Thanks for all the well wishes. I'm presently back east for a funeral and will be back home Tuesday. I've been having fun but haven't shot an arrow yet. Sometimes I'm a real idiot when it comes to being picky. I've passed several up for one reason or another that anyone in their right minds would shoot. The big 4x4 was one I almost got last year. He's at least 7.5 this year and may even have degenerated a little. He came by me at 18 yds. on Oct. 8th. The only reason I didn't kill him was I didn't want to fill my tag so early in the season. After I let him walk (all on film too) I had a serious talk with myself and decided to take him if given another chance. Two days later he came by again at 20 yds. but it was a frontal angle. He walked under some branches and by the time he got broadside he was 30 yds. which is too far for me. A couple weeks later I was in another stand before light. He worked the scrape 15 yds. from me. I could see him thru the binocs but it was still dark. Afterwards the trail camera over the scrape confirmed it was him. Why couldn't he have been running a little late that morning? Then a week or some later the landowner sat one of my stands and the buck (which I had nicknamed the Tank) walked by at 5 yds. The landowner (who is 74 and a great guy) hit him high in the body at a steep angle. We looked for blood for seven hours and never found a drop. I figured it was non-lethal but I questioned if he might have crawled off and died. Four days later I was in another stand and he followed a huge doe past me at 40 yds. I could see they weren't angling my way so I wheezed at him. She stopped and never took a step for a timed half hour. He worked in to 30 yds. and just stood there searching for the source of the wheeze. After a long time he started back toward the doe so I wheezed at him again. He instantly turned and came in to 22 yds. but was behind brush. We had the big stare-off and he finally stepped right into one of my shooting lanes broadside. I'll fess up I was really torn whether to shoot or not. I knew he was previously wounded and I knew I could hit him, but I also knew I'd lose sight of the arrow in the low light and it was obviously past legal shooting. So I just let it get pitch black. I stayed in the stand for a long time hoping they'd work out of the area. When I thought it safe I got out as quietly as possible and never heard them crash off. So hopefully I got away with it. So that's four times I've had him at under 22 yds. this year and still haven't shot. I had a lot of luck early Oct. to early Nov. One great up and comer 6x5 I passed five times already at 10 to 20 yds. and all on film. I've just convinced myself he's only 4.5 and needs one more year. Same as the one Gene killed. I had him at 17 yds. one morning and thought he'd be a great one if given another year. Another one I probably should have killed was broadside at 13 yds. He was a huge bodied, older buck that would push 250 dressed. His left antler was massive with four standing tines but no browtine. His right antler was basically a long, bladed sword-like spike with a pretty big browtine. Same thing, I let him go then thought maybe I should have taken him because he was past his prime, I don't really care what they measure, he had character and wasn't going to get any bigger. So then last week I saw him again and he broke his G2 off on the left and his browtine on the right. So he went from a 2x4 to a 1x3. If he comes by again I'll see what kind of mood I'm in. Some folks can't understand why I'd pass on an almost B&C buck and then maybe shoot a 1x3. As I said, for me it all depends on the age, character of the rack, circumstances, etc. more so than score. But that's just me and I have no problem with what the next guy takes. Also, I wanted to note this is not in some special area. It's just hunting hard and smart. There have been several days this season I never saw a deer, etc. so it's not at all like hunting in a zoo or something. I just wanted to clarify that. Best of luck to all and safe hunting. BW
Topic: How are the Wensels doing this year? (Read 413 times)
