Joshy25

lol..... Dont you know Swaro's go up in price every day! All kidding aside that is a pretty good deal for the setup.

Awesome first buck with a bow, Love the dbl eye guards..

Love that buck!! Way to get it done.. Definately a trophy coues,

Congrats on a beautiful buck! Very cool!

Tuesday 4AM comes, my buddy Josh ask's if I am getting up.. I stick my head up out of my sleeping bag to hear some fierce wind so I just grumble and keep sleeping.. 6am comes, and I finally get up, leave camp and start the long hike to the stand. Just after I get into the stand a doe came into water and then left.. Nothing else for over an hour so I decided to take a little nap. Nodding in & out of conciousness I would lift my head up just enought to check all shooting lanes and then keep snoozing. Right at 11am I see what is a big buck coming in. I sit up, reach for my bow, Knock an arrow. He came down to about 20 yrds when I pulled back and rested my 20 pin on him. He was quartering towards me and I waited for a broadside shot but he just would not turn. I waited a bit longer as my muscles were burning, he finally turned his neck to look behind him giving me more than enough shoulder to shoot for. I punched the release and watched him hump up hard and take off. 2 seconds later I hear a bunch of thrashing in the trees and then silence. I got on the radio and had my buddy Josh come down to help track..checked out my arrow which was covered in really good blood. Waited another 15 min.. then started to track him... The blood trail was emmediate and very good. Then nothing. I started to panic, glassing the area not seeing a dead deer. I could not pick up blood at all anywhere. It had just stopped. Then Josh says.. Hey why dont you check over by that dead deer.. lol.. I guess he had ran about 30 yards.. Stopped, started to stagger and took a hard right heading down hill and must have expired no more than a minute after I had shot him. He is a nice tall & wide 3x3 with kickers & junk on both sides.. I could not be happier. I owe a huge amount of thanks to my friend J. Smith. Thanks for helping make this dream come true!

Oh my.... That buck is a hog! Hardest thing to do is sit for 13 hours a day.

What a beautiful buck, Congrats! What type of broadhead?

Very nice buck! Some amazing bucks are hitting the dirt this year.

Congrats on a great buck!

Thanks again guys, He is a bruiser for sure. I am going to be able to help during part of the taxi process so it I will post up some pics, Detox, PM sent..

Alright!!! Now we are talking! Guys.. I actually just moved from phoenix to the chandler/mesa area and love it.. I live just off dobson & summit but use peralta everyday too & from work to avoid the construction on dobson/guadalupe. So I am just down the street from both you & MT. CAT... Beers & brats this football season at my casa!

I live just down the street and pass a house with a truck & car that both have CWT stickers in the windows.. House is just off Peralta & Dobson.. If your reading this.. I live very close by!! come over for a beer and shoot a game or two of pool! -Josh

Stud buck Mike! Way to get it done..

couple of the last pics I got to take before I left him at my uncles/taxidermist.

Thanks Josh, You will get on a buck, I am sure of it.. I will be back up with you Sunday.,

Right on!! Congrats!

Looks good to me!

hahhaa.... Lucky dog, I am in Payson once a week or so.. Would love to buy ya a beer & talk Coues.

willing to do some kind of trade if your interested.. I have a Ruger GP100 .357 mag if your interested... Send me a PM, -Josh.

Very nice buck!! What are you going to do till January? I think I remember seing a pic of you with an archery turkey last season? Any plans of a repeat?

Loved the story, super buck!

I am interested in these.. Willing to do a trade? I have a Remington 30-06.. Only fired about 30 times.. I believe its the model 7400? Let me know if your interested.. I am in Phoenix.

Wanted to thank everyone for their help. Especially Mr. Quimby. Your info sent me looking in the right direction and I really appreciate it! As I stated about month or so ago I was in Joburg for work during the world cup. I took my bow just in case I had a chance to hunt & I am so glad that I did. I am trying to plan and save for a trip in 2 years. Over the course of the trip I had talked to many PH's and had found one that I really liked and could afford. He cut me a great deal & the hunt dates of July 4th & 5th were set. I actually only had a day & half to hunt but I was thrilled with the opportunity. Sat water the whole time and it was a tough hunt. Overcast weather both days kept the animals from moving too much. at about 9am on the 4th I had a massive Wart hog come in. Shot was too far for me to feel comfortable so I passed as it was very early on the first day. About an hour later we had 2 young Kudu bulls come in and drink for about 2 minutes. What a beautiful animal! Then had a big Oryx cow come in. Couple more wart hog's come in with no shots offered.. which was the story of the day. Decided at about 1pm to move to a different water hole. As the day was ending, and my first day of hunting coming close to an end 2 pigs came in quick to the water. Big sow & a smaller boar. I saw the boar pass by a rock that I had ranged at about 38 yards. Not knowing if I would be given another shot opportunity I decided to take a shot. He was quarting away when I rested my 40 pin on him and let it fly. It all happend so quickly as these things always do, but I heard the arrow hit & instantly saw a light blood spray out of the pig & he took off into the bush. I saw the shot hit & it was a doozy. Right in the crease of his front shoulder. Having the quarting shot I was worried right away about the shot but calmed myself down knowing it was a good hit & gave him 30 min before I started to look for the arrow. I replayed the scene from where the pig was at when hit and instantly started following a great blood trail. I was using a 100 Grain, 4 blade muzzy & they are amazing! Stevie wonder could have followed this blood trail. We tracked the blood trail into the thick bush on alert for a wounded pig. After about 60 yards into the bush I found a nice little pile of frothy pink lung blood. I knew he was hit hard and continued the search.. little over 50+ yards down the blood trail laid my first South African big game animal.

Thanks guys! Unfortunately I was there for work and only had a day & half to hunt.. I had several opportunities at some nice waterbuck, & blue Wildebeest.. but felt the shot was not right, plus light was fading quickly.. I also did not get to attend any of the games, I would have loved to see the some of the USA games.

So I am leaving tomorrow morning for Johannesburg. I will be there till July 12th for the world cup. I did not plan on hunting while I was there so I have not made any preperations. After talking to my uncle Gerry last night he said I was a fool if I did not take my bow... I know ... I know.. As a last minute deal, I am taking my bow. I have a nice hard case. I just dont want to go all the way over there and then meet someone that would be willing to do a hunt for a decent rate and not have my bow rig. My question. I have never traveled with a weapon. I also have not traveled to RSA before. Are there any types of special permits, etc that I need to have to travel to RSA with my bow? Any help is greatly appreciated! Sincerely, Joshua Tod