kansas buck and story

[hill boy]

Well it's been another memorable hunt in kansas.This is the 3rd time I have managed to draw a tag and no matter what the outcome I  have a special place in my heart for this hunt and place that I have access to.I arrived Monday night the 9th too late in the evening to put a stand up.I am familiar with this tract of land so I dug out my printed google map,caught a wind report and promptly began recalling any natural blinds in the area that I chose to hunt.At day break I was thrilled to see that an ice storm had generosley made 2 really nice blinds on the stand site.I chose one and with quick work with the snippers I was in business.It was a good morning.I spotted a big spike about 100 yards west of me  first.Then I looked up about 30 minuts later and spotted a basket racked 6 headed right for me.He offered a 12 yard shot and made a home around the other blind which a fallen cottonwood tree and some well placed cedar trees had convinced me that I was probably in the wrong top.So I made a mental note took examine it on the way out.The morning was finshed up with a nice 10 point strutting across the field about 100 west right through my old tree stand site.I made my mind up immediately that if giving a shot I would take it.I would estimate this deer would score between 140 and 150 for those of you into that stuff.(as uncle Barry puts it.)   :D   This descision to shoot would   eventually add a funny twist to the outcome of this hunt.After the morning hunt.I quickly put my hang on up where the scrapes were still smelly and a swag in the hillside behind me convinced Me that the deer was using this trail while exiting the field.The next morning I was in the stand at day break and it didn't take long before a narley horned buck was heading right for me coming from my blind stand.He was a mature deer but his horns were heavy with short tines and all broken up from fighting.He freshend up his scrape 3 feet from the base of my tree and I'm only 8 feet up at best.Due to the lack of choice trees.I could have spit between his eyes while he was rubbing the overhangin limbs with his head and eyes.Thanks to the leafy wear and head mask he never made me out.After he left things really started heating up.He cirled around and reappeared chasing some does, while another buck with one whole side of his horns broke off ran in and decided to pick a fight.I couldn't see the actual contact but it just took a second after hearing there horns make contact for him to figure out he was under equipped and off he ran.Another small buck or two came and went Then all heaven broke loose.I heard two sets of antlers lock up.The hair on my neck stood straight up.These didn't sound like no teenagers.There horns sounded huge along with grunts like they were hitting each other in the side.Along with a snort wheeze thrown in it was wild.Only problem was I couldn't quite see them over a small hill but it appeared they were right in my blind.I could see 2 smaller bucks and at least one doe watching the fight.Then the broken horn buck came from that direction with a doe.I guess there is more than one way to skin a cat.While they were fighting he's gettin the goods.I anticapated the others would follow but they didn't. One of the other spectators came flying by with the same idea as the broken horn buck but I never seen the bruisers.Due to an electrical problem on my camper I didn't get to hunt that evening.So you can guess where I was parked the next morning.Yep in my downed cottonwood tree.  

[bohuntr]

Cool story ... looking forward to the rest of it!

[hill boy]

Is this a natural blind or what?You can see the back of my shooting chair.I also had a big shooting lane to the left of that limb with the cedars around it.But I couldn't see anything to my hard right sitting in the chair through that cedar with the big tree behind it.I was parked there at daylight.It was hard not to go back to my tree but this set up just looked to good and felt right.At 7:30am I was thinking of clipping a couple limbs off that cedar to my hard right to give me a shooting port when all of a sudden a doe came right at me out of nowhere from about the direction the pic was taken.She had her mouth open and I was sure mister big would soon follow.But nothing!Then I spotted a spike to my hard left he came in feeding stared down the field and left kinda spooked.I had the wind right in my face so I was confident he spotted a larger buck.Finally!Down by my tree stand I spot what I'm pretty sure is the same 10 point.He didn't look quite as impressive but it was the same horns I'm thinking as I watch him go back into the creek bottom.Well,maby I should have went to the tree stand     How do they know these things.The creek bed does eventually circle back to my location and if he stays in it he might hit the doe trail.I'm thinking!Several minuts went by when I look straight out to see a ten point coming straight in.  He was right dead center in the pic just left of the cedar right of the big tree as far as you can see  coming right for me.

[hill boy]

He kept coming but started veering to my right cutting off the corner of the field.He went through my other shooting lane right of the big white limb in the pic.But he was out of range.About 30 yards.I reached for the grunt call and started grunting.He would listen and even stopped once but wouldn't come over.As he began walking away I franticley dug out my rattlebag and lether rip.I could see through a small hole in the cedars he was running full bore right for me.He litterly stopped just before jumping in the tree with me.Now!he could go right and get down wind behind me or he could go left and through my shooting lanes.What would it be?It took about 3 seconds for him to start walking again.I let him go through the first lane and drew my bow when he was behind the cedar in the pic above.When he cleared the cow manure directly in front of me he stopped and I loosed the arrrow,It hit the mark a little high of center and when he turned to trot of straight away I could see my blood soaked arrow almost clearing his oppisite side.He veered to my right went about 50 yards into the field and stopped,stumbled and then went down for good.

[BradLantz]

first pictures I've seen of your hunting area there ...... heck you've got trees! what did he finally tape out at? just curious, you and I already know P&Y mystical measuring system doesn't make a trophy - fine lookin buck from that angle as well as the other you sent me - upload and post more !

[4runr]

Heck of a nice buck. Good story too!

ongrats!

[hill boy]

He was nine steps went I shot him.Thats the first buck I have killed while rattling and my first buck from the ground.If I would have been 10 years younger I would have probably past smooth out.Or shot 10 feet over his back.As for the 140 or 150 class buck?Funny enough after the adrenlin wore off I figured somthing wasn't adding up.This buck just wasn't the size I thought he was.Well these deer can play some tricks of there own and to make a long story short I hunted a couple extra days with a doe tag and guess which buck I kept running into.Yep.He was even on my tree stand the last day when I went to get my hangon.It's this guy's twin except of course he's got longer tines just a little heavier and a bit wider.ummmm!You look at me in that picture and see if I look like I give a crap.  

[Fritz]

Awesome buck, congrats!

[hill boy]

I haven't even taped him.But probably in the low to mid 130's He is a trophy in my book.

[hill boy]

[centaur]

A beautiful deer, and a real trophy from the ground.  

[hill boy]

[hill boy]

last one.

[Lin Rhea]

That's a good deer. Congratulations. Lin

[Benny Nganabbarru]

Congratulations!

[lt-m-grow]

Ohh nice.  Makes me want to go back to KS for a hunt again.

Thanks for sharing.

[Bill Turner]

Heck of a deer, heck of a story. Thanks for sharing and Congratulations on a job well done.  

[Ray Hammond]

Nice story Hillie- isn't it so much better when you are seeing stuff? What a difference from Lackabou hunt eh?              

[bentpole]

[hill boy]

U got that right Ray.Thanks guys!