# Hardest thing I've ever done while hunting....



## Bucky T (Sep 24, 2012)

A good friend of mine invited me to come and hunt this weekend on his property in Morgan C.

He has a really special place that is eat up with deer!!!

Last year I lost a doe on this piece of land with my recurve...

I was setup sitting over some raining whiteoaks with a persimmon tree dropping hard across the creek from me.

I really can't think of a better setup to bow hunt over!!!!

I killed my first deer with my recurve the second weekend of the season.  A 6pt buck.

Honestly,  all I was looking for was a fat doe to stroll up.  Saturday evening, 4 does came in, but stayed on top of a ridge from me chowing down on the whiteoaks there.  40-50yds out..

At 1945, I heard footsteps sort of behind me off my left shoulder.  This wasn't normal deer walking.  It was "Walking with a Purpose", walking.  If any of y'all have shot a mature buck, you know what I mean.  They always seem to walk with a purpose.  Not strolling around casually like does and smaller bucks.

My heart begin to rev up, and I saw his legs, then a bit of rack.  Very large rack!!  He was on a bee line to an opening 14yds off my left shoulder!!!!!  I was up and ready.  "Aim low, keep calm, pick a spot, you've got this."  That's what I was thinking.  Then........

He stepped into my opening.  All 200+lbs of him and his 18-19" 6pt frame..........................................

Yep, you read it right....  A giant 6pt...............  This a 4.5yr old or so very large, mature 6pt my buddy had gotten numerous trail cam pics of.  He's not a stranger or mystery buck.....

I bit my lip, and watched him walk up to the base of my tree and sniff around......  Then he commenced to eating acorns around me till well after dark...  Never strayed more than 15yds the entire time..................

He eventually hopped the creek and disappeared.

Hardest thing I've ever had to do hunting period.............

One of the largest bucks I've ever had in bow range here in Ga, with a recurve no less, and I couldn't shoot him...............legally of course...........

It was a fantastic and very painful experience all rolled up in a twisted mess of fate............LOL!!

I also had a very pretty 10pt and his 5pt buddy feed in yesterday morning to 3yds.  He was a very legal buck to kill, but....  I let him walk on by.  I had full permission to kill anything I wanted, but...after the experience the night before, I chose to watch the young buck with lots of potential do his thing and be a buck.

It's not all about the kill for me.

I also saw more does, but dangit............  They would never feed down to where I was at.......  I think they didn't want anything to do with the bucks using the area near me??..

Fantastic couple of hunts and nothing to show for it.  That's hunting sometimes!


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## dutchman (Sep 24, 2012)

Good story, Tommy. You will be rewarded for your restraint!


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## SELFBOW (Sep 24, 2012)

That's the kind of deer I'd get the pic of and add to my collection.


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## Al33 (Sep 24, 2012)

And there is the reason I feel the law should be repealed regarding having to have one of your bucks have 4 points or better on one side. Who is to say what is a trophy to me or anyone else????? Stupid law in my opinion but we have to live with it.You are a true sportsman and hopefully will be rewarded with an opportunity at a better buck.


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## pine nut (Sep 24, 2012)

A great leson there.  I used to let a lot of them walk by while they were small.  That is the best way to see the big ones!


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## OconeeDan (Sep 24, 2012)

I too, hunt a qdm county most of the time.  It has it's downfalls at times.  But I do believe it gives more positive results than negative.  Dan


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## Bucky T (Sep 25, 2012)

pine nut said:


> A great leson there.  I used to let a lot of them walk by while they were small.  That is the best way to see the big ones!



I normally let young bucks walk.  I have been doing that since 1999.

Last year, I let a spike, a 3pt, and a basket 8pt walk by without so much picking up my recurve to shoot at them.

This year, I made my mind up to get the monkey off my back with my recurve.  I really wanted to get my first deer with it and I didn't care what it was.

And.......  I even let a 4pt walk 10 minutes prior to killing my 6pt this year!  LOL!

Even passed a beauty of a young 10pt this past weekend and he was a legal deer.

It was simply fate that this happened.  That's really all I can conjure up at the moment..


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## NavyDave (Sep 25, 2012)

Great story and self control!


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## earlthegoat2 (Sep 26, 2012)

There is great experience that comes with watching those biguns and not taking a shot.  I makes you appreciate the shots you can take and teaches you to better choose your shots for the rest of your life.

Having been fortunate enough in years past to harvest a very nice buck I have found greater joy in watching the game now.  I find myself wanting to let the nice ones go and shoot the fattest doe that comes by.  The end result is the same.  Meat in the freezer.

Best of luck to you in the future.


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## Carp (Sep 30, 2012)

Way to hold off Tommy.


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## Hawken2222 (Sep 30, 2012)

Great couple of hunts Tommy you will be rewarded for your self restraint. Your going to take an even bigger deer before its over with.


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## heardcountyriverrat (Oct 3, 2012)

Al33 said:


> And there is the reason I feel the law should be repealed regarding having to have one of your bucks have 4 points or better on one side. Who is to say what is a trophy to me or anyone else????? Stupid law in my opinion but we have to live with it.You are a true sportsman and hopefully will be rewarded with an opportunity at a better buck.


Agree with you Mr. Al33 In my opinion and I know i am in minority but these trophy rules have done more to hurt deerhunting than help it! And Madison Avenue created it more than sportmans did! And especially with a recurve man!
Total kudos to ya for passing it up! Am looking forward to maybe next year getting my first kill! Dont feel confident enough yet in my skill to put a good shot on a deer but I am practicing practicing and totally getting hooked on traditonal and instinctive shooting! Love it! Hunted back when I was a kid outside of Comer in madison county! DEER EVERYWHERE!


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## Wjackson11x (Oct 16, 2012)

Great story Tommy!  I finally killed a deer with my recurve this year.  I can't wait to take another.  Good luck this year, we'll see ya around.


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