• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

It was all going wrong, until it wasn't

Dcomer55

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2020
Messages
396
Location
SW Missouri
I knew this was going to be a very unique season for me. However, in early September my wife gave birth to our first child, so I new I'd have less time afield this year. With that being the case my goal was to scout more than ever, trending towards 3x my hunting time, and hunt as aggressively as I ever have.

The forecast was calling for a big cold front to roll in on Sunday October 16th. I went out for a speed scout on the 15th in anticipation of the cold front. I found a few rubs and small scrapes but nothing that seemed red hot. I was running low on time but there was one other area of the property that I had a camera on, it's an inside corner of a field where there is also a bend in the creek that helps further create a funnel/pinch point/ trail hub, that I really wanted to check. Upon getting there I found three large/fresh rubs on either side of my camera and instantly knew this is where I needed to be. I picked out a tree next to my camera that I felt allowed me to cover most of the area where the sign was and went to mark it on OnX. When I set the camera a month a go I had already marked it on OnX. When I went in to mark the tree my phone was telling me I was 35ish yards further up than where my existing pin was. I chalked this up to my GPS being off on my scouting trip and just dropped my new pin next to the existing one and then headed back home.

October 16th we had a guest pastor at my church and a key line from his sermon was "This is a perfect opportunity to trust the Lord" which comes in key for the rest of this story.

I knew I needed to work the morning of October 17th but hoped to maybe squeeze in an evening hunt. Really I just wanted to go in during daylight and get everything setup for the next day - in my estimation there was a greater chance of a morning encounter than an evening encounter. However, I didn't end up getting to go out that evening so it would be a hang and hunt the following morning. I was bummed but knew I still had a good spot picked out and in keeping with the sermon was just going to trust the Lord.

I woke up early the morning of the 18th. It was a crisp 28 degrees so I was wearing minimal layers for the hike in. Legal light was around 6:50, the plan was to be get to the tree by 5:50 and setup by 6:20 to allow me at least 30 minutes before gray light to just sit in silence. I got to the spot on time but it is a very homogeneous timber stand and couldn't quite the tree I had picked out. OnX said I was right by my pin by I couldn't see the tree I wanted or the camera that was by it - I figured I was 30 yards or so I way. I started to panic a bit, but again that line from the sermon came to mind. I knew I was still close to the sign so I figured worst case just setup somewhere then make a move mid morning. There was a big oak tree that I decided to setup in. In hindsight I should have picked that tree from the start, there is only one other tiny oak tree in that general area and that was more likely to be an attraction that the buck reworking his rubs. I had to do quite a bit of trim work as I climbed and I underestimated the lean of the tree, which required me to climb down and rotate my sticks about 30 degrees to allow for me to avoid having my stand set in the lean. (I didn't take a saddle because I intended to sit all day and I personally can't stand much over 6 hours with a saddle and I tend to fidget too much in a saddle). At this point I know I'm running low on time and start to panic. I get my sticks reset and then finally get my stand set. However, in my rush I don't realize I've set it too high and there is a large branch preventing me from being able to stand. At this point it is light enough I am able to work without my headlamp on. I'm to the point of frustration that I nearly just packed up at went home, but that line from the sermon went through my head again. I took a deep breath and told my self to just move my stand down 8 inches. Did that and finally got into my stand it - it was 7:07 am. Run into some issues trying to get my bow and pack hung where I want them too. I finally sit down so I can put on my layers - I'm quite cold at this point - only to see some deer are working their way towards me. Even though I have good cover I decide that I need to wait for them to work past me before putting on my layers, so I brace myself to get very cold. To say that I'm grumpy in that moment is an understatement. I hear a noise behind me in the creek (which given the extreme drought in my area it's basically all gravel), but just chalk it up to a squirrel. However, the deer in front of me freeze in their tracks and are looking at the source of the sound, so I turn and look at immediately see his antlers. Instantly knew it was a stud. He ends up coming right to the back side of my tree and stops. I know my wind is good but am concerned if the thermals might be pulling the scent to him. He resumes moving and basically walks right against the tree on my left side. He would have walked directly beneath my stand if not for him smelling my scent on one of the limbs I cut, which caused him to take about three steps and give me a slight quartering away shot at 7 yards. I make a great shot and he dies in 30 yards. 7:25 am. Fellas I came unglued at that point - to the point of tears. I've had some bad experiences in my 4 seasons of bowhunting - failed to recover 4 deer and lost the meat from 3 deer due to one reason or another. To finally have it come together on a buck of that caliber after so much had gone wrong - both that day and in years past - was overwhelming.

While my scouting had me in the general area, it was the grace of God that really sealed the deal for me.

Remember how I said my OnX said I was by my camera/picked out tree but couldn't find it? Turns out those pins/my GPS was off the day I set them. The pin I set for the tree I picked out was literally on top of the tree I killed out of.

If I had been able to hunt the evening the day before, I would have been in the tree I picked out and watched him go by.

If not for the sermon I had on Sunday I would have packed up and went back to the house in frustration.

Even if you aren't someone of faith, I hope the message of perseverance will encourage you. It seems like the hunts where everything goes wrong are the ones I end up actually killing my bucks on.

Edited to include pics

Screenshot_20221018-162337_Gallery.jpg

Screenshot_20221018-162351_Gallery.jpg

Screenshot_20221018-162341_Gallery.jpg
 
Last edited:
Congratulations! That is a great story. Very inspirational! Awesome, beautiful animal
 
Back
Top