PA Buck 2007

[petey]

Here's a video of my 2007 kill. I was hunting an absolute monster this year, and managed to see him 4 different times in the stand the final two weeks. To see him once would have been a feat, as he was mostly nocturnal, but once the girls came in heat he couldn't resist. There was a smaller "big" buck I had nicknamed "crab-claw" last year that I also saw numerous times and had on trail cam.

Just to add a little twist this year, I hung up the Mathews compound and went primative (to a recurve) shooting fingers off the shelf and no sights. I practiced quite a bit and was still pretty confident out to 30 yards. I became hooked on shooting the recurve instinctively and just had to kill a deer with it this year.

That being said, I don't know why I became so picky. Heck just shooting a deer with my new recurve would have made me happy, but I passed on 3 bucks and 9 doe the first day (within range) The rest of the season lead me to find this big ol boy and my heart was set on not only taking one of the largest bucks ever seen around these parts, but taking him with a recurve. I ended up letting buck after buck walk by in hopes of getting this giant within bow range. On the final day, I could tell I had a hot doe in the area and guess which buck was the first one I saw? I sat and videoed this buck outskirt me by 60 yards and didn't seem to respond to any calls until I snort-wheezed at him. He stopped and made a scrape, then turned and was gone. Not 10 mins later, ol Crab-Claw was in tow. He did the same thing, never coming within range.

30 minutes later I saw a doe coming and horns behind her. When they stopped I made an agressive series of bleats and something happened that I never saw before. The buck actually left the doe he was chasing to come check me out. As he closed the distance I could tell he was a lesser buck that I had passed earlier...Even on the last day I let this buck walk by at 10 yards. He kept looking up the hill and I saw another buck coming. He came down and they both squared off. After 10 mins of these two bucks in bow range it finally hit me. "YOU DUMMY!" "You've been waiting all season to kill something with this recurve and here's a perfect opportunity...it's not like you'll get many more seeing as how it's 10am on the last day"

The rest is on the video you're about to see.

Click here for video

(the video is about 2 mins 50 sec and is around 9 MB, so those of you on dial-up may have to go get a cup of coffee)


I guess sometimes we get so wrapped up in horns. Yeah I know I would have let him walk had I been hunting with my compound, with hopes of shooting MR Big in rifle season (another story), but he's still a dandy buck in a lot of people's book and one I'll never forget being my first of many with the recurve. I was proud of that nice buck and still shake my head as to why sometimes we get so wrapped up in shooting a monster every year. I spent many hours in the stand to kill this old boy and it all came together "almost" perfect

Anyhow, back to rifle season So I take my father in here with hopes of him getting a crack at the big boy. He did see him and that was another tale to tell, and I had him easily DOA had I not shot my buck in archery (figures, you get the easy shots on the big boys when you don't have a tag!), but he was seen on the last day of season at dark. He'll be even bigger next year. Ol Crab-claw made it too, so he'll be a dandy also. Can't wait!!!

Oh, BTW can anyone say ELBOW!!! shucks, not another year. (Those of you that saw last year's video will understand). Who's running the camera anyhow?

[gd357]

Good job! ANY deer taken with a recurve is a trophy. As far as the big one goes... You've got to have something to look forward to.

gd

[Lilred]

Petey,
You have a lovely elbow.

Congrats on the buck, any pics? I never saw the deer but once in the vid.
Good fer you shootin a recurve btw...awesome aint it?