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WV Buck

Posted By: matt

WV Buck - 11/18/22 01:03 PM

Took me a few days to talk him into giving up. He had love on his mind and that turned out to be his demise. The hunt took place in one of our southern bow only counties, public land btw. If you have been to them, then you know. If it’s flat someone made it that way. It’s steep, rough and the only way in is to walk. Which allows them to get a few years in them. My son was able to join me for the weekend we. We seen lots of small bucks, several elk and chased the buck that I later killed. Most of the hunting takes place on old reclaimed strip land, some is really open, some is thick. So it’s spot and stalk, wait in a pinch point. Got there shortly after daylight, sit up in a pinch point between 2 large fields. Had seen him in there for a few days and it held some does. [Linked Image]
After about an hour he came across the field below me. I gave him a couple doe bleats, he looked up but kept moving. He was gone for about 15 min, then came back out. He was heading my way. Closing the distance quickly, I said to myself, it’s going to happen. He had his head down, grunting every step. He got into about 70 yards, stopped put his head up. Then crossed the rock drain going away from me. He had found him a doe, he was locked down with her. I watched and tried to figure out a way to get there, but it was too open. Then he moved into a better spot and it was on.

[Linked Image]
That was him at about 150 yards. He moved behind that big green bush and I made up lots of ground. Crossed the ditch where I thought he would be. Popped out on his side and he stepped out. Hit the range finder it was 41 yards. As I drew he looked up at me, then back to his doe. Put the pin where it needed to be and pulled the trigger. It flew true and hit where it needed to be. I knew it was good. He gave about 3 big jumps and was out of sight. Let him to go get the buddy I was hunting with, we gave him about an 45 min. He made it about 75 yards.

[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]

Haven’t put a tape on him yet. But I think he’s going to be 140ish as an 8. Thanks for looking.
Posted By: matt

Re: WV Buck - 11/18/22 01:05 PM

[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]
A few more pictures.
Posted By: DaveP

Re: WV Buck - 11/18/22 01:21 PM

Nice, congrats!
Posted By: 330-Trapper

Re: WV Buck - 11/18/22 01:23 PM

Great Story
Awesome hunt and Buck!!!
Posted By: Wanna Be

Re: WV Buck - 11/18/22 01:24 PM

Great story and hunt!! Beautiful buck!!
Posted By: Donnie H

Re: WV Buck - 11/18/22 01:24 PM

Nice
Posted By: bucksnbears

Re: WV Buck - 11/18/22 01:29 PM

Great hunt Matt.
Posted By: Osky

Re: WV Buck - 11/18/22 01:31 PM

Great hunt!

Osky
Posted By: bowhunterks

Re: WV Buck - 11/18/22 01:36 PM

Nice buck!
Posted By: matt

Re: WV Buck - 11/18/22 10:40 PM

Thanks. Glad you liked it
Posted By: hillbillyjake

Re: WV Buck - 11/19/22 11:13 AM

Have you guys been seeing a lot of elk down there? I've thought of making the trip just to see one.

Nice deer.
Posted By: bandy

Re: WV Buck - 11/19/22 11:31 AM

Let one of those elk cross in to Tazewell County and I will be eating high class. I'm heading to some land o the state line hoping a elk comes through.
Posted By: ABeardedTrapper

Re: WV Buck - 11/19/22 11:32 AM

Hillbilly come on down to Southwest VA and I’ll show you some elk. Eric
Posted By: Trapper Dahlgren

Re: WV Buck - 11/19/22 12:23 PM

sounds like a great hunt thanks for sharing
Posted By: backroadsarcher

Re: WV Buck - 11/19/22 12:44 PM

Nice buck, congrats!
Posted By: w side rd 151

Re: WV Buck - 11/19/22 12:57 PM

Very nice buck And you are a excellent story teller It sure sounds like some high adrenaline fun. I archery hunted on GWNF land in W VA for a number of years You are on target when you say it is very steep nearly everywhere you go . And going down a mountain is as hard or harder as going up it is .And that indeed allows some buck to get some age and some pretty nice antlers . Congrats on the dandy buck and thanks for the great story and pics.
Posted By: clintp1971

Re: WV Buck - 11/19/22 04:27 PM

Great deer!! Congrats!!
Posted By: matt

Re: WV Buck - 11/20/22 12:40 AM

Originally Posted by hillbillyjake
Have you guys been seeing a lot of elk down there? I've thought of making the trip just to see one.

Nice deer.


Yes, lots of elk. Some days are better than others. Seems if the deer are moving, the elk are as well. Some are fairly tame and others are pretty wild. Lots of bulls in the mix, some good ones. They claim to have one in the 400 inch range. But I have never seen him.
Posted By: Swamp Wolf

Re: WV Buck - 11/20/22 01:22 AM

Good hunt story!!

Congrats on a good buck!!
Posted By: hippie

Re: WV Buck - 11/20/22 01:30 AM

Congrats!

The hiking back in several miles to get away from other hunters is what I loved about hunting W. Virginia.
Posted By: w side rd 151

Re: WV Buck - 11/20/22 12:56 PM

The place we hunted in the George Washington National Forest was near to a forest service gated road That gate was opened some time in the first three weeks of Nov. We archery hunted that area during the first two weeks of Nov. Generally the gate was locked when we got there So that meant we needed to do some walking .But if you walked the gated road until you neared where you planned to hunt it took time but it was not climbing a mountain .There was few people archery hunting there and you could hunt a whole week and not see another hunter .We often walked about an hour to get to where our stands had been set up. Many time I would go in n the afternoon set up and hunt until dark .Leave all my gear in the tree and walk out Return in the morning with a thermos of coffee. and something to eat There was several years that I was able to drive to within a 10 minute walk of my hang on stand for the opening day of rifle season . Most of those years I did not see another hunter And if I did see other hunters it was a once in a sun up to sun down all day sit and 1 or 2 hunters where all I saw .Many places you where hunting undisturbed deer .I killed 2 of my best ever buck in W VA and both where bow kills The area was mountains . so it would take several years to get some good antlers on it's head .But we where hunting the rut in archery season .And if you when willing to do some walking and spent time in your stand one of those mature bucks just might be walking by your set up at anytime .
Posted By: hillbillyjake

Re: WV Buck - 11/21/22 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by matt
Originally Posted by hillbillyjake
Have you guys been seeing a lot of elk down there? I've thought of making the trip just to see one.

Nice deer.


Yes, lots of elk. Some days are better than others. Seems if the deer are moving, the elk are as well. Some are fairly tame and others are pretty wild. Lots of bulls in the mix, some good ones. They claim to have one in the 400 inch range. But I have never seen him.



Sounds like I need to make the trip sometime. 400" bull would be a sight to see. Any bull for that matter.
Posted By: matt

Re: WV Buck - 11/22/22 12:37 AM

Yes, lucky to have lots of national forests within a close drive. Can hunt days not not find another track. Just have to be willing to put in a few miles. It’s nice to still be able to do that. Don’t see a lot of deer, but the chance for an old buck is good.
Posted By: hillbillyjake

Re: WV Buck - 11/22/22 10:10 AM

Webster is pretty big country itself. I used to be in on a camp at Bergoo. A lot of places to wander for sure.
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