70th birthday buck (s)
Whitetail Deer
Dad and I at Pronghorn Paradise in early October. I’m taking him there next fall.
Dad and I at Pronghorn Paradise in early October. I’m taking him there next fall.
My dad turned 70 this. Without him I’d never be where I am in life or addicted to hunting like I am. Dad has hunted my entire and still gets pumped to go even to this day. He’s the one that got me into archery, bought me my first 3D deer target, helped me pay for my first big game hunt. I’ll never be able to repay him for what he’s done for me and my brothers. Friday November 17th Dad turned 70. We had planned on hunting a friend’s farm in Missouri for the weekend and giving him a Remington model 722 in .257 Robert’s that he’s been talking about for YEARS. Every year my older brother James (cornfed77) always try to shoot him a buck for his birthday. This plan usually fails since I’m normally tagged out in October. James usually holds out longer but it’s just never happened.
I’ve had a pretty eventful year and had still not shot a bow buck in Iowa so Friday I chose to take the day off work and I’d hunt Iowa (for good reason) while dad and James hunted Missouri. James and dad left Thursday and I received a text from him saying he had just seen the largest buck of his life just 200 yards up from the driveway of his buddies 40 acres in Missouri.
Nice tribute, I turned 70 this year too. Keep rolling Pops..
There’s a good reason I didn’t go to Missouri. I’ve been chasing what I felt was the largest buck I’d ever laid eyes on back home on our family farm. Dad said he’d seen 2 really good bucks …. And a REALLY GOOD buck with them by my blind just a couple weeks prior. Dad slowly talked the buck down from 160 to 150 to 140 (which is still good in our area). One day driving I saw the “really good” buck. He was white racked and standing about a half mile off the road. He looked heavy. And good. Never really thought about it again. Maybe a week later in the same spot glassing the neighbors corn food plot (we own the woods they own the field and about 10 feet of the woods on the west side). I got a much better look…. And then said holy shit that’s huge.
Looking forward to the write up, Luke, although I already know the outcome;-)
Happy birthday to your dad, as well!
Over the course of a couple weeks I’d never put in so much time for a specific deer. (Never really cared that much and props to you die hards chasing just one, it’s mind numbing stress) over the course of the last week I had seen him almost daily. 42 yards on a Friday. Drew back but had no legit shot and had to let him walk and continue chasing does. Saturday I found him chasing does and he ran two by me and about 411 mph. I had no shot even at 20 yards. Sunday he walked does by at 80. Monday he had does at 100. Tuesday I think I saw him at last light. 4 different stands now. Wednesday I saw him back in the neighbors with a doe and 4 other bucks. Now I was worried he’d go into zombie mode and leave forever. Thursday I didnt hunt. Waiting for my Nw wind and a morning stand I had specifically set just for this buck….
Friday was dad’s birthday. The wind was what I’ve been waiting for, for 2 weeks. I didn’t sleep much that night.
Friday found me up way too early. Let me tell you I hate hunting mornings…. We hunt small patches of timber and frankly it works best to sit edges and let them come to us. But it’s the rut and dad’s birthday and well… there’s a big buck floating around.
Another plus this year was the creek running the woods was dry, this made entry to my stand easier and quite (ish). Luckily I walked right by my stand in the dark and had to turn on my 1200 lumen headlamp just to find it… might as well blind the deer while I stumbled around.
Once in stand all was good. I said a little prayer to god asking that dad shoot that big buck in Missouri, of course for me to get the big one here…. And well James could have the big chocolate horned one he saw here come muzzleloader. Sometimes the power of prayer is strong gentlemen…..
Within an hour I had a hot doe and a button buck bed 30 yards away. Then a smaller buck… and another hot doe…. Then another smaller buck and another hot doe….. then yep some more bucks…. They kept piling in. Soon a nice 120” buck comes…. Now what to do…. Dads 70th! It’s a fair buck…. Now in hand I let him pass at 25. More bucks join…
It’s about 7:45 when I look back west…. Doe…. Big buck following. I grab my bow and felt it was him but no matter what this deer was big enough. I only had a quick glance but after watching the rest of the deer, knew they’d pass within 35. The doe passed glancing up at my skylined ass in the tree but never broke stride. 40 yards walking, here he comes…. It’s him… my heart skipped a couple beats as my mind just kept talking to itself… where to stop him, what’s clear, when to draw, where’s the doe now…
30 yards….. at 25 there’s a massive clearing he continues pace…. 25 yards…. 20 yard I’m already drawn and now stopping him….
Meanwhile in Missouri…
James and dad were up early…. James set up just 200 yards from where he had seen the monster…. Just after daybreak and unknowing to me he shoots what he felt was a 130-150…. Didn’t know, got a quick glance, good buck, lay the hammer down. He gets two shots off with his 270 and waits for dad before tracking….
Back in Iowa…. 40 minutes after James has shot, I’m in robot mode squeezing the trigger.
At the shot I know I hit him and he trots 30 yards only to stop and stare at his doe. 20 seconds pass an I see his back legs buckle… then he spreads wide just to stay on his feet…. Only to sit down and lay his head down forever.
Now the shakes set in… my hand won’t stop and my breathing is a mess…. I snap a quick photo and send to our group chat big buck down happy birthday dad! Along with a blurry pic from 50 yards.
James responded…. I’m looking for mine now…. I couldn’t believe it… both of us had just shot bucks on dad’s birthday!
Good stuff so far .. looking forward to the rest of it!
I get down and walk to my arrow. First year ever shooting feathers. First year ever shooting a real cut on contact head.
As I walk up to my buck I get a pic from my brother….
James killed the biggest buck of his life…. 174 gross
And it’s dad’s 70th birthday!
I didn’t want to steal his thunder…. But that’s what brothers do…. So I sent him a pic of mine…
Never in our lives had we even gotten a deer on his birthday and today… we both blew our personal bests away.
This was James 35th and my 34th year hunting. In 34 years of bow hunting I’ve never seen anything like it.
I called my stepmom and she drove the 2 miles to help me take pics. I loaded that 270 pound (live) bastard up on the deer cart and got him hung. Then 5 hours later sat with my dad and both my brothers and joked and laughed in Missouri.
We attempted to give dad his rifle and of course after months of planning and finding this specific rifle…. They brought the wrong gun down to give him :)
He’s still tickled and it was a great laugh to top off an unforgettable day.
Dad still hasn’t shot a deer down there. Has tonight and tomorrow. I drove home early to take care of the buck I just threw in the shed so I could be part of the celebration.
I did quick rough him after Troy suggested he was 200” possibly (that was after the picks that made him look BIG were sent). For those wondering I came up with 190 6/8. If it holds it’ll be the 6th biggest to ever come out of my county.
Not a bad birthday weekend.
He just sent me this after my last post…. My god I love deer hunting with this man.
Wow hell of a day! Congrats to everyone! Hope dad can lay one down too!
Fantastic events for your family! Congrats
A dream day of hunting for sure! Thanks for sharing!
Great to hear the whole story, Luke. I bet you all are still pinching yourselves. What a day, what a pair of bucks!
I’m betting that your dad will be just as happy, even if he doesn’t notch a tag. Quite the birthday present. Congrats again, Luke!
Many congrats- outstanding!
Congrats to all. Hate to break it to you boys but your dad has probably just banned the both of you from hunting the farms now. :):)
Incredible! Congrats to you and your brother..
The chances of one of you getting a buck on Dad’s birthday is reasonable. The chances of both of you doing it are getting pretty slim. By the time we work out way up to you both getting truly amazing bucks the odds are astronomical!! Perhaps even Divine :).
Congrats to your family!!
Seems like Charlie and I also both turned 70 this year, so maybe you could help us out a bit. ;)
Amazing day for you guys. Congrats to all.
Awesome and congrats to all! Family memories right there!
Wow! The lightning struck and the thunder rolled! Twice! Bet your Dad is as happy as both his boys for you both to have had such a special, spectacular day on his birthday!
Congratulations to the both of you for your bucks of a lifetime on your Dad’s birthday!
Rod, You and Charlie are not alone as I also turned 70 this year, 1953 was a great year.
Outstanding, congrats all the way around!
Congratulations to you and your brother on 2 great deer. Happy birthday to your dad.
Congratulations!! Tell your dad Happy Birthday!
Congrats! Really cool story!
Great story!! Congratulations to all
What a great pair of whiteys, congrats all around !
What a day! Great bucks, great story, great Dad!
Holy crap! What a story….congrats to your Family!!!
WOW, great bucks, many CONGRATS!
Wow! This is going on my "Favorite Threads " list. Great story.
Awesome deer! Thanks for sharing this story.
Just hit 70 myself yesterday. No Sunday hunting here so I went to a turkey shoot. Managed to bring home the bacon ;-)
Two awesome whitetail bucks! Congrats!! Great birthday for a proud Dad!!!
Congratulations and thank you for posting!
I think all of your lucky stars were aligned for that special day. Congratulations to all!!
Congrats again Luke! What a great story and a great tribute to your old man!
What bow is that Luke? Is that an Elite Victory?
Holy-0-Moly, now that was "a pretty good day" as Roger Raglin would say! Fantastic for both of you and happy birthday to your dad - my birthday yesterday also, couple more years to catch up to the "70" :) :)
That’s awesome. A couple sweet bucks!
Memories last a lifetime.
Congrats for sure,
Robb
Unforgettable. So cool, and congrats to you three. Thanks for sharing.
What a great story!! Congrats to all of you and one hell of a memorable day. Happy 70th to your dad.
Now that's a great day! Congrats to you all! I've got just over a year to join the 70 club!
Very cool! And 70 is just a number in the rear view mirror anymore.
That is awesome, Luke! Congrats to you guys
Awesome time for you fellas. Congratulations and Happy Birthday to your Dad
Wanna make this story even a bit more interesting. I was talking to dad a week or so after I took the deer. I said man it would be neat to see how much antler had had broke off. ( there was a large chunk out of his right side off the main beam) We joked that, that missing tine was his 200” tine. I said it sure would be cool if someone had trail cam pics.
Two days later AT WORK, I’m up helping on a different assembly line with some issues. A young man looks at me and says congrats on the buck. I thank him and found it odd he even knew about it. He then looks at me and says , yeah I was hunting him too. Now I’m confused cause I have no idea who he is and how he would know of or be hunting this buck. ( I live 30 miles from work and know everyone around me that is bow hunting) Turns out he’s the neighbors grandson and he had velvet pics from him this summer just 1/2 mile from where I hunt. Less than 1/4 mile from where I first saw the buck. I politely begged for a couple pics. Sure enough, there in his pics was the missing tine….
As long as miracles are happening, my next act will be to find that time this spring…. I mean at this point it’s really not asking for much…
Nice posts. I have a great daughter, your sons sound great. Never seen a buck that big, but at 74, still ran a 36 mile trap line this afternoon
Plus put up fur all week. Your just a pup...ha ha
Wish I was 70 again
Shouldn’t be too hard, Luke.
Not totally sure, but looks like he broke off a pretty good sized point.
That's way cool, Luke! Does the kid hate your guts now? lol
Great story, Cool dad, super brothers, and grand bucks. Nicely done. My best, Paul
Nick, So far he’s been nothing but nice, though I heard rumors of him having past sheds and he hasn’t been nice enough to share those! lol Nor would I expect him too.
