The Proper Way to Christen New Hunting Ground
By Mike Handley
Impatience rarely rewards deer hunters, but Toby Biehler’s antsiness saved him $200 last month.
The 53-year-old contractor from Herington, Kansas, shot the buck at the top of his Most Wanted list on the morning of Nov. 16, only to watch it rocket away for at least 70 yards as if it had been launched by the bowstring instead of an arrow.
“When I lost sight of the deer and didn’t see it fall, I began questioning my shot. It made me sick,” he said.
When his heartbeat and breathing slowed, Toby called his wife and younger brother, Troy, to tell them he’d shot Toto, the largest of three mature whitetails they’d catalogued from the Dickinson County tract for which they’d just gained access. Troy was hunting a different part of the property that morning.
When he and Troy arrived home, the brothers and Toby’s wife reviewed the footage from two of three cameras he’d taken to self-film his hunt. He’d clearly hit the deer, which had been only 10 yards from his ladder stand, but the shot placement was worrisome.
Toby wound up calling a man with a tracking dog, who said he couldn’t get there until late afternoon.
“About 1:30, I couldn’t take it anymore,” he said. “Me, my wife and brother drove out there, all the way to where I’d last seen the deer. I didn’t want to lay down too much scent before the dog arrived.
“My wife and brother saw it almost immediately. It had fallen right there,” he added. “Turns out, mine was a real good shot. Took out both lungs before exiting.
“The decision to go back out there also saved me $200,” he laughed.
Toby first acquired the hunting ground in 2024. He set up trail cameras in July, and he collected the first photograph of the 23-pointer in August. He didn’t see the deer again until October, when it passed in front of of the lens twice.
“The buck was running with two other shooters,” he said. “It being Kansas, I named the big one Toto and began calling the others Scarecrow and The Wizard.”
Nov. 16 was the first time the Biehlers actually hunted the place. Troy christened a stand overlooking a pasture, while Toby chose to sit in a ladder near the creek dissecting the property.
Before climbing into place, Toby spread some estrous doe scent in two or three spots, hoping the south wind might carry it into the nostrils of a buck returning to the bedding area he suspected was 100 yards north of his setup. His stand overlooked the junction of many trails, sort of a pinch point, which he’d judged was better than babysitting the actual creek crossing 50 yards distant.
He spotted one of the property’s shooters, along with a couple of small bucks, at first light. Later, he saw the rear bumper of the other deer on his hit list at 80 yards.
Fifteen to 20 minutes after thanking God for a wonderful morning, Toby heard the crunching of leaves, very close.
“It was more like one leaf. One step,” he said. “When I looked to my left, I was shocked to see Toto only 10 yards away. I had no idea he was there.”
When he reached for his bow, the monstrous deer looked at him. Oh, no. It’s over now, Toby thought.
The deer might have spotted movement in the tree above, but its nose was full of hot doe. While it sniffed the breeze and curled its lip, Toby slowly wrapped his hand around his bow.
After a short staring match, the deer took a step to its left, presenting Toby with a quartering-away target. Bad mistake.
Brad Forbus measured the 23-pointer for Buckmasters. Final tally: 209 1/8 inches, helped by an impressive right-side flyer that rivals the rack’s P-3s, its longest tines.
Photos courtesy Toby Biehler