1st backstraps of the year!!

I got a doe opening week in Illinois and my buddy took this nice buck Saturday

Was the buck from Illinois also RM?

Very nice. Congrats to all

Got a doe Thursday morning. No buck yet.

Some great success and some good looking deer!

Been hunting this buck and his buddy from the opener and spent about 22 days hunting them and it finally came together. I seen all their tricks and habits and was close many times but just didn't happen till one morning.
About 8am I got an arrow in him and after following a good blood trail I stopped following it after 60 yards or so. I decided to go up high and see if I couldn't spot him. I did and the better buck was with him and they bedded down together. After about an hour the coyotes got the hit buck up and he was raking his horns to avoid the yotes. After that both bucks moved up the canyon and bedded once again. About noon the yotes where back and the buck that was with the arrowed buck decided to leave. The hit buck stood up and watched him leave then finally laid back down. I finally got over to him (that is another story) and got another arrow in him at 35 yards. He never knew I was there and was pretty sick by mid afternoon. My first arrow clipped one lung and got some lower gut. He wouldn't score very well at all but a good buck for me (26"w x 20"h). I generally get my archery buck each year and
this one had more of a story to share. I like to find a buck before the season starts and try to pursue that animal. Most years it will take 20 to 40 days of hunting to get that animal. I like the challenge in hunting that way and some years it just doesn't work out to get the one I want. I had 8 miles on my phone when I finally got back to the truck to go home. I had to make two trips in and out to get all the meat out , I always hunt solo, so it takes more work. LOL

Got a small lope with my bow on a solo camp out hunt. The goat is ok,but the best part of the hunt was camping out in the middle of nowhere. Not a light on the horizon or anything else in the sky at nite but stars. I just sat in my chair at nite when it got really really dark and took it all in. Maybe next year I'll have a chance at a little bit bigger goat, but as long as it's on the dark moon I'll just enjoy the sky and camp out!

Excellent NBCM!
That breakfast looks

.

Killed this buck my first evening in the stand. Sept 7. Nice cool front, he and the buck he had been traveling with came down the trail picture perfect. The other was a pretty velvet 8 pt, but this is the one I was after. 15 steps away, sent a Swhacker through his rib cage. Just one of those hunts that came together.

John

Great pics! Love that wide Muley snowy, congrats!

Very nice fellas. Keep up the good work. Good eats

Nice!!

Awesome hunting guys!

Yes Matt bit was in Illinois