Hunter: Ryan Wheeler
Points: 13 (7L, 6R)
County: Meriwether
Season: 2016-2017
Hunt Story
I settled in the Banks Blind around 5:30 p.m. I had shorts on with rubber boots and had walked in with no shirt on because it was so hot. Deer movement was almost immediate on the Imperial Whitetail Clover we had planted last fall. I had 12 to 15 does/fawns in the field when I saw two 4-year-old bucks that we were familiar with show up. I slid my Scent Lock jacket and face mask on. Both of these bucks fed their way toward my blind and were at about 30 yards. Both of these deer were in the 130s, the largest being a perfect 135-inch clean 10-pointer. Their attention went from the clover to the other end of the field revealing my buck had just stepped out. I sized him up at a 140-inch plus, he had a huge sway back and a large belly. I was not familiar with this deer but I decided if he came within range I would take the opportunity. For 30 minutes he slowly fed towards me eventually running the other bucks off. I eased open the window when I ranged him at 50 yards. All of a sudden he threw his head up and went into a steady walk coming right in front of me at 15 yards. He passed by my open window before I could draw without being seen. When he hit a blind spot, I eased open the other window to my left. As soon as I did, he appeared and was walking almost straight away angling slightly. I had to make the shot quickly placing the arrow far back and angling towards the opposite shoulder. At 25 yards I let the Rage Hypodermic fly. It was a perfect hit. The buck angled back behind me running, then I heard it get quiet. I knew it was a lethal hit, so I eased over to where the impact was after about 5 minutes and found my blood coated arrow, I looked down in the pines the way the buck ran and saw him piled up. He ran probably 125 yards from where I shot him.
