It was the evening of Friday the 13th, and I contemplated even going hunting because it was so warm out, but like I’ve heard a million times… “you can’t shoot them on the couch!”

So I grabbed my Mathews bow and went and sat in an elevated blind out behind my home, where I have good bucks on trail camera mostly at night. I got out a little late but knew they would come by close to dark. As the night went on I heard some squirrels and saw a cat go by. Then when I heard the twig snap, I knew something was up. I couldn’t see anything or hear any more movement, but I sat dead still and calmly waited.

Trail cam pics from earlier that day

All of a sudden some leaves rustled right in front of me and wouldn’t you know it, a big buck was standing there at 20yds. I was so shocked that this thing was able to get there without me knowing! I grabbed my bow and was able to draw back slowly, then sneak up the the blind window. I found my spot, and sent a New Archery Products Spitfire DoubleCross through both lungs. I watched my Nockturnal run off through the woods about 60yds and then silence. I was hoping that’s where he crashed. I then ran into the house and told the wife that I had shot a big one. After firing off the BBD text to the boys, we had a whole tracking crew ready to go.

The deer had gone onto the neighbors property so I drove down to his house to get permission to track my buck. He gladly let me. So we took off into the woods where I shot and quickly found 3/4 of my arrow next to a great blood trail. As we pushed through the woods a reflection of an eye caught our attention and we froze. One of the fellas slowly walked towards it and said white belly!

As we approached him I saw it was the big 8 from my trail cam pictures that I’ve had since early spring. As I walked up to check him out my wife came up to me and gave me a big hug and said “You got him!” with tears of joy running down her face. We drug him to the pickup and went home to take pictures and celebrate.

As I held his tall rack I said “I finally got my big buck with my bow.”

Brian Sitka – Outdoor Devotion

Trail cam pics from earlier this Summer