Hunter: Jeremy Doss
Points: 8 (4L, 4R)
County: Brooks
Season: 2024-2025
Hunt Story
This deer, known as "Broke Ear," earned his name on our trail cameras back in 2021. He was an unmistakable 4.5-year-old 8-pointer with a distinctively drooping left ear. Ever since, he’s been a ghost—rarely showing himself in daylight, with only a handful of trail camera photos and just two in person sightings over the past four seasons. The first time I personally ever laid eyes on him was just a week ago during an afternoon hunt when I walked out to the field from my stand down in the woods before dark since I could hear a buck grunting and running around. When I reached the field, I immediately I saw a mature buck just 60 yards away scent-checking a doe and grunting. I pulled my scope up and it was him! He stopped and began staring at me as I settled my crosshairs on his shoulder - I eased my safety off and was about to squeeze when I held up and thought I better double check my time. I was able to ease my hand off the trigger and down to my pack to tap my phone face - it lit up: 6:03. It was a crystal clear and crisp day and my son was hunting with me - he had text me earlier asking what time shooting light cutoff was so it was fresh on my mind; 5:31 sunset so 6:01 cutoff... My heart sank as I eased my gun down and brought up the video camera from my pack. I was then able to get some great footage of him staring at me for what felt like forever before he turned and comfortably walked into the woods. I was bummed but tried to look at the bright side in that he seemed very comfortable and to not have any issue with being out in the open during daylight. I didn't get another chance to hunt until the following Saturday morning. I was in early and the conditions were perfect: cold and crisp. I felt like I had a good position on him with my stand choice based on the light NE wind. Once it got good light and I hadn't had any activity, I decided to use a short dominant buck grunt sequence. After I grunted, I went back to methodically scanning the three direction food plot I was sitting on. Maybe 5 minutes had gone by when I looked up to see a mature buck crossing over my east plot. He was almost all the way across the narrow plot so I went ahead and made a sharp sound in an attempt to stop him while I was pulling my gun up. Thankfully I was able to get a glance of his rack before it went into the bushes and recognized his curved forward G3s and upturned beams. About the time I had my rifle settled he stopped for a second - his head was out of view but I could still see his shoulder - just as he went back to walking, I squeezed. After the shot I didn't hear or see anything, he was just gone. I sat there a few minutes replaying the scene in my mind and feeling like the 7mag was dead on the mark when it went off. I couldn't stand it any longer and decided to ease down to where he was. As I closed in and caught a glimpse of a white belly, excitement set in and quickly grew to elation as I confirmed it was my target buck and put my hands in the air and let out a little celebration yell. I immediately thanked the Lord for the awesome chase and four year history with the elusive 7.5-year old Broke Ear along with the tremendous blessing of being able to manage and harvest these majestic natural resources.
