I had a rough October. On Oct. 13, I arrowed and lost the Buck I’d been watching for four years on the Beasley compound. The only good thing about the situation was that it wasn’t a lethal hit and Buck survived. He was definitely a lucky Buck.
Doni had been taking surveillance photos of Buck for years. Circa March 2018
I knew Buck had some real rack potential from surveillance photos I’d been receiving from Engineering. He appeared wary, and he was ranging widely, over about a 30-mile area between Ferndale and Fenton. I checked the WCSX Hunter’s Guide for tips and remained patient.
In late September, before the season opened, I looked closely at photos of him, and his tongue was hanging out oddly, and his bottom jaw was sagging down. He had a huge rack, but I figured he somehow, was having a tough time getting enough to eat and drink. That’s when I started putting out the donuts and cake (and occasionally Jack Daniels) in the kitchen and he loved it. I decided that I’d wait a few weeks to give him time to fatten up a bit.
A few weeks later, just before legal shooting light, but enough light on the horizon to see a little, I spotted rack coming in close…. It was Buck! Unfortunately, Buck turned and went to his studio before it was light enough to shoot. Mid-morning I got down off my stand and went in to work.
The Day I Got My Ultimate Buck Shot
That afternoon the wind was swirling, and I didn’t like the conditions. But I felt good about the stand because Buck was slowing down from eating the donuts regularly and I was sure he’d be heading for home sooner or later. So, I went back to the stand and waited.
A couple of hours later, as the wind died down, I spotted him! Buck was standing broadside at 32 yards. Daylight was fading fast, and I was waiting for a perfect shot. Buck made a forward step and turned quartering away, exposing his rib cage. I drew my bow, aimed, and released my arrow. The Crimson Talon Nerf, a 100-grain expandable broadhead hit Buck perfectly behind the shoulder, and I watched as he dashed into thick cover. I heard Buck crash about 3 yards into the thicket and the Buck stopped here. I pulled out my Daisy 95b and fished the job.
No Bucks were harmed in the making of this photo.
Much love to Paul “Uncle Buck” of WCSX for making these pictures possible! He’s been a part of our radio family for thirty years. His sense of humor and commitment to his craft is inspiring. He’s definitely an award-winning Buck.
Uncle Buck takes home the NAB Award!
**This blog is based on an actual bow hunter’s story. While I changed it for comical purposes, his true story is amazing and he clearly knows his stuff. His name is Austin Stephens and his buck has a green score of 156 4/8 inches! Check out the real story here.
BTW, this isn’t the first time something like this has happened…