Southern Illinois Buck, My Biggest Yet! (Long read)
12-17-2008, 09:37 AM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 1,462
Southern Illinois Buck, My Biggest Yet! (Long read)
First off, I want to thank everyone on Huntingnet. I really enjoy this site and it really passes the time when work is slow. I've learned a decent amount on here and hope I help other hunters out as well.I live in thebig city now, but get out hunting whenever Ihave spare time. Its tough, but you appreciate it more when you can get out.
Now for the story, Sorry if its a little lengthy, but hey, its my biggest buck ever!
This year through word of mouth I was able to get some land to hunt down inSaline County Illinois. Due to me living in Chicago and not getting permission to hunt this land until late August, my scouting would have to be through mapquest ariel views and a gentleman who was routinely on the property.
From what I was reading on various interent sites, Southern Illinois was home to some big deer and to say the least my hopes were high. I generally hunt high pressured areas for deer and I'm always happy just filling any tag at all. Hopefully this would be different.
Well, My buddy and I get down to the property early the day before the 1st shotgun season starts. We were shown a little bit around the area we were allowed to hunt and then decided to do a little scouting. To say the least, the deer sign was everywhere. I was running into nice size scrapes and rubs everywhere, nothing huge, but a lot of sign, even spooked up a few does and a small buck while scouting stand locations. My buddy and I picked out two locations about 150 yards from each other on an old road that went through the woods. The tracks that crossed this road were everywhere, we were certain that tomorrow would be a hunt to remember.
The next morning 4:30 rolled around pretty quick, and due to some bad wings while watching the SIU-Duke game in Carbondale, we were a few minutes late leaving the hotel. After a stop for some coffee, we were on our way.
After a short drive, we park out at our spot as you can start to see the light peaking up over the horizon, we throw our gear on and our half mile walk to our stands begins. As we approach my buddies stand, we exchange "Good Lucks" and part ways.
I get to my climber, tie my gun up and begin to ascend the tree. I make it about 10 feet in the air and look over to see the breathe coming out of the deer 50 yards across a small ravine. I immediatley see a rack. A nice rack, bigger than anything I have seen in the woods with a gun in my hand. I watch him, trying to get my gun up the tree without spooking him, but no luck. Did I just blow my chance at the biggest deer Ive seen hunting? My blood is pumping, but for some reason, Im not worried. I begin to climb again, but hear more leaves rustling behind me so I stop. No way, another buck? Ive only seen one buck over a four point in my hunting career and Ive been hunting a while. I turn to see another nice 6 pt chasing a doe. No way, I don't have this kind of luck, not me. Over the rest of the morning, I could not stop seeing deer. Seems like I had picked a great spot. I saw around 35 does, none more than 40 yards away and 7 bucks, 5 that were 8's or better. None that I wanted to shoot opening morning or none that presented me a shot. Was I really getting greedy? I have shot a few small bucks and many does, but nothing on the wall yet. Most of these bucks I saw many people would have hanging on the wall, but for some reason I was enjoying the deer so much, I didn't want to ruin it with a shot.
Around 9:30 a shot rings out from my buddy, he immediately gets on the radio and says he took a shot at a doe. We wait a bit and get down and find decent blood. We start trailing her only to jump her 50 yards later, I think to myself "Liver Shot" and back out. My buddy didn't want to, but I told him we had to. We'd head in for a warm breakfast in town and come out later and she'd be dead. We go into town only to check his phone and hear that his wife went to the emergency room in Chicago after fainting and since they just learned they were expecting there 2nd child. He was on edge. She told him not to worry and she would keep him updated. I could tell he was a little worried for the next few hours, but he got the "all clear" a short while after and we were back to a hunting state of mind.
Well, long story short, we track his deer, really getting lucky, finding her 300 yards away still alive. Of course, she is laying with 2 other does and from the look I got, a NICE buck. No shot on the buck, but I can tell the doe is still alive. (It was an upper leg shot)Since my buddys behind me 50 yards talking to his wife (which is usually a no no at deer camp, but family health first, Deer hunting a distant second) I take the doe out her misery. No skunk this trip!!
By the time we get her to where we want to leave her, it's time for the afternoon hunt. I really wanted to set up where we had found the doe, but I knew we had walked over that area pretty good. Instead, I decided to grab my climber and try a spot that looked like it border some thick smaller trees in a hardwood flat. I walk in and set up about 200 yards off the path we walk in on. I had seen a button buck, a spike and a nice 6 pt near this area in the last day, so I figured there had to be some reason they were in this area. 2 of the 3 had there noses to the ground and didn't care we were there. Something was going on in this area.
I set up and due to problems with my climber, Im only 9 feet in the air, Im not worried though, I feel good that the deer won't look up that much. I settle in and wait. The first 45 minutes, nothing, not even a squirrel. After all the mornings activity, did I just pick a bad spot? I decided to give my can call a shot. 3 flips in a minute that lean back. Nothing.
Im leaning back, just enjoying being outside when I see some movement to my right, I grab the binocular and slowly take them up to my eyes. Its a nice big doe, I bring them down and see something behind her, I bring them up again and see the glare of an antler, a nice antler! I can't tell the exact size as he follows her, nose to the ground. Before I get a look he lays down behind a small embankmentwhile thedoe still feeds some 50 yards from me. Im looking,hoping he'd stand upbut can't find him. After a few minutes I see a white tail back the direction they came from. I lost him. Shoot!! Within 2 minutes though, a big spike appears right by the doe and who is on his tail, the big buck and he's mad! The doe sees them both and takes off on a trot, right at me!! She runs to within 25 feet of my stand and remember, Im only 9 feet off the ground in an open hardwood flat!! The spike is soon to follow and the big buck is right behind them. The bigger buck is letting out grunts as he is chasing the two. The doe and the little buck make it by and don't notice me, but the bigger buck, he stops dead in his tracks facing me at 20 yards. Looks me dead in the eye and bobs his head. I think Im busted but I hear that little buck let out a grunt and that bigger buck thinks," No way is this little guy getting my women!" and he takes off again, I swing around to the other side of the tree (the Buck is behind me), the bigger buck is now on a trot slightly quartering away from me. I let out a "Bah", nothing, I do it even louder, nothing, a third time "BAH!" almost at a yell! He stops at30 yards. I let the copper fly. He mule kicks and runs. I see him dissappear behind a big oak 50 yards away and not come out! My buddy is on the radio, "So what's you shoot!" All he heard me yell was "8 pt down! 8 point down!!". I can't begin to tell you the excitement I was feeling. It was like the Cubs won the World Series and the Kansas Jayhawks just won the NCAA title at the same exact time! (My 2 favorite teams!)
Since I didn't actually see him fall, I follow my own rule, wait at least 30 minutes. My buddy tries to keep me calm by talking to me over the radio, after 15 minutes and knowing 99% sure he is down
(I could see the spike sniffing and acting jittery where I thought he was laying), I tell him to come on over to my stand. When he gets there he flips on the video camera and we look for blood. Right way, we spot good blood. Its a lung hit, no doubt, I trail him him with my buddy videotaping. 50 yards later, there he lies! I go up and grab his rack, what a buck! I'm smiling like I died and came back as Hugh Hefner! He's a great buck, I couldn't be prouder!
Well, here's his picture. He's not as big as some of the other bucks on this site, but I've waited 30 years for a buck to put on the wall and now I've got him! He'sa trophy inmy book no matter what he scores, but I was wondering what you guys think he scores. Any guesses? If it helps, Im around 6'7" for comparrison reasons that might help. Again, sorry for the long read, but I had some time today.
Now for the story, Sorry if its a little lengthy, but hey, its my biggest buck ever!
This year through word of mouth I was able to get some land to hunt down inSaline County Illinois. Due to me living in Chicago and not getting permission to hunt this land until late August, my scouting would have to be through mapquest ariel views and a gentleman who was routinely on the property.
From what I was reading on various interent sites, Southern Illinois was home to some big deer and to say the least my hopes were high. I generally hunt high pressured areas for deer and I'm always happy just filling any tag at all. Hopefully this would be different.
Well, My buddy and I get down to the property early the day before the 1st shotgun season starts. We were shown a little bit around the area we were allowed to hunt and then decided to do a little scouting. To say the least, the deer sign was everywhere. I was running into nice size scrapes and rubs everywhere, nothing huge, but a lot of sign, even spooked up a few does and a small buck while scouting stand locations. My buddy and I picked out two locations about 150 yards from each other on an old road that went through the woods. The tracks that crossed this road were everywhere, we were certain that tomorrow would be a hunt to remember.
The next morning 4:30 rolled around pretty quick, and due to some bad wings while watching the SIU-Duke game in Carbondale, we were a few minutes late leaving the hotel. After a stop for some coffee, we were on our way.
After a short drive, we park out at our spot as you can start to see the light peaking up over the horizon, we throw our gear on and our half mile walk to our stands begins. As we approach my buddies stand, we exchange "Good Lucks" and part ways.
I get to my climber, tie my gun up and begin to ascend the tree. I make it about 10 feet in the air and look over to see the breathe coming out of the deer 50 yards across a small ravine. I immediatley see a rack. A nice rack, bigger than anything I have seen in the woods with a gun in my hand. I watch him, trying to get my gun up the tree without spooking him, but no luck. Did I just blow my chance at the biggest deer Ive seen hunting? My blood is pumping, but for some reason, Im not worried. I begin to climb again, but hear more leaves rustling behind me so I stop. No way, another buck? Ive only seen one buck over a four point in my hunting career and Ive been hunting a while. I turn to see another nice 6 pt chasing a doe. No way, I don't have this kind of luck, not me. Over the rest of the morning, I could not stop seeing deer. Seems like I had picked a great spot. I saw around 35 does, none more than 40 yards away and 7 bucks, 5 that were 8's or better. None that I wanted to shoot opening morning or none that presented me a shot. Was I really getting greedy? I have shot a few small bucks and many does, but nothing on the wall yet. Most of these bucks I saw many people would have hanging on the wall, but for some reason I was enjoying the deer so much, I didn't want to ruin it with a shot.
Around 9:30 a shot rings out from my buddy, he immediately gets on the radio and says he took a shot at a doe. We wait a bit and get down and find decent blood. We start trailing her only to jump her 50 yards later, I think to myself "Liver Shot" and back out. My buddy didn't want to, but I told him we had to. We'd head in for a warm breakfast in town and come out later and she'd be dead. We go into town only to check his phone and hear that his wife went to the emergency room in Chicago after fainting and since they just learned they were expecting there 2nd child. He was on edge. She told him not to worry and she would keep him updated. I could tell he was a little worried for the next few hours, but he got the "all clear" a short while after and we were back to a hunting state of mind.
Well, long story short, we track his deer, really getting lucky, finding her 300 yards away still alive. Of course, she is laying with 2 other does and from the look I got, a NICE buck. No shot on the buck, but I can tell the doe is still alive. (It was an upper leg shot)Since my buddys behind me 50 yards talking to his wife (which is usually a no no at deer camp, but family health first, Deer hunting a distant second) I take the doe out her misery. No skunk this trip!!
By the time we get her to where we want to leave her, it's time for the afternoon hunt. I really wanted to set up where we had found the doe, but I knew we had walked over that area pretty good. Instead, I decided to grab my climber and try a spot that looked like it border some thick smaller trees in a hardwood flat. I walk in and set up about 200 yards off the path we walk in on. I had seen a button buck, a spike and a nice 6 pt near this area in the last day, so I figured there had to be some reason they were in this area. 2 of the 3 had there noses to the ground and didn't care we were there. Something was going on in this area.
I set up and due to problems with my climber, Im only 9 feet in the air, Im not worried though, I feel good that the deer won't look up that much. I settle in and wait. The first 45 minutes, nothing, not even a squirrel. After all the mornings activity, did I just pick a bad spot? I decided to give my can call a shot. 3 flips in a minute that lean back. Nothing.
Im leaning back, just enjoying being outside when I see some movement to my right, I grab the binocular and slowly take them up to my eyes. Its a nice big doe, I bring them down and see something behind her, I bring them up again and see the glare of an antler, a nice antler! I can't tell the exact size as he follows her, nose to the ground. Before I get a look he lays down behind a small embankmentwhile thedoe still feeds some 50 yards from me. Im looking,hoping he'd stand upbut can't find him. After a few minutes I see a white tail back the direction they came from. I lost him. Shoot!! Within 2 minutes though, a big spike appears right by the doe and who is on his tail, the big buck and he's mad! The doe sees them both and takes off on a trot, right at me!! She runs to within 25 feet of my stand and remember, Im only 9 feet off the ground in an open hardwood flat!! The spike is soon to follow and the big buck is right behind them. The bigger buck is letting out grunts as he is chasing the two. The doe and the little buck make it by and don't notice me, but the bigger buck, he stops dead in his tracks facing me at 20 yards. Looks me dead in the eye and bobs his head. I think Im busted but I hear that little buck let out a grunt and that bigger buck thinks," No way is this little guy getting my women!" and he takes off again, I swing around to the other side of the tree (the Buck is behind me), the bigger buck is now on a trot slightly quartering away from me. I let out a "Bah", nothing, I do it even louder, nothing, a third time "BAH!" almost at a yell! He stops at30 yards. I let the copper fly. He mule kicks and runs. I see him dissappear behind a big oak 50 yards away and not come out! My buddy is on the radio, "So what's you shoot!" All he heard me yell was "8 pt down! 8 point down!!". I can't begin to tell you the excitement I was feeling. It was like the Cubs won the World Series and the Kansas Jayhawks just won the NCAA title at the same exact time! (My 2 favorite teams!)
Since I didn't actually see him fall, I follow my own rule, wait at least 30 minutes. My buddy tries to keep me calm by talking to me over the radio, after 15 minutes and knowing 99% sure he is down
(I could see the spike sniffing and acting jittery where I thought he was laying), I tell him to come on over to my stand. When he gets there he flips on the video camera and we look for blood. Right way, we spot good blood. Its a lung hit, no doubt, I trail him him with my buddy videotaping. 50 yards later, there he lies! I go up and grab his rack, what a buck! I'm smiling like I died and came back as Hugh Hefner! He's a great buck, I couldn't be prouder!
Well, here's his picture. He's not as big as some of the other bucks on this site, but I've waited 30 years for a buck to put on the wall and now I've got him! He'sa trophy inmy book no matter what he scores, but I was wondering what you guys think he scores. Any guesses? If it helps, Im around 6'7" for comparrison reasons that might help. Again, sorry for the long read, but I had some time today.
12-17-2008, 10:56 AM
#3
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Live = Northern IL, Hunt = West Central IL
Posts: 297
RE: Southern Illinois Buck, My Biggest Yet! (Long read)
Congratulations and great story.
I have no idea what he will score - I had to ask for help with mine too.
Great tine height - I like those.
I have no idea what he will score - I had to ask for help with mine too.
Great tine height - I like those.
