| The sound of leaves crunching in the distance | | | | good buck within effective bow range so soon |
| alerted me to the slow progression of several | | | | into my five-day hunt. |
| deer approaching my stand site. My heart began | | | | The sound of my bogus grunts infuriated the |
| to flutter in anticipation of their arrival, as the | | | | buck. As the bruiser slowly worked his way |
| staccato rhythm of advancing footfalls grew | | | | toward my stand site, he answered back in bold |
| louder and louder. The first deer to appear on the | | | | defiance. Continuing his show of aggression, he |
| scene was a medium-sized doe, followed by an | | | | stopped every few feet and pawed a fresh |
| 8-pointer and a much larger buck whose | | | | scrape on the ground, tearing at the earth with |
| unique-looking rack sported a small sticker point, | | | | each ruthless thrust of his hooves. |
| and a broken left brow tine. As I embraced the | | | | Now strutting past at a mere 12 yards, urine |
| magic of the moment, a surge of deep | | | | dripping from his hind legs, the husky stag |
| concentration took over my thought process. My | | | | presented me with a perfect broadside target. |
| eyes immediately centered on the bigger of the | | | | Seeing the window of opportunity open, I slowly |
| two bucks. After casting a few quick glances in | | | | moved into position for the impending shot. Just |
| his direction, I instantly determined that he was a | | | | as I started to feel the string's tension on my |
| "shooter." | | | | finger tab, the twist of fate decided to rear its |
| My position was ideal. A strategically placed ladder | | | | ugly head. At that very moment, the small |
| stand blended in well with the surrounding terrain. | | | | 8-pointer came dangerously close to my stand |
| The stand was located approximately 15 feet | | | | tree, slamming the window shut. |
| above the ground in one of several large oak | | | | Fearing that any movement would tip my hand, I |
| trees that overlooked a gradually sloping hillside. | | | | elected to wait it out. And, wait I did. Standing |
| This particular area was a virtual haven for | | | | stone still, afraid to even exhale, I could literally |
| white-tailed deer. It offered an assortment of | | | | hear the ticking of my watch as seconds of time |
| natural attractants that appealed to bucks of all | | | | turned into minutes of agony. With the |
| shapes and sizes, including the most dominant and | | | | indiscriminate force of nature directing the show, |
| mature. The presence of a nearly impenetrable | | | | the battle of wits ensued. |
| cedar thicket to the south served as a secure | | | | Finally, after what seemed like hours, the smaller |
| sanctuary for their daytime bedding area. In | | | | buck moved off leaving his superior and I to finish |
| addition, a small creek bottom and a recently | | | | the high stakes chess match on our own. The big |
| picked cornfield nestled below the stand of oaks | | | | 9-pointer was now facing directly away from me. |
| provided an inviting buffet of food and water. | | | | He had moved out to 23 yards while I was busy |
| Also, large family groups of female deer | | | | performing my best impression of a tree trunk. |
| commonly gathered on the hillside oak flat at | | | | As I waited for a shot opportunity, I silently |
| sundown to feed, which further increased its | | | | reminded myself to pick a spot. |
| allure. | | | | The buck began slowly moving to his right in what |
| From my elevated perch, I watched the 8-pointer | | | | seemed like slow motion. Without hesitation, I |
| vigorously work over a large scrape and its | | | | brought my 78-pound Hoyt Vectrix XL back to |
| helpless overhanging branch. Meanwhile, the bigger | | | | full draw and waited for him to complete his turn. |
| buck appeased his appetite by devouring a | | | | Suddenly, he paused and looked back in my |
| healthy amount of acorns. He was also quite | | | | direction. I patiently waited for him to look in |
| intent on analyzing the actions of several does | | | | another direction, but that look never came. |
| that were now lurking in the nearby shadows. | | | | Minutes passed as I pleaded with the heavens for |
| Since it seemed obvious that he had no idea I | | | | a favorable outcome. I knew I had to act quickly |
| was in the immediate area, I figured it was safe | | | | or all would be lost. Realizing that I could no longer |
| to try tickling his auditory nerve. I assumed that I | | | | hold my pose, I forced myself to focus on a spot |
| could prey upon his natural impulses as his attitude | | | | behind the buck's shoulder blade and released the |
| clearly indicated that he was ready to start the | | | | string from my stiff fingers. |
| breeding ritual. After slowly reaching for my grunt | | | | My arrow found its mark in less than the blink of |
| tube, I followed with three short tending grunts in | | | | an eye. I watched the G5 STRIKER-tipped shaft |
| an attempt to lure him into bow range. It seemed | | | | penetrate the brute's tough exterior as a crown |
| to work as he stepped out from a patch of thick | | | | of crimson instantly formed around the fletching. |
| brush and started heading in my direction. | | | | Fatally wounded, the buck fell to the ground within |
| I was bowhunting trophy bucks in southeastern | | | | sight. Struggling to regain his feet, the big deer |
| Nebraska. It was the latter stages of October | | | | made a staggering exit, toppled over a ridge and |
| and the pre-rut phase of the whitetail breeding | | | | came to rest at the bottom of a steep ravine. |
| season was just starting to heat up. Although the | | | | Hours later, in the radiant glow of the moon, I |
| drive from my then home state of Wisconsin had | | | | knelt at his side and gave thanks to the Great |
| been long and tiresome, the prospect of hunting | | | | Spirit above while praising him for his courageous |
| new territory kept my spirits high along the way. | | | | effort. |
| Arriving later than expected, I quickly made plans | | | | After conducting an early morning photo session |
| for an early evening hunt. There was only enough | | | | and visiting a cold storage plant, I made |
| time left in the day to purchase my license and to | | | | arrangements to employ the services of a local |
| take a quick nap before making my freshman | | | | butcher. It was during this time that I had a |
| debut as a Cornhusker State bowhunter. After | | | | chance to reflect on the hunt. I quietly mused |
| some much needed rest, I headed for the woods. | | | | over the buck's potential as a record book |
| Needless to say, I was eager to start my | | | | candidate and what may have caused him to |
| five-day instructional course in Nebraska Whitetail | | | | break off one of his brow tines. After a fair |
| Hunting 101. | | | | amount of conjecture, I came to the conclusion |
| The last minute appearance of a large doe was | | | | that he lost it while defending his breeding rights. I |
| the only action I experienced on that first | | | | surmised that another buck had invaded his |
| afternoon. After coming within easy bow range, | | | | territory and was competing for the amorous |
| the lone deer occasionally stopped to browse in a | | | | attentions of the local doe population, when a |
| nearby milo field. A sense of bittersweet | | | | routine woodland scuffle turned ugly. In any |
| consolation swept over me as the last seconds of | | | | event, I was one happy hunter to have |
| legal shooting hours slowly ticked away. | | | | harvested such a fine trophy. |
| Undaunted by the outcome of my first encounter | | | | As it turns out, the decision to end my hunt after |
| with a Nebraska whitetail, I sat back and enjoyed | | | | only two days afield was somewhat prophetic. |
| the peace and tranquility of nightfall. The gradual | | | | The temperatures continued to climb into the high |
| decent of the sun dissolved into a wash of | | | | 80s, causing most breeding activity to occur |
| vibrant colors, setting the night sky on fire. It was | | | | under the cover of darkness. As a result of |
| a show of natural artistry that I will not soon | | | | Mother Nature's fickle mood swing, daytime buck |
| forget. | | | | sightings became few and far between. |
| Once the doe was out of my sight, I quietly | | | | My only regret is that I didn't spend more time in |
| climbed down from my stand, walked out to the | | | | the woods chasing an even bigger buck that was |
| main trail and waited for my hunting partner to | | | | caught on videotape in late August by some local |
| pick me up. Sitting alone in the darkness, I heard | | | | hunters. Nicknamed "Heart Attack," the huge |
| the eerie yips of several coyotes echoing in the | | | | 12-point typical is a true jaw-dropping monster. |
| distance. From one predator to another, I wished | | | | Maybe that Cornhusker State giant and I will |
| them all good hunting as I silently devised my own | | | | cross paths sometime in the future, but that's |
| plan of attack. Although I never raised my bow | | | | another story. Until then I'll set up an appointment |
| from its hanger, it had been a good first day of | | | | with my cardiologist, and keep my bow fingers |
| hunting. | | | | crossed. |
| Unfortunately, the temperatures turned | | | | Trip Notes |
| unseasonably warm for the month of October, | | | | Following the required 60-day drying period, an |
| resulting in tough hunting conditions. On the second | | | | official measurer of the Pope and Young Club |
| day of my hunt, the mercury consistently | | | | tallied a final score of my buck's rack. He grossed |
| hovered near the middle 70s. As one can imagine, | | | | an impressive 128 3/8 points. After a total |
| good buck activity normally slows down during | | | | deduction of 9 4/8 inches the rack netted 118 7 |
| warmer weather conditions, but I had done my | | | | 8, falling a little shy of the 125-point minimum |
| homework by conducting several intensive | | | | necessary for record book consideration. An |
| scouting missions just prior to my hunt. I knew if | | | | extra G3 tine on the buck's right antler and a |
| I was willing to spend some quality time at one of | | | | small sticker point on his left accounted for the |
| my many ambush sites, I would have an | | | | majority of its deductions. The missing left brow |
| opportunity to take a good buck. Given my | | | | tine also affected the final score. |
| positive attitude, it was still surprising to have a | | | | |