I know this is a turkey forum, but this is the first buck in a long time that really got me excited after the kill. here is the story.
This is a buck that I have gotten on camera and hunted for the last 4 years.I first noticed him as a 3 year old and quickly saw how he did not like to show up in day light. I saw him once as a 3.5 years old and it was at/after dark. I drew and could not make out my sights, I never thought that it would take 3 more years to see him again.
Fast forward thru the years. I never saw him during shooting hours and in the 3 years since the first time him, I only had him on camera during daylight hours 3 times out of hundreds of video. One year, he showed in January during daylight and last year, he showed on Christmas Eve morning and about a week later, he showed up right after daybreak on camera.
He is not the biggest racked buck, never was, but he was slick and a survivor.
I had videos in September, none for almost all of October and then on the 30th and 31st, he showed on video two mornings in a row at 430, so I knew he was in the area.
This morning, I climbed up a little after 6 and saw 4 small bucks cruising throughout the morning. I have to work this evening, so I knew the cutoff was 1030 or so, and to my amazement, at a few minutes before 9, I saw him step out on an old road bed, angling to me, but appeared to have saw something he didn't like and got nervous. I took the slight quartering to shot and saw the lighted nock spin around when the buck took off. I waited a few minutes, eased down and walked over to the shot. The ground was torn up, but didn't see any blood (but I am color blind and struggle with blood). I eased out the trail where I saw him run and about 60 yards away, I saw the glowing nock. I walked over and scanned down the steep hill to the bottom and saw a big white belly laying in the branch. It's the first time in a long time that I had to call and get some help.
This buck has given me fits over the years and I'm both glad and sad that it is over.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49023392308_c48da77161_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2hG2GzS)Resized_20191105_105410 (https://flic.kr/p/2hG2GzS) by Tim Hillhouse (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138577851@N03/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49023390433_a4c28fd8bd_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2hG2G2x)Resized_20191105_093400[30] (https://flic.kr/p/2hG2G2x) by Tim Hillhouse (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138577851@N03/), on Flickr
That is awesome! Congratulations on the buck, but I am sure you will miss the chase.
Very nice.
Greg
Good story and a Very nice buck congrats and thanks for sharing
very nice Congrats
Nice buck!
Congrats!
Congrats. Nice buck, thanks for sharing the hunt.
Congrats on a good deer and a good story !!
Congratulations
:D :happy0064: :'( you know what I mean.
That's a good buck!
Nice deer. Congratulations.
That is great!!
Nice deer , congrats
Congrats on the great buck
Congrats nice one
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When you single out an older buck or older gobbler, you are hunting. Good deer and good shot.
Congratulations
Congratulations, great story & great buck!
Nice deer , congrats :you_rock:
Great buck, would take age over any time. Well done.
Great deer and great story.
It makes it extra special when there is a history, especially when it spans a few years!
Sitting in a tree right now hoping to put an end to a 2 year battle with a nice 5 yr old.
Wow, great story, great shot, great memory. You earned it. Congrats.....
Great story and even a better buck congratulations
Good deer congratulations.
Hell yes my brother! What county?
South end of Cherokee county on the last 30 acres of my grandparents place. It's under contract, so it could be the last year I get to hunt there. It is land that my family has owned since before the Civil War.
Nice deer man. Congrats.
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Congrats on a nice one that has meaning with you
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Congratulations!
Very nice congrats
Great buck!!!