Well that stinks....Kind of, sort of.....

[Jeramie]

Ive been lucky enough to hunt a spot that is managed for the most part. I have access to quite a bit of land but I only hunt roughly 30 acres (mainly in a bowl). I watched some does crossing trough a dry creek bed at the bottom of a small ravine. I later found a trail going through the ravine and the creek bed.

I setup there saturday morning in hopes of seeing something. I nestled a tripod chair in some brush and undergrowth, sprayed some Tinks 69 around, and got situated. Around 8:00-9:00 (I looked at my watch but I forgot what time) I see movement across the ravine. I had a medium sized tree about 8-10yds in front of me but I could see a large deer with loads of grey hair and a dark chocolate to black stripe down its back. I waited for it to look around before moving my monopod for a shot. I later ranged the area to find it was 58yards. I lightly rustled a few leaves and the deer quickly turned and looked my direction! It amazed me. There were squirrels and chipmunks going crazy all around me but the deer picked up the difference! I finally got a poke through the scope. It was indeed a buck. The rack went far outside his ear. He was very heavy! He was facing me head on so I decided to wait for a shot. Im not taking a luck shot, especially with a ML.

He milled around for a few minutes and turned and slowly made way down the ravine, heading in my direction. His back was solid muscle. He was a heavy buck for this area too. And quite honestly he is the biggest ive ever had in my scope. He was at least in his 120's and could easily have been in his 130's. As he started his trek uphill in my direction (roughly 35 yards out) I finally got a look at him. To my dismay his entire left side was broke clean off, just above the hairline. He literally milled withing 14-yards (I ranged it later) and stopped to feed. Several times he turned and lipcurled at the tinks! It was amazing. That was the only time ive ever seen a buck lipcurl. He milled around for about 5-minutes and something finally startled him and he jogged off quickly but silently (heading out the same direction).

Honestly I learned more in that 10-minutes then I ever have about hunting big bucks. There is NO room for error. He inspected every sound, scent, etc. It amazed me. I had the drop on him but it felt amazing to let that buck walk. If he would have had both sides he wouldnt have went another step. Any 120+ class 8-point is a monster in my book. I sure hate he was broke off but he will be even bigger next year and hopefully we will meet again!

[bowhunt101]

Congratulations on what sounds like an awsome hunt.... A really big buck around here is about a 10" wide rack because folks around here think if it has a half inch of horn shoot it.... There are some that arnt like that but they are few and far between and it aggrevates me, glad to see you passed on the buck, I may would of shot it though........ Congratulations on a good hunt but I really do agree on the big buck thing, they inspect everything and are smarter than alot of people tend to think.... Even around here in dog country, if you kill a big buck in front of dogs it was luck because they will leave as soon as they hear trucks pulling up to the woods.... And even if the dogs get on a big buck the buck knows his escape routes to get out and its the same way with still/stand hunting, everything has to be right to get a truly big buck........-tim

[Shaun_300]

That sounds like a fun hunt Jeramie, its always fun when deer get that close, you learn a lot about them! It's good that you passed on the shot, or you would have had a one sided buck. Hopefully next time he'll have both sides, and you drop him! Good luck next time Jeramie!

[huntinsonovagun]

Dang dude......there always has to be SOME stipulation, huh.....

SOMETHING always tends to go wrong with a nice buck. I've had several within 15 yards with no shot opportunities....how do they do that??? Then, when there is a nice one, you don't feel like you should take him. I hate that.....

[tyshe17]

wow...what a hunt. What if you get a shot at whatever broke that horn!!!

[wtnhunt]

Sounds like a great hunt Jeramie. Nothing like up close hunting on the ground.

[drkillemquick]

Great story, sorry fo rthe bad luck, hopefully you get the big guy that beat him up.

[GoodOlMossyHorns]

There is always something. Good luck tho.

[DSGB]

Sounds like the luck I was having this weekend. It is cool to have them that close. Makes for an exciting hunt.

[Missed160]

Sounds like an awesome buck.. I don't know that I could let him walk. To me a mature buck is a mature buck, it would be tough to let him go..

You're right though, just to be that close to one would be awesome..