Managed to put a good one down this past weekend. We green scored him the official way at 130-4/8" which is my biggest with the stick and string. Story below for those that like to read!

Last season was my first season on this spot, and I didn’t get permission on it until late in the season. I hunted out of a climber and had this buck inside of 30 yards last season, but he knew something wasn’t right and never gave me a shot.

This piece of property is a small piece of creek bottom property between two large parcels nobody can hunt. It’s a classic southern creek bottom. Big trees, wide open, lots of mosquitos, no wind, even when the wind is blowing. It’s a challenging place to kill a deer, but that’s why the deer love to be there. Last season I got a good idea for how the deer use this piece of land to trade back and forth across the creek. This year I hung a lock on where I could shoot the main trail they use and also the community scrape.

Saturday was our opening day, and they were calling for storms right before dark. I knew it would be a good evening for that buck to be moving around in legal shooting hours.

I got in the stand about 4:00 and it was right about 90 degrees with no wind. It was miserable. I sat there sweating for 2.5 hours before I saw a deer, and I knew it was going to be hard to fool them with no wind and all that sweat smell. 6 does came in and within a couple minutes they knew something wasn’t right. They never saw me, but they could smell something. They tucked their tails and turned the other way and walked off. They didn’t run or blow, thankfully.

After this I knew that if a buck came in and I tried to get my bow down he was going to bust me, so I went ahead and got my bow off the hanger and sat it in my lap with the release clicked on the D loop.

30 minutes later, right about 7pm, I see a buck slipping through the bottom. I can’t tell if it’s THE buck but it’s definitely one worth slinging an arrow at. He gets to 50 yards and he also knows something wasn’t right. He doesn’t commit and come in. He circles around to the main trail that they walk, but I had a lane cleared to this trail.

He gets a few steps from coming out in the small shooting window that I have and I come to full draw without him seeing me. I know it’s about a 27 yard shot to the trail in that window. I stop him as soon as he steps in the shooting window, hold the 20 pin a little high, and I let it fly.

He drops like a sack of potatoes. I was immediately so mad at myself for shooting him high in the spine. I get another arrow out of the quiver and wait for him to flop where I have a shot. I see his brisket and front shoulder facing me, so I aim center front mass, really take my time, and send another arrow. It hit true to its mark and I see it bury almost all the way to the fletchings. No lie, the deer took 2 breaths after the second arrow hit and that was it. He was done.

All together, these two shots were probably within 30 seconds of eachother. As soon as this happens the bottom falls out, it starts pouring rain. Looking back now, I’m glad it worked out the way it did. The Lord knew that tracking that deer in a thunderstorm would be nearly impossible. I’m glad there was no tracking involved and I was able to put him down quickly.

Skinning him out, the entry was high and the exit was perfect. The broadhead BARELY cut the bottom of the spine. I think the original shot was definitely lethal, but I wanted to end it as quickly as possible.

Not a bad way to start the season on opening day!

Here's the setup: PSE Mach 33, 65lb, 30”, Rip TKO, QAD Exodus, 430 grain TAW at 290 FPS.

Congrats, that's a dandy.

Wow. A beauty. Congratulations.

Was this in NC? What county?

Nice one partner

Shoulda let him grow a couple years!

Nice buck, congrats. He looks bigger than 130 but im not a scorer kind of guy. Could be the camera angle too.

wow. congrats. I usually just shoot the first one too. lol.

No idea what you just said there, but dandy deer, kid.

Congrats!

That's how its done!

Fantastic hunt and bowkill!

Nice deer. Did it exit the neck or you cut his throat.

That's the entrance of the second arrow. Hit him high on the initial shot, he dropped, and I sent a follow up towards the only part of the vitals that were facing me. Follow up arrow buried almost to the fletchings. He took two breaths after the follow up arrow hit and he was done

Lol. The bow is a PSE Mach 33. 65 lb draw weight, 30" draw length. Rip TKO arrow with a QAD Exodus broadhead. 430 grain total arrow weight at 290 feet per second. I know the archery crowd likes to know the details

That buck will put your name in the NC Pope & Young records...if you care about that stuff.

A fella in our state trappers association is the measuring agent for Pope and Young/Boone and Crockett in our area. I already sent him the deer pics and my green score sheet. He's gonna come measure it after the 60 day drying period

Nice buck anywhere. Did you weigh it?

Great buck!! congratulations.

Nice buck! Congrats!

Extremely nice deer

Good one! I have a friend that has shot about 3 on opening day over the years, but I've never done it. Waiting on my son to come out now and hear the report. What county if you don't mind me asking.

Nice looking buck, congratulations!!