July 13, 2012
By Reader Submission
My wife and I have 155 acres in southern Indiana and we try to manage it the best we can, with food plots, game cameras and passing on smaller bucks. We do see a lot of big bucks that pass through our acreage quite often.
It was Saturday, November 5th and my wife and I had been hunting every free moment since opening day. We both passed on smaller bucks and does patiently waiting for the pre rut or chase to arrive.
That morning I decided to sit in my climber on the edge of a ridge that over looks a flat that's open and full of acorn trees. Does like to feed in this area in the morning as they make their way back to their bedding grounds.
The morning started off great at first light as a 4 pointer walked through, and then about 9 a.m., I spotted a 10 pointer as he milled around for a few minutes. I decided to pass on him as he just wasn't quite big enough and I am glad I did.
About 10 a.m., I looked to my left and a doe was walking up the ridge, right to me and a buck was on her tail. As I stood up, the doe passed my stand and the buck stopped and looked at me. My heart was beating thinking I just got caught and had blew it, but his mind was on that doe and he put his head back down and walked between 25-30 yards in front of me.
I grunted and he stopped to look at me and I shot, but he was quartering away and after I shot, I watched him run away with my arrow sticking out which scared me to death!
Did I hit him high? Did I hit a shoulder blade? Oh my God, will I find him?
I got down and walked over to where I'd made the shot and there was quite a bit of blood so I decided not to push him and went back to the house for a cup of coffee and gave him a couple hours. In the mean time my cousin Chip and my uncle Johnny and my friend Tim drove over to help me look for him. About 12:30, we all went back out and picked up on the blood trail. He ran about 80 yards and was laying dead at the bottom of the hill. My arrow had went through the lungs and stuck in his opposite shoulder as he was quartering away.
What a blessing! It has taking me six years to get a monster off this place and I think the Lord is teaching me patience as my wife always reminds me of! -- Danny Terril
Congrats on a great buck Danny!
