Hunter: Mike Manville
Points: 11 (6L, 5R)
County: Jasper
Season: 2020-2021
Hunt Story
I'd hunted this deer for two years. Had many trail-camera photos of him, but had not seen him in person. I focused solely on killing this particular buck, let many other ones walk over the last two years. Focused stand position, food plot planting, weapons chosen and every variable that I felt I could control toward harvesting this particular deer. This deer would leave my property in October and did not return until late November. He seldom appeared on camera with other deer, and was a challenge, if not impossible, to pattern. I finally saw this deer on December 14, 2020 at approximately 5:45 p.m., and shot him shortly thereafter. After shooting him, the deer fell to the ground immediately. I sat in the stand for a while, called my wife and a few other people to let them know that I had finally gotten him. After allowing him plenty of time to expire, I climbed down from my ladder stand, walked over toward him and realized the deer had gotten up and left. I followed blood for about 70 yards, and the trail dried up. I called a tracking dog that advertises in GON the next day (Outer Banks Deer Tracking), Jimmy and Bella were able to locate the deer quickly, injured, but still alive. Bella kept the deer bayed until we could end the chase.
