# Ky Opening day buck.



## Jeff Roark (Sep 1, 2012)

To begin...I scouted the area for sign and activity this past week and I found tons of deer poop. Some real large piles that Papa always claimed were buck poop. I have a mineral lick on this property that I had been getting plenty of pics back in the summer but they had seemed to have nearly quit using it. I did notice that there was plenty of poop around the area of the lick and since I had already prepared a tree last year I just re-drilled the holes and put my loc-on in it and decided to to just watch the lick on the opening day and see if there was any activity. 

I was on stand at about 5:45 this morning so I was there to watch everything come to life. About 30 minutes after daybreak I had a small coyote sneaking under me that I just couldn't get a shot on. Other than that it was uneventful until about 11:15 or so. 

Let me back track just a bit. I have had the awfullest head and chest cold this past week that its about killed me. I had hacked until my head just about split. Well about 10:45 or so the wind picked up and it was tearing the trees down and I thought it was a good time to clear my lungs, so I let in and it didn't stop until I coughed a lung up. I looked at my watch and it was bit after 11 at this stage and the wind was blowing just as hard as when I set into to coughing. I figured I had done run everything in the county off and would pack it in for the morning. I got me a drink of water and I talked myself into staying until 12pm. Well, no quicker than I put my water bottle back in my pack I turned around and seen he was heading directly towards me!

I started shaking all over and had to shut my eyes. I kept telling myself to relax and breathe. I opened my eyes up and he was right there at my mineral lick, but on the other side of the trees with the big grape vines weaved between them. He was facing directly at me and I had only a small hole to shoot through. When I decided to try and make the shot, I got tore up like a train wreck again, but I started telling myself anchor-elbow, anchor-elbow. I drew back and anchored up and picked my spot but I just wasn't confident with myself so I let back down to wait and see if he would give me a better shot. This all went on probably for 10-15 minutes I guess. All the while the wind was going in 10 different directions at the same time. All of a sudden he popped his head up and looked back in the direction he had came from and in an instant turned and head back to where he came from. Now, I was getting ready to start tearing up because I started telling myself you should of shot. He goes about 20 yards and stops and its like he is testing the wind and stands there for a few minutes and all of a sudden he wheel around and comes right back at me but at a better angle. He was quartering towards me now, instead of directly at me. This gave me a new shot window through the big vines and I could see he his shoulder blade good. I picked a spot right behind it, anchored and let rip. He jumped the string just a bit and it moved my shot back maybe 3 inches or so, but it was still perfect. 

He took off like a bullet and headed for the thickest part of the thicket. I waited a few minutes and climbed down and went and found my blood hound of a brother who is a tracker like no other and he brought my uncle and cousin along to help me out. 

I showed them where I had shot him and and the direction he went. We started looking and could find nothing, not a speck of blood anywhere. I started questioning myself if I may had hit him further back than what I thought and in this thicket it means a lost deer. I started getting sick. My brother went back from the place where I shot him and got down on his hands and knees and started scouring the area. Soon he found the arrow, that we had basically walked over, and then he started finding little specks of blood. My uncles buddy that came along to help, started yelling he found a bed with a big spot of blood in it about that same time, right in a tangle of vines. Then we started seeing more little specks and was having to take our time and my cousin kept saying "I can smell that deer, its close." He sort of wondered off away from up while we where still looking for blood and then he yelled "I found a big pile of blood over here". We slowly eased over there and he pointed and said look at that big spot of blood, and it was a big white belly with a bloody spot on it. 

That was just an awesome relief. My uncle looked at the deer and could not believe it bled so little with such big gashes on the entrance and exit. Somehow all the blood stayed right in the chest cavity and more had came out its nose and mouth than on its side or underside. 

Well enough with all that blabbing. I'm tickled to get my first real buck with a bow and on opening day. Jesus smiled down on me today.

I want to think my friend Gurnie Stout for all the support he has given me from the beginning. He has treated me as good as one would treat their own son. I also want to thank Sam Koger for all the advice he gives me and is willing to help with anything I come up with. 

Thanks to Warren Womack for all the invaluable information he has shared with us. I'm trying to put it to use in every way. Also to Chris Spikes and Robert Carter, thanks for all the videos and hunting stories. Its the motivation I need to get out there when I would rather sleep in or call it quits early because the day has been slow. You guys prove it day in and day out. For us beginners its a kick in the pants. 

With all the "uhs" trying to figure what to say, here it "uh" is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnJHsJsmSi0&feature=youtu.be


----------



## Jeff Roark (Sep 1, 2012)

IMG_1643 by JRoark75, on Flickr




IMG_1640 by JRoark75, on Flickr


----------



## dm/wolfskin (Sep 1, 2012)

Way to get it done Jeff. Nice slick looking velvet buck. MiKe


----------



## Barry Duggan (Sep 1, 2012)

Excellent


----------



## WarrenWomack (Sep 2, 2012)

Congratulations, Jeff, that's a fine looking buck and great looking kids. You did good!


----------



## DaddyPaul (Sep 2, 2012)

Nice job sir!


----------



## longbowdave1 (Sep 2, 2012)

Great Job Jeff! I have never shot a buck in velvet, very cool!


----------



## bam_bam (Sep 2, 2012)

Great job Jeff!!!! Nice buck and the velet is a nice addition too.


----------



## rapid fire (Sep 2, 2012)

Awesome.  Good job man.


----------



## hogdgz (Sep 2, 2012)

Good job, you fella's from Ky are laying em down.


----------



## ngabowhunter (Sep 2, 2012)

Congratulations, that is one pretty buck. Thank you for the story and video.


----------



## whossbows (Sep 2, 2012)

way to go


----------



## SELFBOW (Sep 2, 2012)

Congrats!


----------



## johnweaver (Sep 2, 2012)

Way to go!!! Fine Buck, and a Fine Family you got there!


----------



## gurn (Sep 2, 2012)

Dang Jeff... first mornin!!  Thats great !!!!


----------



## Clipper (Sep 2, 2012)

Congrats on a fine buck and beautiful kids.


----------



## ChrisSpikes (Sep 2, 2012)

Awesome deal!  That is a fine looking buck, and a great start to the season.  Congratulations!


----------



## Glenn (Sep 2, 2012)

Awesome!


----------



## dutchman (Sep 2, 2012)

Way to break the ice for the 2012 season! Congratulations!


----------



## Robert Warnock (Sep 2, 2012)

Good Deal!!


----------



## Bucky T (Sep 2, 2012)

Congrats!!


----------



## Jeff Roark (Sep 3, 2012)

thanks for all the support guys. I have a goal for this season and its to tag out. Drinking coffee right now and getting ready to head as soon as this little shower passes over. 

Good luck everyone with their season.


----------



## sawtooth (Sep 3, 2012)

great job man.. i'm proud for you.


----------



## Jeff Roark (Sep 4, 2012)

sawtooth said:


> great job man.. i'm proud for you.



thanks everyone!

Dendy,

Are you taking care of that wild Indian Yankee pal of ours down there in the swamps? I sure hope he gets a big old hog. I've been playing phone tag with him, so tell him we'll talk after his hunt is done. Take care of him.


----------



## Apex Predator (Sep 4, 2012)

Great job man!  Gotta be proud of that!


----------



## belle&bows (Sep 4, 2012)

Congrats on a fine buck!!


----------



## gurn (Sep 4, 2012)

Hey Jeff dont worry Dendy is takin real good care ah me and Bobby.


----------



## sawtooth (Sep 5, 2012)

Jeff Roark said:


> thanks everyone!
> 
> Dendy,
> 
> Are you taking care of that wild Indian Yankee pal of ours down there in the swamps? I sure hope he gets a big old hog. I've been playing phone tag with him, so tell him we'll talk after his hunt is done. Take care of him.



Jeff, I don't want to hi-jack your awesome big buck thread- but we had a blast- Gurn took lots of pictures and he's got some good stories to tell. He's headed N. to meet up w/ J. Russell. Look for a brand new thread in a few days.....
 Congratulations again on that fine deer.


----------



## Jeff Roark (Sep 6, 2012)

sawtooth said:


> Jeff, I don't want to hi-jack your awesome big buck thread- but we had a blast- Gurn took lots of pictures and he's got some good stories to tell. He's headed N. to meet up w/ J. Russell. Look for a brand new thread in a few days.....
> Congratulations again on that fine deer.




Dendy,

One question. Does our old Yankee buddy "yell" in the woods? Tell me it ain't so!


----------



## sawtooth (Sep 6, 2012)

He didn't yell this time, but there were a couple times when he got plenty excited................


----------



## dm/wolfskin (Sep 6, 2012)

Jeff, it's Rebel Yell. Not Yankee Yell but I guess Dendy could teach Gurn and Bobby. MikE


----------



## Jeff Roark (Sep 6, 2012)

well now I don't know about all this yellin in the woods but I do know this for a fact. Them yankees think that they don't need to stalk up and get close on things to make a shot! They'll see something 50 yards off and say PERFECT!!! real big and loud and let the wood fly, when they could have creeped in to about 10-15 yards and bust one right through the side! You have to watch them for this type of thing.

this can't be Gurnie though, he has killed more squirrels than a man can count.


----------



## dm/wolfskin (Sep 6, 2012)

I bet we could get a big yell out of both if they brush up near one of them Diamondback or Timber rattlers. MikE


----------



## tkyklr1 (Sep 6, 2012)

Nice Buck Congrats!


----------



## Skunkhound (Sep 8, 2012)

Congratulations on a nice opening day buck. Great job on the play by play.


----------

