Captcurt
Member
Today was the first day of archery season here in Arkansas. I have scouted, put out feeders, blinds and climbers. The weatherman was calling for 80 degrees and a south wind. The morning stand that I was going to hunt does not work with a south wind so I slept in. Went out about 4:00P.M. and checked a feeder then crawled up into a white oak on one of my climbers. About 7:00 here comes a doe and 2 bambis. They milled around checking for acorns then headed for a cattle feeder. I had the doe broadside, guessed 30 yards and shot right over her back. She was 25 and ducked. Now you would think that someone who spent a couple hundred dollars on a rangefinder would use it, but no-o-o-o. It was 100 yards up the hill in the truck.
The deer settled down and went to the cattle feeder. Then here comes a pretty nice buck and joins them. Everything was cool until the owners son finished feeding and came ripping up the road on his ATV and spooked the does. The buck eased down the hill directly to me. He was pretty. I'm guessing a 3 year old and just starting to fill out his body. His rack was decent with 9 points and maybe a 15 inch spread. There was a time that I would have busted him in a heartbeat. He stopped where I had walked in and stopped. I had my bow back and he gave me any angle that I could have wanted at 10 yards. I let him walk. If he had been on any of the other farms that I hunt I would not have watched him walk. But this farm has some good bucks and some really good genes. I want to see him in a year or two.
The deer settled down and went to the cattle feeder. Then here comes a pretty nice buck and joins them. Everything was cool until the owners son finished feeding and came ripping up the road on his ATV and spooked the does. The buck eased down the hill directly to me. He was pretty. I'm guessing a 3 year old and just starting to fill out his body. His rack was decent with 9 points and maybe a 15 inch spread. There was a time that I would have busted him in a heartbeat. He stopped where I had walked in and stopped. I had my bow back and he gave me any angle that I could have wanted at 10 yards. I let him walk. If he had been on any of the other farms that I hunt I would not have watched him walk. But this farm has some good bucks and some really good genes. I want to see him in a year or two.
And good for you on letting a buck walk only way it will get bigger is if you give it a chance
