1.) Triton Rich - 12/04/2016

[B]As I've mentioned, the hunting has been really slow for me this year. Fewer deer and rare buck sightings have been the rule. I went out this morning and saw no deer again. I headed out again this afternoon but it was more because I can only hunt on weekends and I didn't wan't to miss the chance. While I was getting ready at Dad's house, the neighbor called to let Dad know that he'd seen a couple of nice bucks with a doe. I was feeling a little better about the evening hunt. I strolled out to my tree and noticed that a 6" balsa tree that is an annual rub tree had been worked over again. Now I was actually feeling pretty good! The stand I chose for this sit is a little odd. It is only maybe 12 feet up in a pine tree. We cut out a big hole and the tree provides excellent background cover. It is in an area that is an acre or two of thick, brushy cover with lots of deer trails. We have two short (20 yards or less) shooting lanes cut through the brush and a small clearing out in front of the tree that's it. You can't see the deer coming and I only sit there in nearly calm conditions so I can hear the deer as they approach. It seemed like the perfect spot at the moment. The only problem now is that one of the neighbors was out doing some target practice. Now, it is an unincorporated area so it is legal to shoot just as it is legal to bowhunt. It was still annoying. I figured the deer were probably used to it since the same guy shoots pretty regularly. Well, wouldn't you know it. Just minutes after the shooting stopped, I heard footsteps from behind me. I put my phone away and grabbed my bow. Soon I caught movement off to my left, it was a buck and a big one! At first, I thought he would go by and miss my one opening but, sure enough, he picked the right trail and soon stepped out in my shooting lane. When I got a clear look at him, I noticed that his rack was uneven, 4 nice points on the left and only 3 on the right and one of them pretty short. I thought to myself "not P and Y, I should pass on him". Then his head turned straight away and I saw the mass width and height. I decided I didn't care, I've hardly seen any bucks and he was huge. I was gonna take a crack at him! These thoughts only took a second in my head so he was still in my lane but barely. I stopped him with a grunt before I even drew my bow. Luckily, he stood still for a bit. He was hard quartering away so I aimed a bit back and cut the arrow loose...

I've been carrying an arrow with a Rage hypodermic for several years now. There were a couple of things that I didn't like about the original rage and I believe the hypodermic fixes those problems. I shoot a light arrow at 340 grains so I've been leery about using the Rage. At 300fps, I was pretty confident it would work, I just worried about a 30 or 40 yard shot where the arrow is slowing down so I mostly used my fixed blades. Since I was hunting a spot with only short shot opportunities, I went with the Rage this time.

....I saw the arrow strike the deer about center height just behind the last rib. It penetrated deeply but about a third of the arrow was sticking out. The buck ran off in a semi-circle turning to the left. I clearly heard him running for a few seconds, then didn't hear anything. No crash sound. My first thought was good shot, dead deer. Then, as I sat there for a few minutes, the doubt started creeping in. Did the arrow go deep enough? Did he die where I heard him or did he sneak off? I figured I should wait for a half hour or 40 minutes. After 20 min, I couldn't stand it any more. I got down as quiet as I could and tip-toed around looking for first blood. I went maybe 15 or 20 yards and hadn't found any sign. I stood there for a while thinking maybe I should back out and give him more time. After a minute I said screw it, I know darn well that arrow got lungs and I should look now before dark while I can tell where I am. I took 5 more steps in the direction that I heard him run and I saw white belly, he hadn't gone 40 yards! What a sight with those big old antlers sticking up from the ground! He is easily my biggest buck ever. I believe he's at least 5 years old. He's not matched very well so I don't think he'll make P and Y but he is awesome with 13 points (that's UNOFFICIAL, I'll post in the contest thread when I measure the close ones). A careful post-mortem showed that the broadhead did go all the way through the far side ribs and stopped in the muscle around the shoulder putting a slice in the heart on the way. I never did find a drop of blood which isn't a surprise with no exit wound. The Rage performed perfectly well but I think I like the idea of a fixed blade and a better chance of an exit hole. Obviously, a heavier arrow would have pushed it through too. I plan on measuring him tomorrow so I'll post a score for all those who may be interested. Here he is......[/B]













The entry wound....

2.) crookedeye - 12/04/2016

nice deer rich! i'm just happy you shot a bigger one than billy...:wink..we would of never heard the end of it if he won the contest...

3.) Triton Rich - 12/04/2016

[B]Well, Dad and I followed the P and Y method as best we could and came up with 13 scorable points and a surprising (to me) 144 1/8" gross with a respectable 129" net. My first book buck! I'm totally pumped and my Dad and Brother are both thrilled. It was a great family oriented day today getting him caped measured and off to the butcher. Feeling very satisfied.[/B]

4.) Swamp Fox - 12/05/2016

Very nice, Rich! Enjoyed the story very much. Happy for you!

I'm glad the phone wasn't your downfall. :-) I had read your headline, but I was still worried for a second, LOL.

Great job!


(How's the shoulder?)

5.) Triton Rich - 12/05/2016

[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;45800]Very nice, Rich! Enjoyed the story very much. Happy for you!

I'm glad the phone wasn't your downfall. :-) I had read your headline, but I was still worried for a second, LOL.

Great job!


(How's the shoulder?)[/QUOTE]

[B]Thanks Swampy! I have had deer sneak by playing on my phone before but it was real quiet so I figured I'd get away with it. My shoulder is doing better, thanks for asking! Not quite back to full strength but I can draw pretty easily now. I have only been taking a few practice shots here and there but it's been going well so I've kept hunting. [/B]

6.) billy b - 12/05/2016

That's a really nice buck Rich, the big ones are few & far between, I enjoyed your story very much, I struggle with putting my thoughts and feelings into words after a kill. It has been many years since I shot one that big, earlier this year I almost got a shot at the one BTBH shot on our lease in W Texas but a bobcat bolting after a quail scared him off before he got inside 40 yards. T know you feel proud and you deserve it, those deer don't come more than once or twice in a lifetime so congrats again, you done good son!!

7.) Jon - 12/05/2016

Great buck with a great shot. Congrats brother

8.) Bob Peck - 12/05/2016

Excellent story Rich. Way to go! Nice deer.

9.) Swamp Fox - 12/05/2016

What plans for the mount? Can't wait to see it. Lots of character in that face and rack.

10.) Hunter - 12/06/2016

Excellent, Rich!!!!

11.) Triton Rich - 12/10/2016

[B]Thank you for the kind words fellas! It's been a week and still a little giddy about it :-)[/B]


[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;45807]What plans for the mount? Can't wait to see it. Lots of character in that face and rack.[/QUOTE]

[B]Going in a few minutes to pick up the meat and the head/cape. I'm planning on a regular shoulder mount unless the taxi convinces me otherwise. He'll be in the freezer for a bit though, supposed to be snowing in a few hours through Sun Night and one of the many things I didn't get around to is replacing my wore out tires![/B]

12.) DParker - 12/10/2016

Holy moly. How did I miss this? Nice buck, man. I agree with Swampy in that there's something about his face (the deer's, not Swampy's) that'll make for a really nice mount. Can't wait to see what you end up with.

13.) Triton Rich - 12/10/2016

[QUOTE=DParker;45988]Holy moly. How did I miss this?.......[/QUOTE]

[B]The car wreck probably rattled your brain leading to the distraction. I'll let it go this time. :wink[/B]

14.) luv2bowhunt - 12/12/2016

Way to go Rich!! Really, really feeling happy for you!

I know how you're feeling right now, hope it sticks with you a long, long time.:-)

15.) DParker - 12/12/2016

[QUOTE=luv2bowhunt;45993]I know how you're feeling right now...[/QUOTE]

Me too!

No...not really.

16.) Wild Bob - 06/22/2017

Rich - looking around on HC at things that happened while I wasn't around and just saw this post. Nice job! Congratulations on a fine buck!

17.) Triton Rich - 06/23/2017

[B]Thank you Bob! It was amazing for sure. I would be remiss though if I didn't point out this thread too! :-) [/B]

[URL="http://forums.huntingcountry.com/forums/showthread.php?2337-She-did-it!"]http://forums.huntingcountry.com/forums/showthread.php?2337-She-did-it![/URL]