BUCK DETAILS

I had this deer under my stand two years ago. He was beautiful but young, so I got out my phone and videoed him instead of shooting.

Last year I thought he was a shooter, and he gave me an opportunity one morning. I missed! I think I hit a limb and I felt sick.

I went straight to our farm shop, got our backhoe and raked down every low limb around my stand.

In February I found his sheds, so I knew he made It through the rest of the hunting season and winter.

October and November of 2024 resulted in a lot of deer pictures, but none of this buck. I thought something had happened to him.

Finally, in mid-December, he showed up — but he had me figured out. My camera would get him when I wasn’t there, or after I got out of my stand.

On Christmas Eve I was already in my stand at 5:30 in the morning. I sat there in the dark seeing nothing until finally, at about 7:00, a young 8-pointer walked by.

About 10 minutes later, he grazed back right in front of me in the food plot. Next, he looked down the plot and started to back up.

I looked, and the buck I was after was walking up the trail l had walked in on earlier. He circled out in the plot and stopped 18 yards in front of me.

With the bucks staring each other down, I was able to get my bow off the limb, stand up and draw without either knowing I was in the world.

I took aim and released, and it looked like a good shot — until he wheeled and ran. The arrow did not look like it had penetrated enough.

I waiting a little while before getting down to look. When I did, I found good blood, so I left and gave him another two hours.

My son Trey, brother-in-law George, friend Carwin and I went back with rifles just in case.

We had just gotten in the woods across the narrow plot when Carwin yelled, “There he is!”

He had only gone about 75 yards.

Upon closer examination, I had made a perfect shot.

I guess it must have been my turn.