Hunter: Robert Mask
Points: 8 (4L, 4R)
County: Fayette
Season: 2018-2019
Hunt Story
Throughout the spring and summer months, I have been using trail cameras for watching a particular buck on my father’s sixteen (16) acre tract in Fayette County, Ga. The property consist of pasture and a large amount of water oak trees towards the back. A fence separates my father’s property and an undeveloped piece of property, which is forty (40) acres. The deer in the area use this property as a bedding area as well as a water source. The whitetail buck I have been watching is a wide main frame eight (8) pointer with a bent brow tine. My son and wife placed a 15-foot single ladder stand up against a sweet gum tree near the fence line last year in the back of my father’s property. My son and I were able to harvest two (2) bucks last season from this stand location. Anyway, the buck I mentioned had been appearing on camera around 19:00 to 19:30 hours just about every afternoon. On Friday evening before opening day of archery, I debated going to hunt the stand on opening day because I was unsure about the wind. I decided to pass opening day and decided to hunt it Sunday evening. On Sunday, September 09, 2018 I had made my mind up to hunt the stand in the afternoon. The weather was hot close to 90 degrees. I got to the stand approximately 17:30 hours and pouring sweat. I was afraid that deer would wind me because of the sweat. While sitting patiently and watching the clock, there was no deer activity. At 18:00 hours I had a deer blow several times. I figured my hunt was over due to the wind. I continued to sit hoping I would see something. At about 19:15 hours I started hearing something walking behind me. Out of my peripheral vision, I could see a deer approaching about 40 yards behind me. As it got closer toward an angle I could tell it was the wide eight (8) point. Along with him was a buck we named "Broke Knee" because his left knee is large like a knot where he might have received an injury. As the bucks got closer the wide eight (8) got within forty (40) yards to my left side under a water oak limb. I really didn’t have a clear shot so I waited to see if he would get any closer. The buck walked in closer at thirty-two (32) yards as I drew my Matthews bow back. The buck became broad side and I released my arrow. The buck jumped my release and the shot grazed the top of his back. With disbelief, I couldn’t believe that happened. Maybe a little Buck Fever had something to do with it, I’m not sure. I watched both bucks run off to the left and they stopped looking and trying to figure out what happened. I kept saying to myself “Please come back, Please come back”. Low and behold both deer seemed to be curious and cautiously walked back toward my direction. Both bucks kept checking the wind but couldn’t find me. I knocked another arrow and waited. It seemed like it took forever. Finally "Broke Knee" led the way and the wide eight (8) followed. The wide eight (8) returned almost in the same spot and I released the arrow. The arrow struck the buck a little high but the Rage broadhead did its job and the buck only ran approximately forty-five (45) yards. After a few minutes I knew the buck was expired. I climbed down from the stand and walked out into the field and checked the buck out. I was standing there in amazement because the deer returned back after missing the first shot. This buck is my best bow to date. I was very proud to have had the opportunity to harvest him.
