Coach Report post Posted August 29, 2009 Hey guys, I've already posted a pic of this buck on a different topic as a follow-up to an opening day "sob story", but I thought he deserved his own thread. The other thread ("Totally Bummed") kind of started out on a negative note, and the way events unfolded, I went from "Totally Bummed" to "Totally Jacked". Time for "The Rest of the Story". I really had no intention of hunting the early archery season this year due to other upcoming hunts and obligations with my 3 sons' football teams. I just didn't have a ton of time to scout. My buddy, Rocke actually got me all exited a few weeks before the opener. Our "first choice" spot had the attention of another hunter, who we eventually met and he turned out to be a very stand-up guy (you know who you are! ) so we backed out and turned our attention to a newer location we had been watching for a while. Many of you know this part of the story already (see Totally Bummed) above - but long story short, when I finally went to set up on that location, another hunter had set up there as well. So, my opening weekend plans were kind of shot - both my "plan A" and "plan B" locations had other hunters who had been a little more proactive, and willing to risk setting up early. I did NOT want to set up my Double Bull blind and leave it for a week or two for fear it would get stolen. I had already taken Thursday and Friday of opening weekend off from work, but with my plans in shambles I ended up at work Friday, having cancelled my time-off wondering what I was missing out on. To cut to the chase, the hunter sitting our "plan A" location killed a HUGE beautiful buck, and the hunter on the "plan B" location also killed a very nice buck - both on opening day. I couldn't take it any more! I had to get out. There was a spot that Rocke and I and another friend, Bryan, had been watching for a while, and we had cameras up, and had known other guys who had hunted it in other archery seasons. None of our cameras had any good bucks, and none of the guys we knew who had hunted it in the past had seen any mature bucks there, but we just knew that there had to be some good ones in there. It just had too many "ideal" characteristics not to have some good bucks. So "plan C" it was. After getting up at 2:30 am, and driving a couple hours, I arrived early and set up my blind before first light. At around 8:10 the first buck approached. Having never taken a deer with a bow, maybe I shouldn't have been so picky - but I had a specific goal in mind. Either I get a mature 3x3 or nothing. This buck was a smallish small 3x2 but he gave me plenty of opportunity. I held off. Nothing else came in until around 11:40 when I noticed 2 does meanerding in the distance. One took a good hard look at the blind and they disappeared. About 20 minutes later, they showed back up and started to approach. That's when I realized one was a "button buck". After much hesitation, he too came within 16 yards and presented an easy broadside shot. Nothing doing - if I came home with a buck that had milk drippring from his chin, my wife would have put my head on the wall. The next couple of hours passed with no action, and I was starting to wonder if I was being too picky. I had to remind myself that I wasn't just looking to fill my tag - I wanted something special. Around 2:30 another pair of bucks walked in, but one was an "11 pointer" and the other was a "12 pointer" - a 1x1 and a 1x2 - more dinks. But my spirits were high. As long as they kept coming in, I knew the odds of a decent buck were in my favor, and after 9 hours of sitting and watching small game and a few dinks come and go, I was feeling optomistic. About 20 minutes later, another 3x2 approached. My mind was racing and this was actually the biggest buck I had seen all day, but still very small. I had to fall back on my mantra - a mature 3x3 or nothing. Man, that buck acted like he wanted to be shot - he posed in every possible angle, but still I waited. Around 3:15 PM I thought the same buck was coming back in but it wasn't him - it was a different 2x3 (inside the ears) with a noticably bigger buddy - an ear-wide 3x2. Dilemma time - this was the closest thing I had seen yet to my "goal" deer, but was still a little small. I thought to myself, if they come in, I'm gonna take the bigger one. But they got pretty close, and hung up - right about where the little button buck had held up before. The angle wasn't great the way I was positioned. I knew I had only a 30 yd shot but still I wasn't quite sure this was the buck I had been holding out for. About the time I considered drawing back, they both left feeling something wasn't quite right. I learned a good lesson from those two bucks - they were coming in now, but the smarter bucks were holding up in a certain spot, and probably wouldn't come the rest of the way in. I repositioned my seat and all my stuff in the blind and made sure I had a good clean shot at the "hang-up" point. It was only 25 yards away, and I just had a feeling that the next buck would hit that same spot and hesitate, but would likely not get any closer. Sure enough, just minutes later, I look out in the distance and see a buck. This time, it's a no-brainer. He's wide, and definately a mature 3x3. He came right in the tracks of the last 2 bucks so I knew exactly what he was going to do. Just a quick prayer that I wouldn't do anything dumb and I got ready to draw. He did EXACTLY what the previous bucks had done. He walked straight to the "hang up" point and surveyed the area. It was too late, I was already at full draw and in a comfortable position. I framed the back of his shoulder between my 20 and 30 yd pins, exhaled and released. I was shooting through mesh, so I didn't see the impact, but I sure heard it. A hollow "WHACK" and I knew I had hit home. Having lost a deer in the past, my next concern was to watch exactly what he did next. Instead of blowing out of there, he trotted back in the direction he had come, turned around, staggered and fell. WHOOOOHOOOOO! I was so incredibly jacked up at that point - I was scared to death to go look at him for fear he'd jump up and run off, so I forced myself to sit tight for at least 15 minutes. Ok, I only made it 10. Anyway, I named him the "Karma Buck" because of all of the positive support from fellow CWT members about backing out of the other areas for ethical reasons on opening day and eating humble pie while good bucks were being taken on spots I knew would produce. You guys reassured me that backing out was the right thing to do, and I'd get my chance. Well, YOU GUYS WERE RIGHT. Patience, preseverence and ethics DO pay off. A big thanks to Rocke and Bryan who found and nurtured this spot. Another thanks to the guys (remaining nameless to protect the innocent) who had also done their homework and sat the "plan A" and "plan B" spots on opening morning. Congrats to both on fine achery coues deer kills. Niether of them were jerks at about setting up early and were open to sharing time on coveted spots. And finally a HUGE THANK YOU to the CWT family that gave support and best wishes that made sitting for 10 hours waiting for this opportunity feel more like a blessing than a "plan C" or fallback. You guys all provided the stamina that kept me going and sticking to my indended goal of waiting for a beautiful, mature first archery buck! Thank you all very much for your support. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted August 29, 2009 Wow, great buck and great story!! Way to stick with it and figure out a plan C. Nicely done, great to see that big smile on your face too! Amanda Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZMEATHUNTER Report post Posted August 29, 2009 cha ching!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! great buck and story.thanks for sharing.what broadhead? AZMEAT Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Couzer Report post Posted August 29, 2009 Job well done! Nice looking buck! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cramerhunts Report post Posted August 29, 2009 Very cool! Great story and what a fitting name for a beautiful buck! Much congrats. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coach Report post Posted August 29, 2009 cha ching!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! great buck and story.thanks for sharing.what broadhead? AZMEAT Funny you should ask. I'm a broadhead FANATIC. I have all kinds of heads that I practice with, but believe it or not, the Muzzy 100Grain 3 blade (under $ 18 for 3 at WalMart) shoot the most consistently for me. That's what I used on this hunt and I was blown away at how fast he fell. I don't know if you've seen the 14.5 second Muzzy kill video on the Bowsite.com, but this was pretty much exactly the same deal. He didn't trot for more than a few seconds before he fell dead in his tracks. I LOVE Slick Tricks and Magnus Stingers, but my practice groups didn't lie. Stacked up against the much pricier "premium" broadheads in my collection, the standard old Muzzy 100 grain BH's flew the most consistent, and their performance was completely unreal. Here's the entry hole... And the exit... The exit looks low, but his body is twisted in that picture - look at his hip. It actually exited at the same height and slightly back from the entry hole. The arrow went another 40 yards and stuck in a tree like it had shot through paper. As much as I love my G5 Montec Carbon Steel heads at $40 per pack or Slick Tricks or G5 Strikers or Magnus Stingers - which ALL group together and ALL, when razor sharp, will do their job, when it came time for a critical shot, I was all about the "old standby" Muzzy 100 grain 3 blade heads just based on how consistently they grouped out of my setup. The pictures - plus how this buck fell in his tracks and within sight - really tell the story. It's all about shot placement, and spending extra $$ on broadheads isn't always best. Try out several heads at short and long distance - a great broadhead with poor placement is worse than a decent broadhead with perfect placement. And not all heads will shoot the same out of all setups. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bowhunter4life Report post Posted August 29, 2009 great shot, I agree I have only shot the 100 grain muzzy for the last 11-12 years. my last 10 critters all have done the same thing, very quick kills. thx! for sharing! mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
W.O.T Report post Posted August 29, 2009 dude... now you got me totally jacked too... great story and pics bro! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bonecollector Report post Posted August 29, 2009 Cagrats on a great buck and nice story! Way to go! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cpugsie Report post Posted August 29, 2009 Great Buck and Great Story!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
liv4coues Report post Posted August 29, 2009 Nice story, great shot, beautiful buck. Congratulations! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DUG Report post Posted August 29, 2009 Nice buck! Way to hold out for the one you wanted. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
arizonaelitefreak Report post Posted August 29, 2009 congrats on a great buck. great story and pics, thanks for sharing it Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
willhunt4coues Report post Posted August 29, 2009 Way to stick in there. I knew you would get one I just had a feeling. A big Congrats to you bud you deserve that one. By the way what did he score? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues Sniper Report post Posted August 29, 2009 Great story man. I felt your pain in the original thread, but you still ended up with a beautiful buck! Congrats Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
