Interesting old whitetail buck (Illinois)

[Kingcreek]

Arrowed this old warhorse Saturday PM. Dark rack with scraps of velvet and a chuck out of his left tall tine that might be from an arrow point or a bullet.


field dressed 228 on the scale. Cause of death was sudden cardiac perforation with 100gr Muzzy at 18 yards. 15 year old Mathews still blows through them and puts the arrow several inches into the hard ground. He went out fast on a hard flat out run for 65 yards and piled up in a cloud of dust in picked beanfield stubble.

 

[jmr40]

That is a nice one. I've seen antler tips broken off from fighting other bucks. That could have been the cause.

 

[Kingcreek]

Not likely, I've seen plenty of antler tips broken off but this is a chuck missing with a sharp pierced notch. It doesn't show very well in these pics but you can see the whiter patch on the dark antler of the tallest tine on the deer's left or on the right in the pic.

 

[Kingcreek]

"Chunk" as in piece missing (darn auto misspell) from the middle of the tine. Looks recent to me but he didn't hit anything after I shot like a fence or anything.
Last 2 years when hunting this area I heard rifle shots around sunset during the archery season and suspected poaching. Also some other archery hunting not too far west of me. Either that or he sparred with a steel post something.
Big deer obviously in decline. Measured 21" inside.

 

[buck460XVR]

"Chunk" as in piece missing (darn auto misspell) from the middle of the tine. Looks recent to me but he didn't hit anything after I shot like a fence or anything.

Sounds like a .22LR shot a little high to me........


Nice buck. Like fingerprints, most buck antlers are unique to the individual themselves. Some of my coolest racks are not the biggest, but are the most unique. Same goes for the hunt. Congrats again.

 

[Nature Boy]

King Creek, that is an AWESOME buck. Congrats!

 

[CaptTripps]

Damn nice deer! Congratulations!

 

[Patocazador]

That's a gnarly 'ol buck. Thanks for showing it.

Oh, and congratulations.

 

[BigBore44]

He was definitely past his prime and on the decline. But what an awesome deer. Truly a real trophy. You must have a quiet heartbeat. At 18 yards on a calm day, a doe could hear my heart pounding.

I too shoot and older Mathews (Switchback XT). It's 11 years old now. Had it since new. Don't plan on getting rid of it any time soon. Nothing has convinced me it's time for a change.

 

[Kingcreek]

Thanks everybody. I've shot a lot of Illinois white tails in 30 years of bowhunting but this one is special to me. Sure was fun. I had 2 does under me when he came in. I had passed up an easy shot on one of them because they kept looking behind me and I could hear something but didn't dare turn around to look. He stepped out and stopped in the clear in my 9 o'clock position which is perfect for me being right handed.
I look at new bows every year but my old Mathews legacy still drills them. I practice shooting regularly at home.

 

[matrem]

Congratulations again.
I believe you & I would fit well in the same "deer camp".
(as would most folks I consider to be true hunters)

My most memorable hunts don't seem to necessarily have anything to do with a tape measure wrapped around antlers either.
And yep, no need to purchase a new bow, my 14 year old Q2 still does the trick too.

 

[birdshot8's]

I have rattled an arrow through the antlers. He did not stick around for me to see the damage, but I could well imagine my Bear broadhead chipping a tine or two. Nice buck.