A short story of a great B&C monarch
Whitetail Deer
This goes back to a deer I caught on a trail camera in 2015 at a spot I archery hunt 12 minutes from home. What a giant ugly non-typical deer he was. I had my sites and hopes set on him for the season. To be humble and honest, I never really assume I'll get these deer I "target". I use them as my excuse to just hunt, observe God's blessings and reflect on over 40 years of bowhunting's triumphs and more what I learned from my disappointments. Here is my 2015 "target" deer.
The very next day after that picture was taken, I was in my stand right behind the trail camera that took this picture. In comes this buck following 3 or 4 does. When this picture was taken, I was just sitting watching him. I've killed so many deer at that little opening he's standing in, I could not begin to come up with an honest number. So this buck I passed on hoping for that 6-7 year old non typical. As he walked away, I thought to myself "I hope I don't regret letting him go".
Ron, sounds like there is a good story coming. Looking forward to hearing it.
I'm thinking he was 3 1/2 years old in this picture. Funny thing is, this was the first time I ever saw him and the only time he got his picture taken that year. One night in that treestand, 4-6 does wandered by and 60 yards away I see the non typical making his way towards me. Jeez, he looked 2 feet thick! He came close but not close enough for shot even without the twigs between he and I. He browsed a little and did a 180 and disappeared never to be seen again. I took a decent 5x5 to close the year and Jeannine took a 4x4.
Sorry for any confusion, the deer in the picture above was the 5x5 I took that year, not the one I passed on.
So comes 2016. I set up my ground blind for Jeannine and tie up the wires in the fence they walk through. When I do this, they prefer most days to cross here in front of my ground blind after they pass one of my treestands.
As if on a schedule, deer start changing their patterns and appearing in my honey hole deer spot and using their new opening in the fence. I could bore ya'll with lots of average deer pictures but the deer of a life time gets caught on my camera. Holy smokes, I know this deer! It's the 5x5 with the split G 2's and he's GROWN! Oh heck, the dreams of him would not quit. but the pictures of him sure did. I thought for sure he'd met his demise somehow as a disappearing act he pulled on me. But the picture of pictures I had of him.
For last year Jeannine ended up killing a bigger deer than I and good for her. I was beside her in the ground blind to see her take him. As I said, I thought for sure that now monster buck was gone and gone for good. I remember reading in Peterson's Hunting decades ago, a biologist/writer Leonard Lee Rue the 3rd wrote, mature white bucks live their entire lives in a 1 1/2 miles circle but collared bucks have been known to travel up to 11 miles from their core in search of does but return after the breeding season. So I have always hunted with that in mind, that there is hope your deer will return or one like him will pass by one day.
Now arrives 2017 deer season. I don't usually hunt before November and this year was no different. My ground blind is up and brushed in well and I tie the fence opening for them. For whatever reason, there is a lot of green grass growing back behind where I'm hunting along the forest edge. I'm bumping deer from it no matter what time of day I choose to check my cameras. Thinking this is going to be a problem for me, I'm assuming hunting will be tough.
So I pull my cards from my cameras one day and "No Way!!!!!!!!!" It's him and there's snow on the ground. A few things had happened in our lives that took a few days to deal with and one night I have the right wind, needing to clear my head and I go for it.
Great looking bucks up there in your part of the world for sure!
Awesome photos you have gotten of those big boys!
Congrats Ron. I know another hunter who was hunting the exact same buck for a couple years. He also has several years of photos of the buck. Amazing how these magnificent animals run the gauntlet year after year and often never get killed. He also has I believe at least one shed from last year
Early this past November I told parts of this story with the passing of my best friend, my dog Sewch. Last evening Jeannine and I were visiting an elderly deer friend of ours whom I took hunting, what seems like for decades who has been dealing with ailing health and old age. More like 4 decades . My visits to him this past week where filled with hunting and other stories and the best laughs I could bring out of him. When telling the story of this buck last night my old buddy Len said softly "You should tell the world about that deer" so with his passing early this morning, I'm telling "my world" about this deer. He's no different that many but he's mine now to share which is what this web site is about.
Maybe 20 minutes before dark and nice 4x4 comes by but has a broken front leg and cannot drop his head and step through the fence opening. He's pacing back and forth for the whole time he's there, trying and trying to no avail. Near dark I see a shadow back behind the broken leg buck and he's holding up waiting and watching the buck in front of me but also looking at the does that had passed me earlier, now digging through the snow for that green grass. The shadow now moves forward and it "him". He's going to pass through my whole in the fence at 15 yards. I'm in Jeannine's ground blind and inside it's dark! I'm shaking and trying to hook my release on the D loop and cannot. I have a mitt on and pull it off by biting and pulling it off. I lay it down beside me and with now 2 hands, I fasten the D loop on. I had only glanced down and look up and see the back end of him disappearing to my left still inside the fence. Then he re-appears offering a broadside shot as he passes through my whole in the fence. Where the broken legged 4x4 is gone I don't know and don't care. I draw back smoothly and tough off. I see my red Luminoc speeding on it's way lazer like and through the deer looking like a good shot but possibly too far back? I heard a crack on impact so knew I touched ribs. As they always do, he ran to the NE and all was quiet. I never carry a flashlight with me at that particular spot with the soul purpose of getting me out of the bush to collect my thoughts, replay the shot in my head and "just go away" for a little while. I was a wreck though. I have never come unglued like this before and I've had so many close encounters after 40 years of guiding. Even a bull moose standing less that 3' from me, actually over top of me did nothing to my nerves but this, this was a whole lot of new $hit to this bush man and I wanted to throw up. I could not breath, even walking was a feat. I made a couple calls once to my truck and took all 3 of my flashlights. I see my noc glowing under the snow and pick it up. Not much for blood at all on it. Going to be a challenge. I found a sliver of meat on one of the deer trails 25 yards away and ahead a huge brown body humped up in the snow. I walk to it and $shit, it's ears are twitching, I have no bow but a light. How do you back out quietly in brush wearing Gore tex? You can't but hope that deer is still there when I get back form my ground blind where my bow is. I take the arrow I'd shot him with and slide forward towards the deer. At close range, I drive it into the deer....... nothing! he does not move. We good I thought and I no sooner think that than he starts kicking but for a short moment. I know he's giving up his ghost and as I did with my bull moose this year, I put my hand on his chest as his spirit leaves. All was quiet and as with my bull, never such a surreal meaningful moment have I had.
So yesterday I had him officially scored with just over my 60 days of drying period eclipsed.
My deer of a life time scores 190 4/8 gross 175 6/8 net typical and 181 6/8 non-typical. I won't beat it most likely though Jeannine had his brother in front her for 2 minutes a week later and did not see it (another story).
Hope I was not too long winded, but as I said, I was told to tell the world about him.
Congratulations again Ron. Thanks for sharing the story. Fantastic buck!!!!!!!!
Wow, Great buck and a great story Ron. Congrats!
Wow. I felt like I walked that blood trail with you through your post! Your friend was right--you need to share this kind of stuff! Thank you and congratulations to you as well. The deer, the story, the friendships and family, and the emotions!
Awesome story and Awesome deer for both of you. Forrest
Great story and deer. Cool!
Great story and congrats on your buck of a lifetime! So sorry about the passing of your friend. Thanks to him though for making you share.
Thank you so much for sharing it with us. Certainly a hunting experience of a lifetime.
Congratulations on a fabulous whitetail buck!
Congrats on an amazing buck Ron! The smile on your face tells the whole story! I'm sorry to hear about the passing of your good friend. Prayers for him and his family. I hope your bride is able to take your buck's brother next year to give you something to chase:)
Amazing deer! Thanks so much for telling the story!!
Truly special deer. Congrats!
Congrats, that is a beautiful buck.
Congrats on a tremendous buck, Ron!
Wow..... Amazing buck Ron. Sorry to hear about your friend. Thanks for the share.
So an animal not quite dead finished with a rifle, is a rifle kill. Does this mean you're deer is a SPEAR kill?! LOL
Congrats on a tremendous buck. Neat story too.
I'm look at this site every day but seldom post anything. That whole story really touched me. Great writing and a great deer. Thanks for sharing it.
Congratulations!! Beautiful buck!!!
Super story and magnificent buck. Congrats
Great story even better buck. Congrats . Hunt
Congrats Ron! Great story and a fantastic buck. Thanks for sharing your story with us.
Amazing story and an awesome buck! Congratulations
Just WOW! Thanks for the story and pics.
Wonderful story Ron,fantastic that you and your wife hunt together! That huge dark rack is unbelievable,,congratulations to you for the buck and for being a great friend....
great job ron and thanks for brining us along on that story
Thanks for sharing and congrats! Sorry about the passing of your friend.
Thank you for taking us along on that great story.
"I put my hand on his chest and his spirit leaves. All was quite........." What more is there to say? my best, Paul
That's sure a great buck! Thanks for the story.
Great buck, thanks for sharing!
Fantastic! Thanks for making my day!
awesome and realistically very emotional, congrats!
So sorry for your losses this year Ron. So glad you have it all in perspective now.
This is a buck of a lifetime for anyone! Not a nicer guy out there for it to happen to. Well told too. Congratulations and well done! Couldn’t be happier for you !
SteveB
Wow!! Quite a buck! Thanks for sharing. I am curious how much that beast weighed??
Thanks,
Lee
Not sure Lee. I've shot 4 - 300 pounds or better and this one was not near that. I'd think 260-275? Just not too sure. My B&C non-typical was 310# live weight on a scale. It's so hard to field judge the weights of most animals. There's big deer lots of places, not just here.
That's a hard pic not to just stare and stare at. What a buck Congrats again Ron.
Thanks for answering! I'm always curious about weight and know they get huge up there! Lee
Adam, you and your brother just posted a great thread on my passion, moose and I'm staring at your pictures!
Ha thanks Ron, I hope you do something special with that deer. I would love to see it in person some time. Congrats.
Congrats Ron....awesome story and an awesome buck. Besides everything else that rack has, I love the way those main beams sweep around and almost touch.
A HUGE congrats Ron!!! What a buck and what a story!!
keep the pics rolling!
Mark
Absolutely wonderful job Ron, both in killing a tremendous deer and in story telling. I could see you tugging at the mitt with your teeth, trying like heck to get it off without spooking him and getting hooked up before things unraveled. Thanks for sharing!
Mike, it was a bit of a fire drill.
Toby, interesting, this is my wife's first buck ever with the same near touching beams.
Not many people can claim to have slayed their dream buck by spearing them (you don't have to tell about the first shot if you want to make the story more dramatic). Congrats!
That is so cool Ron, another beautiful buck she has there.
What an incredible buck and story form the Great White North!! Well told, and thanks for the pictorial. Dang....Im Jealous!! (In a good way)
Great story and x2 what Paul said congrats Lewis
A little confusion on my wording regarding my shots. First arrow took the very back lobes of both lungs. Deer's ears were twitching when I walked up on it. I went back to my ground blind to get my bow and grabbed the arrow that I originally shot him with. I inched back to him and shot the same arrow into the chest cavity. At this point, he was as close to dead as he could get if not already there, but when I attempted to lift his head, he started kicking etc. for 5 LONG seconds. Hope I cleared this up. Cheers.
CONGRATULATIONS on an INCREDIBLE buck Ron!!! Wow!
Great buck - I went back to take a second and third look.
What a great story and a big thanks for sharing. Stories like this...is what makes Bowsite so great....Congrats Sir!
PS...Can't wait for that second story
Great buck Ron! Congrats!!
I have great respect for those ghosts of Manitoba. Congratulations on a huge buck
Congrats to you and your wife! Amazing animals! Thanks for sharing. MO
Awesome story, Ron! Congrats again!
