We had a good season in Ohio this last year. I grew up in Idaho chasing mulies and elk, so it was a change moving to Ohio for school and work. Luckily, I was able to buy some land with lots of woods behind the house. We have gotten many decent bucks over the years we have lived here, but started this season feeling nervous. Usually, I will see a few bigger bucks on camera throughout the summer. This year I saw none. I went out several times during early archery season seeing only small bucks. During the middle of November, I was up in my stand with my doe decoy out in front of me. I look up the hill and see a big rack come peek over the top about 100 yards away. He stared at the decoy for about 5 minutes, and then slowly started walking in. When he got in range, I let an arrow fly and had my buck. he ended up scoring around 140".
With My buck down, I ended up focusing on helping my kids get their deer. My 7 year old got his first deer, (a nice fat doe) with the crossbow a week later. During the youth gun season, my 10 year old got a doe also. My 16 year old son though was hoping for something bigger.
He missed a 140 class buck during the youth season, and thought he blew his chance for the year. He hunted the first four days of gun season and saw nothing. On the fourth day of gun season, my wife drove by a neighbors place we hunt on sometimes and noticed a big buck in his field at 4:30 in the afternoon. I had the next day off, so my son and I headed to that field around 3:00 and set up. Right on schedule around 4:30, a bunch of does pour into the field. One of them stared at us, but luckily didn't spook. Just then, the big guy stepped put about 50 yards away. He pulled up his muzzleloader and dropped him. He started trying to crawl off back to the woods, but another shot finished the job.
We were both shocked when we got up to him. It is the biggest deer I know of that has been taken in the vicinity of where I live since I have been there.
So we both ended up getting big bucks, we had never seen before in person or on camera. I am still wondering where they came from.
We just got my son's buck officially scored.
Just for fun, Let's see who can guess closest to the gross and net scores.
Son's buck.
My buck
cross posted in whitetail forum.
With My buck down, I ended up focusing on helping my kids get their deer. My 7 year old got his first deer, (a nice fat doe) with the crossbow a week later. During the youth gun season, my 10 year old got a doe also. My 16 year old son though was hoping for something bigger.
He missed a 140 class buck during the youth season, and thought he blew his chance for the year. He hunted the first four days of gun season and saw nothing. On the fourth day of gun season, my wife drove by a neighbors place we hunt on sometimes and noticed a big buck in his field at 4:30 in the afternoon. I had the next day off, so my son and I headed to that field around 3:00 and set up. Right on schedule around 4:30, a bunch of does pour into the field. One of them stared at us, but luckily didn't spook. Just then, the big guy stepped put about 50 yards away. He pulled up his muzzleloader and dropped him. He started trying to crawl off back to the woods, but another shot finished the job.
We were both shocked when we got up to him. It is the biggest deer I know of that has been taken in the vicinity of where I live since I have been there.
So we both ended up getting big bucks, we had never seen before in person or on camera. I am still wondering where they came from.
We just got my son's buck officially scored.
Just for fun, Let's see who can guess closest to the gross and net scores.
Son's buck.
My buck
cross posted in whitetail forum.
