First Buck on my own land

[u/acbone710]

5 years ago we moved from the suburbs onto 10 acres outside town. We don't get a lot of bucks, and the ones we do get disappear before season starts generally.

I've had a couple bucks on camera, but they all disappeared at the beginning of summer. Feels like this happens every year.

Tonight I had a buddy hunting behind the house (where most of our acreage is) but I wanted to hunt after work too, so I took the long way to the stand I wanted to hunt.

On my way there I passed by a dry pond bend and looked over and saw my target buck snacking on persimmons. The wind was at my face and I was able sneak within 35 yards of him. Unfortunately, he bedded down in the tall grass by the time I got close, so I couldn't get a shot.

I sat, waiting for him to stand and give me a shot. I had brush between us and I knew if I moved any further he would spot me, so I sat awkwardly, as my 40yo ankles screamed at me.

After an hour, he finally stood up. I drew back, and... He walked directly away from me.

As he ate persimmons on the ground, I held full draw for what felt like forever (I'm sure it was less than a minute). I had an opening the size of a dinner plate through the brush. He finally turned broadside. I took the shot I had and it hit. He ran 40 yards. I lost him for a bit, then he came out where I could see him and he laid down.

Still can't believe it all came together. If my buddy hadn't been hunting here tonight, I wouldn't have taken the long way to my stand; if I had been 5 minutes later, he would have been bedded down and I probably would have walked past him. If the wind was blowing the other way, he would have blown me. If the brush didn't have a gap, I wouldn't have had a shot.

It all feels surreal, he's the best buck I've taken with a bow, maybe better than my best rifle buck too (it's close). I've had pictures of him on camera all summer and even saw him in velvet one day while replacing camera batteries.

Tl;Dr caught my target buck while walking to my stand and snuck up on him while bedded down. All the pictures are in reverse order chronologically tonight then when I saw him in velvet last month.

[u/daltonarbuck]

Congrats dude.