Buck deer come in all different shapes and sizes. It's often the 10 and 12 pointers that get all the "press". I've always had a special place in my heart for those 8 pointers. Maybe because they are usually the most common "racked" deer I see in the woods. Just thought it would be kind of cool to see all the 8 pointers that bowhunters here on TradGang have taken over the years with stick and string.
A couple weeks ago, when the rut kicked off here at home, I was fortunate enough to have an encounter with a nice 8 point. The morning was cool and calm, just what us bowhunters dream of for a November morning. I was perched about 20 feet up on a rub line that ran to a point where a hemlock grove, acres of mountain laurel, and open hard woods all came together. The perfect ambush site to catch a cruising whitetail.
Just after daybreak to my southwest in the hemlocks, about fifty yards out, I heard small sticks breaking and the soft rustle of leaves. I can't see more than 10 yards into the hemlocks so I was relying on my ears. There are lots of squirrels in the area and I couldn't decifer what was making the noise. This went on and off for about 10 minutes as I strained to identify what might be making the noise.
All of a sudden, chomp chomp chomp, and an explosion of understory breaking and leaves churning, the unmistakable sound of a buck with his nose in hot pursuit of a doe's hind end! Trouble was they were going away from me and I still could not see them. Then as quick as it happened they were out of earshot, and it was all quiet again. Darn, or something like that, I thought to myself. Why could they not have come this way? Within just a couple of minutes, the hunting gods must have heard my thoughts because here they come right back at me. The doe had circled up into the laurel and was the first to pop out right underneath my stand. I recognized her. An ancient old doe that had lived here for years, swayed back, hanging belly, bowlegged front legs, loose skin around the head and neck, and eyes that just looked plain tired. She stood beneath me looking to her back trail. The video camera rolled as I heard the buck grunting, he rototilled the leaves, moving in our direction.
When he came into view, about 40 yards out, the doe took off again back behind me. I swiveled the camera to capture him coming, a beautiful 8 point that I had never seen before. He slowed as he got to about 12 yards. I bleated with my mouth to stop him, drew back my Black Widow, hit anchor, and let fly. Clean miss, right beneath his chest. Damn, I thought, that was my chance, as he moved off on the doe's trail behind me.
They were out of sight and sound again, and now I heard a third deer coming from where I had heard all the commotion start originally. I knocked another arrow, as a young doe trotted in
beneath me, looking in the direction of where the 8 point and old doe had run off.
I don't believe a minute had passed and here comes the old doe from where I had last seen her but runs 50 yards below me back to where she had started, a full circle. Fortunately, as the 8 pointer came into view, he saw the young doe beneath me and came straight for her. Perfect. The trail he was on would put him 8 yards off my left side. As he entered my shooting lane, I drew, hit anchor, and the arrow was on its way. MISS again, right beneath his chest. The buck snapped the arrow with his back legs as he ran 10 yards into the hemlocks and stopped. I knocked a third arrow, and tried to keep from puking, he looked around searching for the little doe who had run off as he came at us. Within seconds, the buck turned, ears layed back, nose to the ground, and came right at my second arrow, laying there. Focus this time, you idiot, I thought to myself. As he came at and underneath me I finally placed the Woodsman on target.
The buck wheeled and took his first bound, a plume of crimson spray misted into the air and I knew I had him. He fell within 50 yards, and the November woods was quiet again.
Topic: 8 pointers, let's see pics and stories (Read 6377 times)
