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For the last two years I’ve hunted a small tract of land
just outside of Meridian, Texas. The first year I was lucky enough
to harvest two does and a spike. Even though I had many chances at
good bucks, they were all young. I had a 3 ˝ year old 10 point at
10 yards, yes it would have been my biggest buck in my archery
career but I held off.
This year I decided to make some changes. I added two digital
trail cameras and a free choice protein feeder. The protein
feeder went up in early spring so the does that were dropping
fawns and the bucks that were now starting to grow their antlers
could benefit. Through out the late spring and early fall I had a
good number of deer showing up, including a few better bucks. I
had set my eye on a buck that I called Mr. Wide. He was a typical
eight with about an 18 in spread. He would score in the mid 120’s
and was aged at 4 ˝ years old. Up until opening of archery
season, I had him patterned by using my trail cameras. He would
show up early in the morning at daylight and return about 15 min
before dark.
Opening morning of the season found me in full camo and as scent
free as I possibly could. I sat in the tree stand until 10:30 AM.
I did have many does come and go through out the day but Mr. Wide
was a no show. It was like this for the first two weekends and I
was getting very frustrated. I ended the weekend by shooting a big
health doe at 12 yards. The next three weekend were unbelievable
but, not in a good way. I never saw a deer during daylight hours.
I could tell that deer were coming and going by the tracts they
left behind and by the pictures I was getting on my cameras. Mr.
Wide only showed up a couple of times but I was determined he was
the deer I was going to shoot. I had to leave for a week on hunt
in Oklahoma. I had scheduled the hunt in Oklahoma to hit the
pre-rut and by the time I would return to Meridian, the rut would
just be starting. I had a great hunt in Oklahoma, arrowing my best
whitetail buck to date, a 125” class 8 point.
That next Thursday evening found me loading my truck with all my
gear for an early departure to Meridian. However, I stayed up way
to late and slept in. I ended up leaving the house about 10:00
AM. I had decided that since I had missed the morning hunt, I
would get in my stand at midday and sit until dark. The skies were
overcast all day long and it seamed as if it was the perfect day.
Everything started to come alive at 2:45 when three does and five
fawns came into my right shooting lane. I sat and watched them,
trying not to get busted while I tuned on the video camera. A nice
tall 8-point came stomping and grunting in trying to find a doe in
estrus. He smelt around for a few minutes and was gone. The does
worked there way over to my left shooting lane when a young 7
point ran in chasing the does off of the feeder so he could have
it all to himself.
After many minutes of deer playing and eating, all the does got
very antsy and swung their heads to the tree line. Another doe
came bolting out of the trees to my right about 80 yards out with
a big tall racked buck on her heals. She ran though some tall
grass and back into the trees on my left. All of a sudden, she
bolts back across to where she first appeared. During the rut, I
do not put my bow on the bow hook. It always rests on my knee with
my hand in the sling gripping the riser. An arrow is always
knocked and ready to go because you just never know what is
going to happen. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw two does come
into my right shooting lane. Then I hear buck grunts. I reposition
myself for a shot hoping it is the right buck. Through the cedar
branched I caught a glimpse of the buck.
Not knowing how big he is, I attach my release to the D-loop as he
walks out at 10 yards broadside. All I could tell was he had two
tall points and a long main beam on his left side. I did not
second-guess anything, I drew, anchored the release, centered the
20-yard pin in my peep, picked a spot and released. I watched as
the arrow hit him solid in the side. It was not until he took off
away from me did I realize how wide he was. I was ecstatic. I was
like a little kid on Christmas day getting a Red Rider BB gun. I
was jumping up and down in my tree stand. I was shaking so bad
trying to climb down, I just about fell off the ladder. I knew I
had heard the buck crash in the cedar trees but to occupy my time
I walked back to my truck. When I got there, I had to call just
about everyone I knew. After 15 min of telling my friends about
what had just happened, I drove my truck down into my hunting
area. It was dark by now, so I killed the engine and left the
lights on. I could not wait any longer to find my buck.
As I entered the tree line, my cell phone rang and it is a good
friend of mine Matt Baur. I had called him earlier but he was
tracking a big hog that his daughter had shot. Matt asked me if I
had found him yet. I said no but I am on the blood trail. I
followed the blood for about 20 yards from the shot when I shined
my flashlight ahead and I yelled over the phone, “There he is,”.
Matt yelled back, “Give me a play by play, how big is he?”. I
walked up to him and started counting points. 1,2,3… When I got to
8, I could hear Matt get excited. I said that is only on his left
side. I went on and counted 14 points. Matt’s last words on the
phone were “ I will be there in 45 min.” and he hung up the
phone. I grabbed a hold of the buck’s horns and drug him out in
the opening to get a better look. I sat there on the ground in
front of him, wondering what had just happened.
I have come to the conclusion that you just never know what
is going to walk past and at what moment in time. Being that
I hunt a small property and I feed year around, I know that the
neighboring properties will benefit from this but that is ok with
me. If I can keep the does coming in during the rut, the bucks
will show up. I have never seen this buck on any of my trail
camera pictures in the past eight months. So far, Mr. Wide has not
shown himself and he may never will.
Aim hard – Have fun,
Jered Kimmel
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