Awesome Hunt/Mature 8 Down Tonight

[LPJR]

Still cannot believe what happened tonight. Literally still shaking and just got home after heading to Frankie's. 

This season has had it's shares of highs and lows. For starters, I messed up on a true slammer in Bedminster in early September and never got a shot off.  Never saw the buck again after the failed opportunity. Fast forward to taking numerous does at our annual cull hunt and getting my brother in law on his 1st real buck during gun week. Been lots of fun to say the least, however no real shooters to speak of at spots where I usually have success with mature bucks. 

Only yesterday did I receive pics of not 1, but what appeared to be 2 mature bucks on camera. One of the bucks I have never seen before. He sustained a busted left beam and broken antler on the right side. In one of the pics in the background was a decent buck, but could not make him out well. 

Needed to get on him and I got on stand this afternoon with the Accura. Wind was not ideal, as it was WSW. A N or N/W is ideal for this stand. Several deer were seen before dark. 3 small 8 pointers, a 4, 2 spikes, etc. All were within 100 yards of my stand. One of the 8's made a scrape and began to spar with every buck that came within 5 feet of him. 

A mature doe with a white blaze on her nose had me pegged from @85 yards away. Because I knew the wind was not ideal, I brought in a can of nose jammer with me on stand. Every so often I would spray a little and it actually calmed the doe down. If she would have blown, every deer would have been gone. A couple pics of the small bucks are posted below. 

With 30 minutes of light left, I saw a white beam in the thickest part of the woods. It was the busted up buck being followed by a big deer. Every deer looked towards them as they came into view. I focused on the mature buck trailing and got him in my scope. At @65 yards, I took the shot and the loudest "CLICK" ever heard made me sick to my stomach. It was like a fart in church. EVERY deer heard it including the mature bucks that froze. 

I almost made a HUGE mistake and did not put the 209 primer in when I got on stand today. Panic??? Of COURSE. But I knew I had to get my muzzleloader box out of my fanny pack that had the 209 primers. Never taking eyes off the bucks, I managed to not only get a primer out, but had to open the gun silently to load it. Thank goodness the Accura can be opened and closed quietly or it would have been game over. 

Squeezed off the shot with the buck slightly quartering towards me, and the buck dropped in his tracks. 

Unreal turn of events that turned a season of a missed opportunity at a good buck early on, to being able to have a good buck show on camera during the late season. 

The buck is mature, and one I have never seen before. His body was huge and a good friend was called who arrived with one of the BEST pieces of equipment to get him out of the woods, as it was going to be a long drag. He brought in a dolly with huge tires and we ratchet strapped the buck on it.  We got him out with little effort, and it was a huge help. 

Got to love the anticipation of everything that deer season brings. The highs, the lows, missed opportunities, all of it. But to get your hands on a buck that is a total surprise, no better feeling in the deer woods. Have to thank all my friends, (y'all know who you are), but the one that I have truly learned from the past few years is our own @Gobblengrunt. Appreciate you brother, sometimes I do listen.......

Called @ASFTAX tonight and the buck is going in the den. Best of luck to everyone still after it. Have fun and above all, be safe! 

 

 

[MGHunter66]

Good one Lou, congrats 

[Bonefreak]

Gorgeous buck buddy!!  Way to close out the year w a slammer!!  Crazy story w the primer issue!!  Congrats and take the rest of the year off!!  Lol

[JHbowhunter]

Great 8 Lou!  Congratulations!  Persistence usually pays off !  Nice recovery on the primer issue although I can’t even relate to that.  Is that like not nocking an arrow?  LMAO 

[Buck154]

Congrats Lou. Nice buck

[browning44]

Congrats!

[FDhunt1213]

Congrats man ! Great buck way to stick with it ! 

[smittty]

Congrats. Hard to find a good buck that’s not all broken up this time of year

[BowhunterNJ]

CLICK!!!  

Great buck Lou!  Congrats buddy!  Glad it all worked out, holy moly!

[Shug]

Congratulations 

[Cousin Brown]

Congrats!

[FRANKIED]

[res3301]

Awesome deer congrats 

[Mark13]

40 minutes ago, LPJR said:

Still cannot believe what happened tonight. Literally still shaking and just got home after heading to Frankie's. 

This season has had it's shares of highs and lows. For starters, I messed up on a true slammer in Bedminster in early September and never got a shot off.  Never saw the buck again after the failed opportunity. Fast forward to taking numerous does at our annual cull hunt and getting my brother in law on his 1st real buck during gun week. Been lots of fun to say the least, however no real shooters to speak of at spots where I usually have success with mature bucks. 

Only yesterday did I receive pics of not 1, but what appeared to be 2 mature bucks on camera. One of the bucks I have never seen before. He sustained a busted left beam and broken antler on the right side. In one of the pics in the background was a decent buck, but could not make him out well. 

Needed to get on him and I got on stand this afternoon with the Accura. Wind was not ideal, as it was WSW. A N or N/W is ideal for this stand. Several deer were seen before dark. 3 small 8 pointers, a 4, 2 spikes, etc. All were within 100 yards of my stand. One of the 8's made a scrape and began to spar with every buck that came within 5 feet of him. 

A mature doe with a white blaze on her nose had me pegged from @85 yards away. Because I knew the wind was not ideal, I brought in a can of nose jammer with me on stand. Every so often I would spray a little and it actually calmed the doe down. If she would have blown, every deer would have been gone. A couple pics of the small bucks are posted below. 

With 30 minutes of light left, I saw a white beam in the thickest part of the woods. It was the busted up buck being followed by a big deer. Every deer looked towards them as they came into view. I focused on the mature buck trailing and got him in my scope. At @65 yards, I took the shot and the loudest "CLICK" ever heard made me sick to my stomach. It was like a fart in church. EVERY deer heard it including the mature bucks that froze. 

I almost made a HUGE mistake and did not put the 209 primer in when I got on stand today. Panic??? Of COURSE. But I knew I had to get my muzzleloader box out of my fanny pack that had the 209 primers. Never taking eyes off the bucks, I managed to not only get a primer out, but had to open the gun silently to load it. Thank goodness the Accura can be opened and closed quietly or it would have been game over. 

Squeezed off the shot with the buck slightly quartering towards me, and the buck dropped in his tracks. 

Unreal turn of events that turned a season of a missed opportunity at a good buck early on, to being able to have a good buck show on camera during the late season. 

The buck is mature, and one I have never seen before. His body was huge and a good friend was called who arrived with one of the BEST pieces of equipment to get him out of the woods, as it was going to be a long drag. He brought in a dolly with huge tires and we ratchet strapped the buck on it.  We got him out with little effort, and it was a huge help. 

Got to love the anticipation of everything that deer season brings. The highs, the lows, missed opportunities, all of it. But to get your hands on a buck that is a total surprise, no better feeling in the deer woods. Have to thank all my friends, (y'all know who you are), but the one that I have truly learned from the past few years is our own @Gobblengrunt. Appreciate you brother, sometimes I do listen.......

Called @ASFTAX tonight and the buck is going in the den. Best of luck to everyone still after it. Have fun and above all, be safe! 

 

 

That’s one heck of a story there! Congrats on making it happen! Awesome buck!!!

[rgw]

Congratulations, great buck