In 2023, Kentucky's Nelson Lee arrowed a nice velvet buck, but it cost him a chance to harvest "Big Boy." One year later, the bowhunter did just that.
December 03, 2024
By Clifford Neames
Tagging out on a velvet buck early in 2023 cost Nelson Lee the chance to kill the big non-typical that showed up on his cell camera a few days later. But, it also gave him a year to plan the hunt for the new buck he named "Big Boy." Many others were also after him, however, presenting some real issues he'd have to overcome.
Big Boy was all over the place, frequently showing up where he could be seen from the road as he moved about. The fear that he might be poached was real, and Nelson knew the neighbors were eager to take him, too. The solution was to keep him close — a feat that's never easy with a wild, free-roaming animal.
Because of a recent change in Kentucky law, it is illegal to keep bait out all year in the Bluegrass State.
“I had him on minerals all year,“ Nelson recalled. “I knew exactly where he was bedding and planned to go after him very close to that area. And in August, I started pouring on the feed, trying to keep him right there.
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“That did it! He was always on my cameras, but since he wasn’t moving around as much, I had to be very careful as I prepared for the hunt.”
Lee knew he had to do everything he could to keep the buck close, as plenty of neighbors also had the big buck on their radar. On August 17th, Nelson slipped in to hang some gear on his stand, and the big buck stood up in the cover just a few yards away. He had to slip down the back side of the tree and sneak out without being detected.
The oversized whitetail seemed stuck on a solid summer pattern, but right before the opener some cooler weather rolled in. Although it would make it nicer to sit in the woods, Nelson had a real fear that the buck might suddenly shift his pattern and begin roaming.
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On the afternoon of the opener, he slipped into position in his lock-on overlooking the mineral station.
“He had been hitting the feed and minerals, then moving to nearby water,“ Nelson said. “And that afternoon was no different.”
Big Boy came in right on schedule and lightly sparred with a younger buck, just 22 yards in front of the anxious hunter. Seizing the opportunity, Nelson launched his arrow as soon as he turned broadside.
The 5 1/2-year-old whitetail is likely to score in the 170s after the mandatory drying period. “He was stretched out, exposing all of his vitals,“ he explained. "I couldn’t have drawn up a better chance!”
When the broadhead sliced through his chest, Big Boy went down and began plowing on his front end until he hit a brush pile, then jumped up and whirled around like the younger deer was responsible! That didn’t last long, however, as Nelson quickly put another arrow in him. After another short dash, Big Boy was on the ground for good.
That is when I texted my Dad, “He’s dead.”
The huge bodied 5 1/2-year-old buck has a split brow tine, a deeply forked G2, and stickers in several spots. He will likely score in the high 170s after the drying period.
