Hunter Uses Recurve Bow to Tag 180-Inch Kentucky Buck

• Name: Brad Poynter
• Buck Score: 180 2/8 inches
• Date of Harvest: September 7, 2024
• State of Harvest: Kentucky
• Weapon of Harvest: Recurve bow

Brad Poynter likes to hunt with his recurve bow, and during the 2024 deer season, he connected on a 6 ½-year-old brute of a Bluegrass buck. The story didn’t start then, though.

“We started paying attention to him in 2022,” Poynter said. “We had a few encounters with him in 2023. The 2023 encounters never panned out.”

Poynter has been hunting the farm for about five years, and he’s taken several big bucks off it. On September 7, 2024, he added another to the list. This time, it was with traditional gear. Recurve in hand, he settled in for the afternoon sit.

“We got a cold front that day with a 20-degree drop in temps and a moderate north wind,” Poynter said. “If memory serves me correctly, it was in the lower 70s.”

Sitting in the treestand, some big timber sprawled out to his 8-11 o’clock. A small oak flat towered to his 12 o’clock. And open field was at his 6 o’clock. The mouth of a big hollow was about 1-2 o’clock. And a sharp ledge ran along his 2-5 o’clock. It was, as Poynter put it, a great pinch-point.

Best of all, acorns were dropping, and a cool, mild breeze chilled the air. Squirrels scampered around playing and searching for the newly fallen nuts.

After watching the squirrels for a while, more entertainment arrived. It came in the form a hen turkey, which fed around in front of him. A bit later, a fat ground hog entered the scene. Followed by two does and three fawns.

Later in the afternoon, the big buck materialized. Another sizeable deer came into view, too.

“My deer came out of the big woods, hit a trail, and headed my way facing me,” Poynter said. “When he got to about 15 yards, I heard something behind me in the field. I glanced, and it was another shooter we had on the property. They met at 10 yards and smacked antlers like it was November.

“This deer walked from bedding to this area on a north wind 90% of the time,” Poynter continued. “I gave him some wind, like if he'd walked downwind another 15 yards, he would have winded me. It was just enough in his favor that he was comfortable.”

After a short tussle, both deer bolted into the field. “I really figured my opportunity had past, but for some reason, my deer turned and came back into the flat,” Poynter said. “I focused on my spot and let the arrow fly. It entered about the 4th rib back, and came out just missing the opposite side front leg. He kicked like a bronc, took off, and fell around 30 yards.”

The 10-yard, quartering-away shot was true, and his big recurve bow buck was down.

“I was lucky to get him on my first sit of the year,” Poynter said. “In my opinion, he’s a deer of a lifetime with any weapon, let alone a traditional bow.”

Reflecting on the hunt, he used trail cameras to pattern the buck. That’s how he learned the deer’s routine and maximized the odds of an encounter.

Poynter also notes the importance of finding bucks on early season patterns, locating pinch-points to put bucks in bow range, and stressing the wind direction.

“I hunt this farm with two of my best hunting buddies,” Poynter said. “We've all hunted together for many years, and for most part, are all on the same page with tactics. They were my first calls and who helped me from the stand, because I was sort of in shock!

“This deer was a dream of mine and truly once-in-a-lifetime with traditional equipment,” Poynter continued. “It’s a memory I'll cherish 'til my last days.”

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