Hunter: Nick Wilson
Points: 8 (4L, 4R)
County: Jackson
Season: 2016-2017
Hunt Story
So this hunt started mid August when I started running a few cams on a small piece of property I had to hunt. I started getting pictures of 2 different bachelor groups, all small bucks, but non the less 2 groups. I had this guy visiting a small hardwood ridge every day twice a day. Finally the season comes in, and he changes his pattern just a bit. I start catching him on other cameras and not the normal area, then he shows back up, I hunted opening morning on he ridge top in hopes of catching him headed back to bed. Well, opening day started good, seeing a few different does and small bucks. And opening eve he shows up to my camera just minutes after I left the area. I continue to hunt him in the same spot for the next week every evening. After the 2nd Saturday with no sightings, I was getting a little discouraged. After having a talk with a good friend of mine, I decided it was time to move closer to the bed, I was initially scared to try this because the bedding area is so close already. Turns out he was bedding a little farther away than I gave him credit for. Last Sunday evening I climbed up a white oak in the rain, in hopes to catch him. Around 7:30 I catch a glimpse of him for the first time in person, and he's everything I thought he was. He would be my best Ga bow kill. Well I can't hunt for a few days due to work and life, so Thursday I sneak back into the area where I saw him, positioning myself to have an opportunity at a 35 yard max shot. Thirty minutes in, I have two small bucks come right through, perfect! Now all I need is the big guy. He no-shows. Fast forward to Saturday evening, all day I was planning on hunting him in the hardwoods. On my way to my stand I have a change of heart, something said go to the place you saw him, so I did. I climb up and wait, at 7:36 I get a text (well???) from my friend, I respond nothing yet, at 7:41 I send out a text, "I got him!" I had a few does step out and feed straight to my stand, acorns are just raining in this stand of oaks. As they are feeding, he appears in the creek ditch about 50 yards away. He moves out toward me and is standing perfect at 30 yards when the doe under my stand spooks. Surprisingly he doesn't spook. I come to full draw, settle my 30-yard pin and touch it off. He wheels out with my arrow hung out the entry side. I hear a crash just knowing it was him going down. I waited 1 hour to pick up the blood, and when I do I find it immediately, and just a few yards later I walk up on him, 50 yards away.
