Well, I have been chasing a buck that I call Stickers for 4 seasons now. Up until 2 days ago, I had only seen him twice during daylight. Once, just after the 2014/15 season closed, and once last year at dawn at 40 yards away and on the move.
I was lucky enough to see him enter a field two days ago, coming from the NW, through brush cover which would not allow for a good ambush spot. He ended up feeding in the south end of the field. I said to myself, if he needs there during a north wind, he may be in trouble.
I quickly put up a stand this morning in a copse of trees in the previously mentioned field, knowing that the wind was to be out of the North today. I got into the stand around 2 pm, and shortly thereafter had a small buck cruise by and by around 4 I had those feeding in the field on the North Edge.
With around an hour of daylight left, the wind died down and started to swirl. The wind currents were carrying my sent right to the portion of the field that Stickers was browsing in previously. Even though there were dough in the field already, I made the decision to move to a different stand in the drainage southeast of the field right on the edge.
I was in the new treestand for only 15 minutes when other doe came into the field from the NW, and it wasn't too much longer until Stickers entered as well. A couple.smaller buck had entered from the East, and chased them away, and started to feed near where he fed then other day, but daylight was fading.
Fortunately for me, a doe came into the field around 70 yards to my west, and he put his head down and started half-heartedly chasing her, stopping nearly broadside 15 yards from me.
I took the shot, and he whirled back to the Northwest through the field, but I lost sight of him due to the fading light and the Contour of the field, and I could not be certain of where I hit him in the low light.
I texted a couple of friends and told them what had happened and I thought I may have shot a little low by the way the buck reacted. I waited around a half an hour and turned on my green light to come out of the stand, and deer were snorting all over the field and I could hear them running. I hoped that one of them was not stickers, because that would almost certainly mean that I had wasted my last opportunity for this buck.
I got down out of the stand and was unable initially to find my arrow or any blood, so I slowly made my way in the direction that he ran shining my light ahead into the field. I had switch to a strong flashlight, and I I was very relieved and happy to see a white belly around 70 yards in a slight depression in the field.
This is as he was when I found him, and I eventually found the arrow. That is the exit wound, and he either turned a little at the shot, or wasn't completely broadside.
(https://i.imgur.com/hLB3kgi.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/c8xirVH.jpg)
Some more pics.
(https://i.imgur.com/iMfVA5L.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/sAbCEL6.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/OzW1amM.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/gN0H8il.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Hk4ldLN.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/TLyhwwQ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Rvn4KKh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/eoPKNPU.jpg)
And here is a pic from the first time I saw him.
(https://i.imgur.com/yEXg4mj.jpg)
Nice job Pat!! What do you think his age is , 7.5 or 8.5?
They never seem to live that long here!
Thanks. I am not the best at judging,, but I know he isn't less than 6.6, and I am kinda leaning towards 7.5. I don't think he is 8.5. If my property had more road access, I doubt that he would have made it this long, if you know what I mean.
Well done Pat, I am glad you have taken that nice buck.
Attaboy!!
Very unique
Tim B
Great Buck Pat! Congratulations.
What a fine buck and the character of the rack is awesome-congrats on sealing the deal.
Congrats, must be very gratifying to harvest him. You sure did good!
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Congrats on a great buck pat I know it's been a long journey way to get it done!!
Wow Great Buck Pat Congrats
Congrats Pat!
Well that just sucks. Not your buck because that's awesome but I had my nose stuck in the phone reading the story and let a coyote walk right under me, lol.
Congratulations on a hard earned buck.
Great deer, glad you got him.
Very Very nice Buck..
What a great looking buck! And so cool that you have a history with him. Congratulations!
Congratulations and great hunting!
Well done, that's a long tined monarch... Congratulations :clapper:
Niiiiicce. Congrats.
What a buck. Congrats
Thats a really neat deer!
Holy Cow.......he is a beauty! Well done!!! :clapper:
What a Beautiful Buck, heck of a shot to :clapper:
Beautiful beautiful buck congratulations sir great shooting he's a stud
Nice one Pat. Congrats.
:clapper: That big guy will take up some wall space!
That's awesome Pat. Congrats.
Outstanding.
Congrats Pat. That's a heavy horned old boy. Very cool looking rack. Any idea of what it weighed field dressed?
Congrats Pat! I know stickers has been an obsession for several years!! Good job getting it done!
I know I'd probably never put my friends on a buck like that but I'd like to think that had i of come up this weekend I would have had a chance at him! :knothead:
I would rather a friend shoot him than the neighbors during firearm season, or worse.
I would guess 170-180 pounds dressed. Real good for an Oklahoma deer.
What a cool saga and an incredible buck!
What set up were you using? That broadhead left a hole!
Nice deer Pat. Congrats
Congrats on a great buck !
QuoteOriginally posted by BRONZ:
What a cool saga and an incredible buck!
What set up were you using? That broadhead left a hole!
I was using a 3 blade vpa head that was 175 grains, but it was I think 1 1/4" wide. It has the same profile as the regular 175 grain heads, but has small cutouts to allow for a slightly wider cut.
(https://i.imgur.com/rWf9PcR.jpg)
And I was using my newest talltines stick flinger which is 55# @ 29", and Black Eagle Instinct shafts.
(https://i.imgur.com/Xep4VMD.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/VUdoiuW.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/nIpPQNz.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/PwjEAnY.jpg)
Shazam!
That's a nice one.
Congratulations. :clapper:
Beautiful deer Pat, congratulations on the shot and initiative to move to new stand.
Great buck ! Thanks for sharing
:thumbsup:
QuoteOriginally posted by maxwell:
Beautiful deer Pat, congratulations on the shot and initiative to move to new stand.
Thanks Bill. I think that was the biggest chance I have taken while hunting whitetail.
Great deer congrats.Good to see some Okie action,I'm south of you a little bit and the deer seem to have disappeared.
Awesome man! Congrats!
Awesome buck,Sir!
Congrats!
Great buck! Congrats! :thumbsup:
Good golly, that buck is a toad! Nice job!
Congrats.
Jeff
Well done!
Wow, what a buck! I really like the bow too!
Now that's a good looking buck! Tons of character in that rack! Congratulations on your great season! :clapper:
Bernie
Man that's a cool buck, well done :clapper:
Very nice...
Tall tines nice buck
What a pig! Thanks for sharing your hunt. Great job!
congrats on a great buck I see now why u have not been applying for McAlister
LOL. True enough.
Congrats great buck!!!!
Wow! What a buck!!!!!
Congrats Pat!!!!
Bisch
Great buck!
Stud buck , Well done sir....
,,,Sam,,,
Congratulations on a Brute.. from Va... way to go brother... God Bless...
Congrats on well earned buck!
That's a great buck!! Great work!!
Wow! Great buck sir! Congrats!
Glad for you
Terry
QuoteOriginally posted by The Nocking Point:
Glad for you
Terry
A little shout out with the shirt, lol.
Kinda cool to see how the main beams have grown from late January 2015, then late 2016, and then now.
(https://i.imgur.com/yEXg4mj.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/AqTaP9E.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/WfM5aXO.jpg)
Finally got around to having him scored. I would have been happy no matter what the score, but it is neat to know.
(https://i.imgur.com/BJrJH7o.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/300IPXs.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/02EAlYG.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/5ckEM3B.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/SzeOzPM.jpg)
congrats
That's an outstanding buck!! Congrats!!
Great deer, congrats Pat!! :clapper: :clapper:
Cool buck, congrats! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
dang pat not only do you own some of THE best looking bows ever but you damn sure seem to know how to use 'em!
many congrats
:thumbsup: :notworthy:
Fantastic...congrats!!
Beautiful animal Pat!
Outstanding. It's really cool to have such history with a deer.
:clapper: :clapper: :jumper:
Wow. Very nice. Happy for you
Congratulations! What a great buck. Opportunities at deer like that don't come often, but capitalizing on it when it does is what it's all about.
Congratulations! What a great buck. Opportunities at deer like that don't come often, but capitalizing on it when it does is what it's all about.
Amazing deer bud
Great deer Brother!
Just a beautiful buck and a long time in closing the deal! Congrats Again!
Missed this thread earlier. Awesome job. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks guys. I spend alot of time and effort improving the habitat on my property, but I really feel that there is a ton of luck involved, and I was fortunate enough to put a good shot on him when In had the chance. I have killed alot of deer over the years, but it is way out of proportion my actual skill level and ability as a deer hunter. There is so much I could learn from others, but it gets more difficult to find the time every year. Maybe I should start kidnapping some of the better deer hunters so that I can learn from them. I think the Wensel brothers would be a good place to start.
Nice buck and good story!
Wow he's a beauty!!
Congratulations !
Nice deer but sure is narrow. I might have let him pass, but only if I has already passed out from excitement. Congrats Pat on a fine deer and a great story. Thanks for sharing. :laughing:
That is a CRAZY rack!!!
Congrats again!!!
Thanks again everyone. The good news is that his son is running around. These pics are from a few weeks ago, but I saw him last night in person for the first time. I wasn't tempted to shoot him, because 2 years from now he may be better than his dad. Getting through next year may be tough, because I will have to demonstrate patience that I know that my neighbors won't. He looks even better in person.
(https://i.imgur.com/34J4xul.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/SJpXoeX.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/aIUsryP.png)
Fantastic, great story and great buck!
Awesome buck! Congrats!
Sweet buck. Congrats.
Dan in KS