It's been since November 6, 2016 since I used my tag. That day I shot a wide 10 point that I had never laid eyes on. I still remember that hunt like it was yesterday because so many cool things lead that buck toward me. 2017 brought about an EHD outbreak that wiped out most of our herd. That year I passed on a young 12 point that had so much potential to blossom into a buck of a lifetime. I just couldn't let the arrow fly so I videoed him. In 2018 I saw that 12 point once in late October, but never again and never got a shot opportunity at him. 2019 showed we were rebounding from the EHD outbreak. In October of that season I shouldered a nice 10 point that I am firmly convinced survived and in the late season I was hot on the trail of a few shooters, but was never able to seal the deal.
October 26, 2020... my string of bad luck (or bad skill if you wanna call it that) continues. I never once questioned my shooting skills until this. I was getting a few shooters at two different properties. I was very optimistic of my chances this season at a solid buck worthy of an arrow. Around 5pm that evening i see a 10 point with a split brow coming out of the bottom. Never had this buck on camera, but he's a shooter. Very long story short, after a pass through, good blood, then no blood, and a two day search (I gave it hell, trust me)... no deer. I was crushed and so was my confidence. Last year a shoulder hit. This year a pass through that wasn't found. I felt like hanging it up.
November 3, 2020... Redemption: Since the unrecovered deer incident, I decided to put my eggs into one basket and hunt a particular 8 point that I have history with. My setup is on the side of bank where I basically dug out a spot for my stool back in August, laid some cover around me, and spread a camo burlap wrap out on front of me. Up on the bank I am about 20 feet above any main trails and about 10 feet above another trail about 30 yards out in front or me (as seen in this pic). I am facing due East.
As you can see in the picture, there are zero trees adequate for a stand. It is a ground assault or nothing. To my right it goes down into a sulfur smelling water hole with a trail that wraps around the side of the bank I'm sitting on. To my left is a cut that runs between the hill I'm sitting on and a pine flat that goes up like a ramp. My hope is that whatever deer moves through here passes in front of me as it heads toward either the cut into thick bedding or up on the pine flat. The one big log you see is where deer seem to cross through no matter which direction they choose to go after. Today would be no different.
8:15 am: Things were slow all morning. No deer sighting as of yet and I'm starting to questions my decision of hunt location and the wind direction. You know the routine... you start wondering what's going on at your other spots and thinking, "well, if he comes from this direction I'm good with this wind, but if he comes from over there I'm screwed."
The wind is out of the southwest... I catch movement out of the south. That is exactly where I had just figured "if he comes from this direction I'm good." I see a body, then I see a rack, then I think, "OH YES!" No need to pull the binoculars up. This is a shooter. It's not the 8, but this buck is worthy!
When I first see him, he is about 75 yards away coming out of the thicket. He closes the distance to 25 yards in seconds. He is on a steady walk and I'm looking right into the sun that has just popped up over the trees in front of me. I draw... "MEH!" He won't stop... still on a steady walk. Basically all I see of him is a silhouette because of the sun in my eyes. "MEHHHHH!" Still won't stop. I'm following him at full draw as he walks through the middle of the opening and I finally am able to see him clear enough as he caused me to follow enough where a tree blocked the sun for a brief second. I can finally see him well enough to know that my pin is where it needs to be and I let it fly. The familiar sound, the kick, and he starts walking.
He has now slowly started into the cut to my left and he stops directly left of me at 20 yards and I can see the hole I made. "Great shot" I think to myself as I reach for another arrow to shoot again if he is going to hang around. His back knees were wobbling... kind of knocking together. Before I can get an arrow set, he walks away into the cut and out of sight. I have no idea at this point how bad he is hurt.
I sit quietly and start scanning for my arrow. I finally see it laying sideways about 30 yards from me. I look through the binoculars and see it is covered in blood (I love my white arrows). I text my dad as best I could with my shaking hands and give him all the info I know. "Just stuck an absolute giant" "Never seen him before" "Pass through. Great hit" "He walked up cut"
Those texts were all sent separately as I was freaking out. He responds "What now". I just laughed to myself as my mind went right back to October 26. My God, what now? Is it happening again? No way I'm messing this up. I have all day to find this deer.
I quietly climb down off the hill, grab my arrow, mark the spot, and head to my truck. I call dad and give him my plan. Of course, he wants to help, but those who know him... he just can't anymore. He's there in spirit, but he just can't do it physically. I have to politely tell him that I got it. It's ok.
I head home and I gotta tell someone!!! I call Jesse and give him the whole lowdown. After he is firmly convinced that this is a dead deer walking, he says "Redemption baby!"
I sure hope so, but I'm not celebrating until my hands are on this buck.
At 10:30 I head back in some lighter clothes in case I'm in for a helluva walk. I go immediately to where I last saw him standing and find nothing. Not one drop. I go down the cut and start up the other side and finally find two drops. I stop for a minute to look around and halfway up the hill I see this...
I couldn't believe it! He ended up going about another 25 yards from where I had last seen him and dropped. I didn't need to wait. He had dropped almost immediately. Just crazy. I can't explain the relief I felt after seeing him. Unreal...
I thought he was a 12, but knew at least a 10 point. I couldn't believe my eyes when I walked up closer.
Here is the cut he went up. That was a fun drag out of there. If you look close you can see him laying on the right side where I stopped to take a break and go set my bow down for this part of the drag. My set is on the left bank, but just out of the picture.
Break time... This is basically where the shot happened. The bank is directly behind me at 20 yards. Another 100 yards of woods and I'm out in an opening where i can get my truck up there.
Finally made it out...
Dad shows up to help load him up and get a few hero shots.
And he's on his way home...
Sorry for the long story, fellas. It's been a few years since I was able to tell one like this.
I hope you enjoyed the story of Redemption. Thanks, Jesse, for the cool name!
October 26, 2020... my string of bad luck (or bad skill if you wanna call it that) continues. I never once questioned my shooting skills until this. I was getting a few shooters at two different properties. I was very optimistic of my chances this season at a solid buck worthy of an arrow. Around 5pm that evening i see a 10 point with a split brow coming out of the bottom. Never had this buck on camera, but he's a shooter. Very long story short, after a pass through, good blood, then no blood, and a two day search (I gave it hell, trust me)... no deer. I was crushed and so was my confidence. Last year a shoulder hit. This year a pass through that wasn't found. I felt like hanging it up.
November 3, 2020... Redemption: Since the unrecovered deer incident, I decided to put my eggs into one basket and hunt a particular 8 point that I have history with. My setup is on the side of bank where I basically dug out a spot for my stool back in August, laid some cover around me, and spread a camo burlap wrap out on front of me. Up on the bank I am about 20 feet above any main trails and about 10 feet above another trail about 30 yards out in front or me (as seen in this pic). I am facing due East.
As you can see in the picture, there are zero trees adequate for a stand. It is a ground assault or nothing. To my right it goes down into a sulfur smelling water hole with a trail that wraps around the side of the bank I'm sitting on. To my left is a cut that runs between the hill I'm sitting on and a pine flat that goes up like a ramp. My hope is that whatever deer moves through here passes in front of me as it heads toward either the cut into thick bedding or up on the pine flat. The one big log you see is where deer seem to cross through no matter which direction they choose to go after. Today would be no different.
8:15 am: Things were slow all morning. No deer sighting as of yet and I'm starting to questions my decision of hunt location and the wind direction. You know the routine... you start wondering what's going on at your other spots and thinking, "well, if he comes from this direction I'm good with this wind, but if he comes from over there I'm screwed."
The wind is out of the southwest... I catch movement out of the south. That is exactly where I had just figured "if he comes from this direction I'm good." I see a body, then I see a rack, then I think, "OH YES!" No need to pull the binoculars up. This is a shooter. It's not the 8, but this buck is worthy!
When I first see him, he is about 75 yards away coming out of the thicket. He closes the distance to 25 yards in seconds. He is on a steady walk and I'm looking right into the sun that has just popped up over the trees in front of me. I draw... "MEH!" He won't stop... still on a steady walk. Basically all I see of him is a silhouette because of the sun in my eyes. "MEHHHHH!" Still won't stop. I'm following him at full draw as he walks through the middle of the opening and I finally am able to see him clear enough as he caused me to follow enough where a tree blocked the sun for a brief second. I can finally see him well enough to know that my pin is where it needs to be and I let it fly. The familiar sound, the kick, and he starts walking.
He has now slowly started into the cut to my left and he stops directly left of me at 20 yards and I can see the hole I made. "Great shot" I think to myself as I reach for another arrow to shoot again if he is going to hang around. His back knees were wobbling... kind of knocking together. Before I can get an arrow set, he walks away into the cut and out of sight. I have no idea at this point how bad he is hurt.
I sit quietly and start scanning for my arrow. I finally see it laying sideways about 30 yards from me. I look through the binoculars and see it is covered in blood (I love my white arrows). I text my dad as best I could with my shaking hands and give him all the info I know. "Just stuck an absolute giant" "Never seen him before" "Pass through. Great hit" "He walked up cut"
Those texts were all sent separately as I was freaking out. He responds "What now". I just laughed to myself as my mind went right back to October 26. My God, what now? Is it happening again? No way I'm messing this up. I have all day to find this deer.
I quietly climb down off the hill, grab my arrow, mark the spot, and head to my truck. I call dad and give him my plan. Of course, he wants to help, but those who know him... he just can't anymore. He's there in spirit, but he just can't do it physically. I have to politely tell him that I got it. It's ok.
I head home and I gotta tell someone!!! I call Jesse and give him the whole lowdown. After he is firmly convinced that this is a dead deer walking, he says "Redemption baby!"
I sure hope so, but I'm not celebrating until my hands are on this buck.
At 10:30 I head back in some lighter clothes in case I'm in for a helluva walk. I go immediately to where I last saw him standing and find nothing. Not one drop. I go down the cut and start up the other side and finally find two drops. I stop for a minute to look around and halfway up the hill I see this...
I couldn't believe it! He ended up going about another 25 yards from where I had last seen him and dropped. I didn't need to wait. He had dropped almost immediately. Just crazy. I can't explain the relief I felt after seeing him. Unreal...
I thought he was a 12, but knew at least a 10 point. I couldn't believe my eyes when I walked up closer.
Here is the cut he went up. That was a fun drag out of there. If you look close you can see him laying on the right side where I stopped to take a break and go set my bow down for this part of the drag. My set is on the left bank, but just out of the picture.
Break time... This is basically where the shot happened. The bank is directly behind me at 20 yards. Another 100 yards of woods and I'm out in an opening where i can get my truck up there.
Finally made it out...
Dad shows up to help load him up and get a few hero shots.
And he's on his way home...
Sorry for the long story, fellas. It's been a few years since I was able to tell one like this.
I hope you enjoyed the story of Redemption. Thanks, Jesse, for the cool name!
