Rutinbuck Loc: Haysville, Kansas

Bow season was really frustrating, season opened mid September. I didn’t start hunting until the second week of October. I’m using a crossbow for the first time. With a bulged disk in my neck I’m handy capped and need help getting a deer out of the field so I team up with a buddy of mine. I really wasn’t sure if this match up was a good idea. He doesn’t know how to sit still and after a while he goes on the move and starts walking to try and find a deer. Multiple times I have wanted to duck tape his ass to a tree to make him stay put. He is a rifle hunter and hasn’t shot a deer since 2007. He hasn’t hunted the last 3 years because of a detached retina in his right eye and he’s right handed. I call him and work out a deal, we will take turns using my crossbow. He shoots it left handed and does really good so we are off to go Bowhunting.

The first 4-5 times out by 9 am he starts fidgeting. We’re sitting in a ground blind so I’m not to worried until he starts talking. Quietly at first but it keeps getting louder the longer we sit. I finally say to myself, screw it and say you ready to go and he says yup. We are 180 degrees apart on hunting techniques and I’m wondering how if I have screwed up.

I have a spot that I want to hunt that has 4 really big bucks coming in but haven’t been going in because of this. I have a ground blind that needs a NW wind to hunt it which doesn’t happen very often so I find a really good natural ground blind that works with any wind as long as it’s easterly. I call his brother up and he agrees to help me if he’s not farming and I’m stoked, I can hunt solo!

First shot opportunity on a big buck!
I slip in to this spot and decided not to take a doe in this spot because it might leave sent everywhere getting one out if shot. I see a doe at 12 yards and it passes to my right and exits the wood to a hay meadow. I turn and watch her leave and here comes a really big 9 pointer. Comes in on same path the doe exits on and makes an immediate left. He’s 8 feet in front of me, I have my cross hairs on him and all I see is brown hair, too close! Buck walks out of my life.

Second shot opportunity at a big buck!
Two minutes after legal light a really big 8 pointer comes in. I range him at 35 yards. I take the shot and hits a branch before it gets to him, game over!

I have a sit down come to Jesus meeting with my buddy about what you can a d can’t do when Bowhunting and tell him about my secret spot and about the 4 big bucks coming and going. I think he finally gets the idea about sitting tight and not moving. He’s up first and a little 4 pointer comes in at 12 yards and he shoots him, good shot! I’m thinking WTF, I tell him about the big bucks and he just shot a dink!

Third shot opportunity!
I’m hunting with my grandson on this evening hunt. I take a shot at a doe at 20 yards with 10 minutes shooting light remaining. I think I shot it. He finds the arrow and it is clean, no blood. I just blew it!.

Fourth shot opportunity!
Big non typical buck comes in, points everywhere. I range him at 40 yards and take the shot. Long story shortened, the Rage broadhead didn’t open up, therefore hardly no blood trail, just a few drops here and there. We never find him!

Rifle season!
Fifth shot opportunity!
Yesterday morning a doe comes in at 100 yards, I take the shot and the doe never flinched, doesn’t even act like it was hit. Turns and trots back into the woods. We look and find no blood. Off to the rifle range and sure enough the site is off, way off. Got it dialed in.

Sixth shot opportunity SUCCESS!
A nice 9 and a half pointer came in around 150 yards and I drop the hammer on him. He dropped straight down, lights out! Time was 5:20 pm. Grandson shoots an 8 pointer at 5:30 pm. We field dress them, get them back to the truck and loaded. Off to the deer processor. Get home at 11:30 pm, I am pooped!

Gordon Loc: Charleston South Carolina

Nice story Buck. Those are some big deer in the pics. Congradulations

Lee626 Loc: Brick NJ [ near the Jersey shore ]

Nice deer, congratulations, your story sounds very frustrating but i bet your glad you waited around for that nine pointer, thanks for the story Buck it was great to read

Iowa Farmer Loc: Iowa City Iowa

Great story Rutin, my shotgun season starts Saturday. I party hunt with a group. Used to be 6 farmers hunting our own land, but dwindled to 3 over the years so we joined another group which is larger than I like, but all good hunters. Open farm country drive and post is the most productive around here, since most of us have M-F jobs.

Fish Dancer Loc: Guntersville, Alabama

Congrats! You are one tenacious dude and it certainly paid off.

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Patience pays off. Just Sayin...RJS

bknecht Loc: Northeast pa

Two very nice deer. You’ll both eat well this winter

Rutinbuck Loc: Haysville, Kansas

Thanks y’all for all your comments, they are appreciated

Rutinbuck Loc: Haysville, Kansas

Hey Ifarmer before I forget, good luck with your season. Shoot straight and kill a big one!

Iowa Farmer Loc: Iowa City Iowa

Thanks! Hopefully pictures to follow. 🤞Actually, I prefer a nice yearling doe. Better eating and helps reduce the population better.

Rutinbuck Loc: Haysville, Kansas

Yup them are the best eating but you just don’t get as much meat off of them. You can cut them with a baby fork!

Catfish hunter Loc: Riggins idaho (Paradise)

I went to pick my wife up from work and somebody gave her a mule deer buck. Minus the horns. Cut and wrapped and in the freezer. She works at the local meat processing shop. The freezer was 15 feet from my truck. I think your hunt was a little harder than mine. 😂

Rutinbuck Loc: Haysville, Kansas

Yup Catfish your drag was a simple one. One time a big 9 pointer I shot with a bow went 325 yards before giving up the ghost. It died right next to the road. All I had to do was drive up to it and load it into my truck after field dressing it. Still your mule deer hunt was a lot simpler.

Catfish hunter Loc: Riggins idaho (Paradise)

We got 105 pounds of elk meat almost as easy. A guy got a big bull and brought it to the shop whole. Cut the quarters off and about half the back straps and was gonna throw the rest away. Yup. The wife grabbed that too. When I got there it was hanging in the cooler. Skinned cleaned and ready to process. We had to cut it up the next day after hours so it was a little more work than the deer. I’m really liking hunting season in Idaho with my wife working in the butcher shop👍

Lee626 Loc: Brick NJ [ near the Jersey shore ]

Sounds like you got it made for meat this year