As promised here is the story: Got into stand around 4:45 with a NNW wind after getting back from school and smoking up with wood chips. I brought laptop to check camera I had soaking for 2 weeks on a really nice scrape/rub line. Had a couple really nice bucks moving through late October. Somehow, the stick I've been using behind the camera fell out and the camera lost its downward angle. Anyway, without solid recent Intel and my rattling horns being in my bean field stand I elected to sit there.
It was a beautiful evening to sit. The sun finally peaked out and the remaining leaves on the trees slowly lost their hold and fluttered down to the earth. I had the occasional squirrel and woodpecker keep me company as I sat and enjoyed my limited time being able to hunt. Time is passing by and I begin to wonder if the does are hot on another property. All the while hoping my ol' reliable corner stand would produce. I was hitting the grunt tube every so often and even more seldom working a rattle into the sequence.
It was then that I heard my first deer of the night. The faint crunch of leaves that sounds like a rythmic drum that matches tune with your heart the closer they get. I laid eyes on a doe that appeared out of the woodline 60 yards away. She milled around the cut bean field then proceeded south. At this time I had about 20 minutes of light left. I began to pack my range finder and binos away.
I decided to hit the antlers and grunt a few more times in hoping I might bring a buck my way. Not a minute after I put antlers and grunt tube away I hear the crunching of leaves and I knew I had better be prepared this time. I grabbed my bow off of the hanger and waited for the approaching animal to reveal itself to me. A few short moments later I had this 8 point walk out of the woods about 25 yards from my stand in a "B-line" towards my position. I very carefully thought I pressed record on my GoPro. Being torn on whether to shoot or not I had to quickly make up my mind as the buck was making his way under my stand as I was contemplating my decision.
As he passed under me I made up my mind and drew back! I let him get about 15 yards away then gave him the ugliest sounding "Mehhh" I have ever heard. My heart was racing but in that moment everything was perfectly still. I can only relate it to being similar to having a 2-2 count w/ 2 outs in D1 state final game with runners on second and third. Time passes so slowly as the pay-off pitch comes, Huntington park is rocking, but for me it is a quiet buzz as I follow the ball in and send a liner in the gap. Then, time suddenly lurches forward and I am ripped from my intense focus as I run the bases. As I let that ugly "Mehhh" out, time slowed. I found my anchor. I found my single hair I was going to hit. I released the arrow and my NAP HellRazor split that hair in two.
Time lurched forward. The buck ran hard for 10 yards then stopped and stared me down. For that second nothing went through my mind more than I can't believe he just took that and shook it off. He took off again, running hard in a circle. His rear legs doing double time while his front legs struggled to keep up. He snowplowed into the field. Then got up and gave a big jumping kick and snowplowed into his final resting spot 50 yards from my stand.
I immediately texted my dad, grandpa, and hunting buddies to let them know. My dad and grandpa got there and were amazed. Neither being very avid hunters but having respect for the strength and beauty of these animals and nature. My grandpa, very proudly stating, that it was a very fine specimen, noting its symmetry.
I had a good buddy come help me finish field dressing the deer as I still was shaky on the process and didn't want to mess it up.
As I sit and write this story I can't summarize what this hunt and being able to harvest a respectable buck that my grandpa was able to see means to me. I think I will get it mounted to remember what this farm has meant to me growing up and all it has taught me. Thanks for reading my story.
(P.s: when I thought I hit record I was in time lapse mode so I will try to figure that out and hopefully get a video up)