he was 4 then. I’ll send his jaw in so I can see what he really ages at.
I’m so happy to wrap my tag around this deer.
Dozer - thanks for the years of pictures, excitement and ride.
Off to the next one!! Hunt hard and safe yall! Thanks for reading.
As season neared - I remembered several bucks daylighting on the farm early season, last year, and felt like there could be a great chance of connecting.
The drought this year, really impacted the plots. Specifically this new field (recently cleared). Because of this, I decided to re-drill this field about 3 weeks ago- just in the hopes of getting some growth and moisture. Well it worked and all the seed started to pop!!
As my vacation time was nearing - I was monitoring the cameras, and this buck day-lighted Thursday before opener. However, I really needed a NE or S wind to kill this deer - if he was to daylight again. I was feeling good that deer would be in plots with all the rain, and the plots popping. I’ve noticed this numerous times in the past - they cannot resist the fresh growth.
With the all day rains and the break in the rain Sunday evening - everything felt right and I had a NE wind. I headed to the blind and waited. At one point, I watched a couple does and a couple small bucks enter the field. I was going to shoot the doe- and even got to full draw - only to have a squirrel jump on the roof of the blind and spook her out of range!! lol! I guess that wasn’t meant to be and I took that as a sign, that something better was going to come.
As the night went on- I found myself looking through my phone and finding pics of Dozer from 2022 just a few hundred yards from where I saw that evening. As the sun began to set- I figured my hunt was over, only to look up and at the other end of the field see a large bodied deer step out. I grabbed my binos and as soon I put them on him, I about threw them back into my seat and grabbed the bow.
It was getting dark inside the blind - although shooting light was still plenty to be had. He came in facing me and the turned and qtr away at 18 yards. I drew back and realized I couldn’t focus on my peep. I came off the bow string, told myself to slow down, I allowed my eyes to re-adjust through the peep, settled pin again, and let it rip!!
As the arrow flew - I heard thuuummpp! Sounded like a hallowed pumpkin and he ran out for there like a scalded cat! I couldn’t believe it just freaking happened. I texted my wife and cousin saying “I just shot a freaking giant!”.
The nerves and shakes then set in and I needed to calm myself down. I got down- found the arrow and felt really confident. Arrow was soaked in blood, albeit a little dark, but plenty of bubbles on the fletchings. I figured the deer must have been qtr away harder than I realized and I got liver and lungs. I am never truly confident until I have him in my hands.
As my cousin and I met back at the house, we called a few friends and shared pictures of the arrow. Everyone said the same thing - “that deer is cooked”. I still wanted to give him plenty of time, but then out of nowhere - a large rain front was headed our way. It had been about 1.5 hours since the shot, so we decided to go look for him
As we got to the arrow - we struggled to find blood. As we neared where he ran, my cousin said the words we all love to hear “I got blood, and good blood”. As I got closer to him - I too could see the blood, it was steady and heavy - loaded with bubbles and some darker liver blood.
We took the trail slow, never losing blood, and within 100 yards from where he ran out of the field - I yelled to my cousin “holy cow, there he is!” The hugs and handshakes began and so did a look to the stars to thank God and Grandpap (I know he was smiling down!).
I started getting pictures of this deer back in 2022 (that’s when my buddy said - damn he looks like a d8 dozer blade). I believe he was 4 then. I’ll send his jaw in so I can see what he really ages at.
I’m so happy to wrap my tag around this deer.
Dozer - thanks for the years of pictures, excitement and ride.
Off to the next one!! Hunt hard and safe yall! Thanks for reading.
