Smalltown Bucks

Lessons in the Wild

Lessons in the Wild

By James Oliver

Young bowhunter doesn’t make the same mistake twice! I have been hunting for as long as I can remember. It was a tradition passed down by my father, and I have passed it on to my two boys. My youngest, Hunter, has been at home in the wild since the age of 3 when I took him hunting for turkeys for the first time. When he was 4, Hunter took his... READ MORE

Blustery Day Buck

Blustery Day Buck

By Krissy Jean Zimmer

The day ended up awesomely, but it didn’t start out that way. On Friday, while at work in the dental office, I checked my weather channel app. It said, “30 mph winds — stay in bed today.” I laughed when I read that. Even my boss Dr. Rahn said, “I bet you won’t get up and go tomorrow.” I considered staying i... READ MORE

Never a Dull Moment

Never a Dull Moment

By Dan Nimmo

It was a mixture of laughter and (good) tears on this father-and-daughter hunt. I’m fortunate to live in one of the best places to hunt whitetails, northwest Illinois. Like every other hunting dad, I enjoy taking my deer home for my family to see and share in the joy of the harvest. My daughter Keileigh is 10 years old and has been fascinat... READ MORE

Lessons Learned

Lessons Learned

By Amanda Baker

Every miss and close encounter brings you that much closer. I have been deer hunting in Wisconsin for about 15 years. I started with a rifle and took up archery about three years later. I hunt public land and private, and until 2018, the biggest deer I had taken was a small 6-pointer. Some years, I didn’t shoot anything, and there were severa... READ MORE

Big Ten in the Buckeye State

Big Ten in the Buckeye State

By Jon Miller

After watching a big 10-pointer for two seasons, I finally got my shot at it on the evening of October 25, 2013. I discovered this buck on my trail camera last year on my family’s 200-acre farm in Licking County, Ohio. After capturing several photos, my cousin and I estimated the buck would push 140 inches. I knew if I ever saw this buck un... READ MORE

Tracking Clubber Nine

Tracking Clubber Nine

By Derrick S. Schreiber

Finally, after 81 hours in the stand, I arrowed a buck I’d named Clubber Nine on Dec. 3, 2011. I’d seen him on my trail camera since October. He was distinctive with an impressive body and a right rear foot that apparently had been broken at some time. I have the good fortune of having sole access to the ground I hunt, which made it pos... READ MORE

One Old Buck

One Old Buck

By Tim Angel

Not all the best Bucks in the woods have antlers. I was born in Peoria, Ill., where hunting mainly consisted of rabbits, squirrels and pheasants. I now live in the Northwest, where I hunt everything from elk, deer, bears and even cougars. I am sending this letter to share one of the most memorable moments in my life. It involves my grandmother, N... READ MORE

The 12-Year Wait

The 12-Year Wait

By Candice Guthrie

For the past 12 years, I’ve have been hunting on my dad’s lease in north Louisiana, Bienville Parish in Saline. I’ve only had a chance to shoot does. For some reason, I would never see a buck, and the two times I did see bucks, they were chasing does, and I can’t shoot that fast! I finally had my chance to change things the... READ MORE

Hard to Top

Hard to Top

By Josh Tieman

Maybe it's a good thing this young hunter doesn't realize just how big his buck is. Parker and I were on our first hunt together during opening day of Missouri's youth season. While I had high hopes we would see a few deer and maybe even a buck, I never dreamed what would happen next. Parker spotted a buck to our left on the ridge and heading awa... READ MORE

Whose Best Day?

Whose Best Day?

By Marti Young

The only division in this family is when debating who had the best time. While every day spent hunting is a good day, some are better than others. For James Whetzel Sr. and 11-year-old Starr Young, their best day ever started at 3:30 a.m. on Sept. 30, 2017. The adventure started with a softly whispered “Wake up, Starr. It’s almost time ... READ MORE

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Copyright 2020 by Buckmasters, Ltd