The Best Buck of the Season 2008

I got the message from Brent as he stood over his 10 point buck. You could hear the excitement in his voice, I knew this was a big one by the tone of his voice and the short breaths caused by the lingering adrenaline still in his system. I told him to give me a write up on the big event. Here it is! ........


Nothing but pure skill brought this buck down on the Brownlee ranch at approx. 4:45pm 12/23/08. Years of sitting in the tree stand for hours at a time constantly surveying the horizon for movement of any kind. Studying the wind direction, following the moon cycle and barometric pressures, bathing with soap without soap, not bathing scent blockers. Watching the bobcats, the racoons, squirrels and birds to see how they react to different scents and noises. Using only stealth mode to walk in and out of the hunting areas as to not disturb the landscape or leave any scent behind. Using only the finest in camouflage apparel to conceal yourself, and learning to use such tools as Lollipop, the chalk line, plumb bob, butt plug, the Hilton the stairway to dear heaven, the Howard Johnson and tripod methods to improve my hunting skills. And then to think that true deer hunters do this with our only means of taking this seasoned adversary with a Bow and Arrow and on rare occasions a pocket knife for backup. Well I could go on and on telling you what it really takes to bag such an elusive seasoned species as the Grand Daddy white tail buck. But I knew that with the lessons and stories that I had learned and listened to from Carl, Wayne, Doug, and Chip that I had the skills to conquer this animal. So here is the story!

I had left work at approx. 4:15pm on the 23rd and had decided that with the weather conditions changing from sunny to overcast and cloudy that this may be the last good day to get to the Brownlee ranch to hunt. I had been thinking about how and where to hunt this evening. Upon my arrival I decided to hunt by the wheat field east of the farm house, I observed that there was still quite a bit of snow around the trees and was unsure how much noise I would make while sitting in the trees. The wind had changed from the south to the north and it was about 20 degrees. At this time I moved up by the old club house and decided to hunt by the old calf feeder, I parked the truck and got to go to the designated hunting areas. Upon arriving I just did not feel the true deer hunting senses that a seasoned hunter such as my self usually gets when you know the feeling is right and it is going to be a good hunt so..... I got back in the truck. At this time I was looking to the south toward the duck pond and I observed a couple of does running south toward the Briar Patch. I felt that with the wind and the temperature dropping that I may be more concealed in the trees at the Tripod, besides I was already cold. While I was driving around the duck pond on the damn I saw some more does running to the south, I contemplated walking to the south and hunting on the east side of the Hilton, again my instincts told me to go down to the pasture and just see how your senses felt there then I could decide. I drove to the area we have dedicated as Carls parking lot. I mow an area here so Carl (who is not a bow hunter, and hunts the easy way with a rifle) can park and does not have to walk very far to his heated enclosed blind. This area is mainly used to prepare for the days hunt and is a meeting place when the day is finished.

I had arrived and shut the truck off, I had not been hunting for a while so some of my vital hunting aids were on the bottom of the storage area behind my seat. I had found my camo coveralls and had opened both the front and the back door of my truck to block some wind while I began to put on my coveralls. While jumping around putting on my coveralls, I saw a big buck walking toward me from the south. @#%^&%$%! My boot was caught in my my coveralls so I could not get them pulled up past my waist or back over my boot with out making a big commotion. When I first saw him he was about 65 yards away walking down the road. I am trying to watch him thru the back glass of my truck while I try to sneak my bow out of its case which is laying on my tool box in the back of my pickup. I was able to get my bow out and an arrow, by now the buck is about 35 yards away still walking toward me, I realize that I do not have my trigger to shoot my bow and an not sure I know where it is. I am able to see the buck walking to the truck, looking at it, wondering who parked this here? I got my trigger on put the arrow in but my trigger was on upside down &^%%)(^&^%$!!!! He is about 8 yards away and turns and looks toward the west. While trying to keep my pants up, shooting with my middle finger ( I feel you pain Wayne) I let the arrow go...... PERFECT SHOT.... just as I had practiced for so many years......? The bucked jumped and turned running to the south back down the road. He ran for about 40 yards where he died... end of story!!!!

Yes I no the ending was kind of a let down. Only those of us that have spent the endless hours watching for the Big Grand Daddy understand the ending!