Sophie's Birthday Buck, Thad Lauer

July 25, 2012 By Reader Submission

This is our 12th year for our annual Illinois bowhunt. I promised my daughter that before I left I would try and kill her a birthday buck. November 9th, Sophie's birthday, dawned cooler but windy. I was hunting a draw between two CRP fields that leads to a bedding area. Right after daylight I had a doe and this 11 point working thru the draw. The doe fed to within 20 yards of me, I knew it was just a matter of time till I got a shot. Finally after working a scrape, this big boy gave me an 18 yard shot.

The Mathews Z7 and G5 T3 did the job. It was a short recovery. This buck green scored 142 1/2. A great birthday present for Sophie! -- Thad Lauer, Jersey Shore PA

Congrats on a great buck Thad!

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