One evening I had a monster buck with an injured back leg show up and feed for a while on Nov 17.
Hasn’t showed since… how long would you hold out hoping he may come back? (Eastern Kansas)
Not core area, I can already tell the regular bucks, which are nice but not this level…
What will happen with that injury? Survive winter? If so grow big antlers next year?
I chased a wounded buck with a bad back leg that lived on the piece I had permission on and killed him only after 4 years. Wouldn't come to calls or anything. Tougher to kill than had he been healthy IMO.
I also have experience taking a 6.5 yr old NJ buck that had same type of leg injury. He was smart, always on camera, never ranged far, but went two years not even seeing him from a stand until I killed him late October.
So I think you should target him but try to figure out where he is bedding, the odds of getting him to come to bait during day might be difficult unless you get some bitter cold weather and snow.
This buck came for one night for 1 hour.
If it’s an old injury then there is hope he will survive if I don’t get him this year- and grow at least a similar size rack?
And if you recall, I did this on a previously live hunt with Rob Nye in Saskatchewan. He had one pic in a 100k acre forest. Said my chance of killing him was about zero. But since he was close to 200” asked me if I wanted to devote my hunt. I said yes and killed him on the last day of my 7 day bowhunt. Neither Rob nor I could believe it, but it did. But it’s definitely gonna be ridiculously hard and the odds are stacked against you.
Good luck and get him.
When I saw this buck I knew I had to make a change of n my plans for the week!
I was in Oregon with my oldest son hunting Blacktail. I completed my deer slam last year here with a spike on the last day of the hunt. So I was hoping to get a P&Y sized buck. My boy has not shot a Columbia Blacktail so he came as well.
We saw a spike the day we got there and the next day a couple forkies sparing the second day. My son is in College and assured me he could hunt the Blacktails by himself and that I had to go chase the big buck.
I booked the flight the next AM Early. That day he saw this nice broken blacktail
I did not hunt to avoid the area and putting too much pressure.
My son was having much better luck!
I think part of the reason my boy was good with me leaving was that would give more options at bucks!
The plan was he would shoot first to get the species and I would hold out for a PY.
Well Monday morning the bigger buck showed up and my son made a shot- said it felt good, but saw it jump a fence…. He was worried there wasn’t much blood to follow.
This is where i did feel bad I wasn’t there to help with the tracking. I told him to wait longer, looks like liver blood.
I was so glad for him! Now he only needs a coues for the deer slam
Pat - I remember your Saskatchewan hunt story and that magnificent buck... Truly a buck of a lifetime... Curious, did you enter him in B&C, and if so what was his official score? Thanks...
All that and plenty of work on my own property as those who own land know there is no End to work to be done!
No luck with more pictures but I did get a much better under of how deer move on this property
I did not sit any stands Sunday, Monday or Tuesday not wanting to disturb the area, but also as a form of self control since a couple other nice bucks were all over in daylight and I’d be really tempted to shoot!
He has huge potential. Buts it’s an unknown on the rifle hunt pressure in this area. I do t know if I could pass him….
Another tempting buck that would score well as a clean typical.
It was getting really hard to hold out for the huge crippled buck! Thus the point of this thread.
So Wednesday am I did sit my property for a chance at the 12- I knew he only rutted on mine, and the neighbor most likely would get him next year if I didn’t (He had already tagged out on an even bigger super wide 10 point)
As luck would have it I didn’t get a shot but saw him- looked like a 4 yr old, will be great for next year.
I had put a stand up on the spot but looking at the wind it wasn’t perfect.
I needed to move to the east to clear west tree line in case a buck came from the wrong direction.
This way my scent would blow out into the open field. No way a smart big buck would walk out in the wide open field coming in!
I did think it would be easier to just set the stand I already put up, but the thought that you can’t mess up on a big buck kept nagging me and I put up a new stand midday
Large thick hard woods to my left. I settle in for the day. Weather is really nice, it’s the warm before the storm!
After a few hours I haven’t seen a thing. I think to my self this is usually the time something happens if it does….
It’s 4:20 pm over an hour left of shooting light…. And I catch movement with my peripheral vision to my right,
A deer was coming down the hill at the top of the field… no mistaking it was the big buck!!
I start freaking out that he is coming from almost down wind! I pray he crosses the field to the west tree line to get away from my scent.. doesn’t happen
It was the longest walk as I slowly got up and ready- I was exposed at that side with the open field.
The buck continues down the middle right on my scent line At 45 yds he turns broadside and looks like he is going to circle down wind of the bait…..
I tense to get ready incase I have to take that long shot- he turns back and continues Limping in 40, 36, 30, 24 yds and still closing!
I slowly lower the range finder and get ready to draw. I must be starting to shake or something .
The buck takes a couple steps- there is a tree in-front of me where I was planning to draw when the head goes behind. But he stops right before and does a final check-
I get pegged in the tree! The buck is lifted his head and staring right at me and does that head nod! At some point I don’t recall I come to full draw and Curse the tiny branches I left on that tree which were over the vitals.
With this buck and already at full draw I spotted a patch of vitals. My pin was on it and something triggered me to release- maybe the buck moved? I was hoping the twigs would not deflect the shot it was close enough any I thought.
The arrow flew and I heard that wonderful thunk! I even saw blood at the entrance (was shooting a rage hypo given to me by njbuck in Newfoundland)
I saw the arrow hit dirt behind and the buck running (three legged) to the top of the field, pause then go into the trees.
I hear leaves kicking for a few seconds then nothing..
I had just made either the best or worse shot! It was 4:30pm. I take a few minutes to collect my wits. And climb down the tree. Go find the arrow and it looks decent. No obvious blood on the ground but I’m not looking. I focused on the spot he went in the woods
I am not 100% sure of the shot, so come up with a plan- I’m in the corner of the property and suspect the buck crossed the road off the neighbors. I circle around and check for sign along the road and see a trail that heads straight down to the field.
This is also coming from a better wind direction and if the buck does jump it should run back into the property.
I slowly walk the trail into the wood line. Almost to the field I look around and see tines!!! I FaceTime my son and daughter and walk up to the biggest buck of my life!
I think I released right as the buck was turning to leave? The exit was quite a bit back. The buck was quartering to me harder than I remember.
The exit looked like a gut shot, but the arrow didn’t smell and when I field dressed him it actually came out low at the last rib. So close lung and full liver. Buck ran 130 yds to the end of the field then died in the tree line, blood all over.
Does anyone know a P&Y scorer in Eastern Kansas?
Surprised Nobody has asked ….
Do you have any kids and do you pass anything on to future generations
Do You belong to your state bowhunting organization
Are You a pope and young member
How many kids are precluded From hunting on the land you hunt on. Is it open to others
Are you making any money from this kill which would Make you a market hunter.
None of the above are relevant in any way to your noteworthy accomplishment, but those Questions get asked on some threads where people post great deer kills like yours.
Again, well Done.
