Hunter: Nick Rawlings
Points: 11 (6L, 5R)
County: Miller
Season: 2017-2018
Hunt Story
By far the best hunt of my life. I got into the blind a little after daylight. My wife had gotten me a Boneview cell-phone mount that I could record shots through my scope with, so I had it set up and ready to go. I had put out some doe urine before I got in, so I was concentrating most of my attention to where the wind was blowing the scent and checking out the rest of the field intermediately. About 9:00 AM, I happened to look back toward the end where my truck was parked and saw two white tails trotting directly toward my truck but they were about 275 yards and over a slight hump in the field, so I didn't get turned to even look through my scope. Next thing I know, all I saw was rack but he was limping (found out 10 minutes later he had presumably been hit by a car when he was younger and his right front leg was about 6 inches shorter than the others) I immediately begin trying to get my phone mount off because I didn't want to risk anything with a shot that far. In what felt like 10 minutes but in reality was a second or two, I got it off and started turning to position when my rifle sling got caught on my chair. I ripped it off the chair and got him in the scope. All I could see was about 10 inches of his body and neck up. I lined up and let lead fly. I heard what I thought and later confirmed his back crack. High shot. I then quickly got my stuff together and took off toward where he went into the swamp bottom. About 20 yards into the woods I heard something take off. I slowly walked toward where I was sure he was headed through some of the thickest trees and briars I've ever seen with bedding areas embedded throughout. I finally heard him again after 30 or 40 more yards and I immediately took a knee. I knew he had been chasing does, so I grabbed my can call out of my back pack and hit it one time. He took two steps directly toward me and stopped. Luckily the wind was blowing dead in my face. After about 5 seconds I hit it again, and that's when I knew it was on. He came trotting towards my left and I saw the rack. He gave me a broadside shot through some thick stuff at about 20 yards max, and I took it fearing it may be the only one I got. Gut shot. He took off and ran through the big bedding area that I was on the edge of and that's when I took the final shot. I absolutely could not believe he came to the can call once I later realized I had hit him all three shots.
