Hunter: Tim Lyle
Points: 10 (5L, 5R)
County: Hancock
Season: 2015-2016
Hunt Story
The Arrowhead Buck: I decided to check out a different location for the evening hunt. So about 11 a.m. after hunting the morning of 1/2/16, I walked about 100 yards from my climber. As I walked slowly examining the area, I saw many old rubs and scrapes, then saw one rub that was large. Standing there thinking wow!!! I would love to see this buck! Then I noticed something odd, an old scrape and a deer had pawed beside it about 2 or 3 times recently. The rut was over, so this was interesting. I stood there enjoying my finds so far and wondering what next. I walked about 40 yards more up the old fire break on a small ridge and saw something very interesting, an old scrape and right beside it a beautiful white arrowhead. It looked as if you washed it! As I picked it up, a very strange feeling came upon me as if this arrow head was saying look right and straight at the tree I needed to hunt for that evening. I went and retrieved my climber and put it on the tree and decided I would limb it when I come back for the evening hunt. After meeting my son and a friend, I told the story to the them and showed the arrow head. Later about 2:30, I asked one of my good friends would he help me drag out my buck in a little while? He laughed and said, "Ya! But you're not going to kill one!!" I looked at him and said, "You'll see Ol' buddy!!" I walked to get ready, and while i was getting ready, I picked up the arrowhead, and some may think I'm nuts, but I truly felt like it was my time! My son asked me if I was going to kill a doe, and I told him nope, I'm buck hunting. As I arrived to the stand, I began my accent up the tree limbing as I moved up to the perfect spot. I had to trim a lot of limbs and vines, then secured my stand to the tree and sat there looking at the wonderful creation that God had made for me to enjoy for that day! I started thinking about the arrowhead and the Indian that made it. Wondering if it made a kill for him and what it could have killed. After a while I became sleepy and dosed off for about 15 minutes and having thoughts about hunting and times before my life, it was weird! Suddenly I woke up from a deer that jumped to my right! I could tell it was a deer because of the thump it made I have heard many times before. I slowly turned right and saw nothing. Then I hear it again now to my left!! Slowly I turned to the right and saw the rear chassis of a big deer. As I looked in the bushes that were hiding the rest of his body I see glimpses of horns! "Wow that's a big buck!!" He makes his way out to a clearing for the kill shot. I size him up as he walks in more plain view. He is walking not slow and not too fast. He is the one I say to myself. l'm looking through my scope. I say "baaat" loudly with the crosshairs right where I want. He stops and my 300 short mag sounds off. I watch as he fumbles and kicks into the woods. I call my 14-year-old son and say to him, "Come on down here I killed a nice one! A 10-point." He was as excited as me if not more! He said when he heard me shoot he said to himself, "Dear Lord please let it be a buck!" We took pics and then began our drag along the way stopping to talk about the hunt. As we arrive close to the truck, we hear coyotes close! I tell him, "Let's get this thing in the truck and try to call in those coyotes. We get the buck in the truck. I tell him to get positioned in a spot and be ready. I get my rabbit squealer and here we go, trying our best to make it happen. Our hairs on end after about 30 minutes. We had failed killing any of the coyotes and decided to leave. This will be in both our memories forever! The best things in life! Enjoying the things you love with the ones you love!
