Photos: 23-Point Non-Typical Buck

[DFREEMAN]

Like everyone else for the most part, Great Deer! Yes I too am 'Jealous' for the opportunity I wish I could get, but I am Human. I shot 2 this year over 50 yards and was 100% confident My'64# draw Mathews Drenaline and CarbonExpress'Mathews' Edition Maxima Hunters with the Muzzy'BAD TO{THROUGH} THE BONE' MX-3 Fixed Blade Tricor tipped Broadheads' would do the job. Anyone getting the sarcasm here? [8D]
The story and congrats are all in order. I have lanes to 60 yards cleared and in them I am fearless. Maybe I clear to well so that could be my BIG SMART BUCK DOWNFALL. However, If I draw, it's down, Period!
Spent too many earlier years tracking poorly hit deer. In the last 4 of the 12 years I personally have been bowhunting, the longest track I followed is 85 yards.

[tonyotony]

OK, great harvest. The only thing I wonder about is: after making a lethal shot at 55-60 yards, how do you miss when the deer is right in front of you at 15-20 yards, then the best you can do with your third shot is a liver shot, again at close range?

[rudedog36]

This guy makes me sick! People like this are the reason PETA exist. 60 yards are you serious??? You can practice all you want at a NON moving target, but at a live deer?? Serious? ..... Horrible. The fact that you thought it was a 8 or a 10 point (proves just how far away he really was he was)...you were shaking so bad you couldnt get your release on, and you had to "aim a little high" ..Or GUESS!!!
Just moronic.
Another disgusting thing to me, is the fact that he listed all the equipment he used. The only reason to do that is hopes that the manufacturer will send him some goodies. Unbelivable. Your not a pro hunter ...Hello!
Im glad you got the deer, and that he didnt die somewhere in the woods never to be found.... just because some guy couldnt control his buck fever.
Was there no chance he could have gotten closer?
Most hunters practice at 40,50, and 60 yards.....for FUN!! Gives you more confidence at 30. But you dont shoot.... there are just too many things to go wrong.
Sorry i just had to vent. I cant stand PETA, and this just fuels their fire.
You make every ethical bow hunter look bad.
Dumb plain and simple.
Enjoy you 10 point.

[kumprey]

Great story! All the people bagging on your length of shot and talking about what you used... who cares. Haters! I enjoy hearing what you used. Those stating you watch too many hunting shows... guess what? They talk about all that stuff because it provides color and makes the story more interesting. Or maybe someone can learn something or a product that worked for you and try it themselves... what a novel idea! As far as the shot length, they obviously do not know what a good quality hunter can do with a top-of-the-line bow these days! I am supremely confident that I am better at 80 yards than over 50% of bow hunters at 30 yards. I'll stand by that. I have a ton of friends that have missed great bucks at this closer range. One friend is a decent shot, but missed three bucks this year at that 30 yard range. I shoot an HHA sight, single pin, with a mark at 10-20-30-40-50-60-70-80-90-100. Every time I shoot I shoot out to 100 yards. I never miss my carbon block, which is a small one. I can hit a dinner plate nearly every time at 80. The kinetic energy I get from my set up is phenomenal even at 110 yards when I shoot. I get as much or more penetration at 80-100 yards as friends I shoot with get at 40! My take is, if you are a good hunter, take the situation at hand into consideration, are ethical and do not want to injure deer, you can safely shoot to wherever you routinely practice with great results. I told my father in law- If you shoot a big deer or elk at 80 yards, it surely is luck, because you never practice at that range, and cannot shoot well over 35 yards. If I shoot one at 80, and practice that range every day before the trip with great results, and succeed, it is not luck. PRACTICE MEETS OPPORTUNITY IS SKILL! Not luck! If you are fairly certain a bull or buck is stationary, and deliver a quality shot, at a yardage you know you get good penetration, it is still ethical. If you wound a bunch of animals shooting at 30 yards, maybe you should stop bow hunting all together! My brother and I have killed a number of elk at ranges over 50 yards. This past bow season (about 2 1/2 weeks ago), I had just set up a WI gun stand for my CA brother. He asked my to go back and put a string in it to pull up his gun opening morning. I went over mid day and decided to just sit there the last 2 hours as to not stir up the woods any more. I saw 2 doe go through a path that I ranged at 80 yards. A few minutes later I glassed a nice rack on a buck taking the same path. I re-ranged the path again... 80 yards. I grunted him to a stop in this wide open shooting lane, and new if he kept following the does, which were now in the alf alfa field 100 yards ahead, I would be out of luck. I also knew that an 80 yard shot is something I do all the time (including the day before in my back yard) with great success and penetration. I swung my pin to 80 and grunted as he was entering the lane. He stopped and looked in my direction. I grunted two more times and he just stood there motionless not even looking in my direction, fixated on the two does. Earlier that morning, I saw two other bucks that had no interest in a grunt or doe bleat as well. I surmised that this was my only chance, and realized that he was competely broadside, motionless, and providing me with an opportunity to deliver on what I consider an ethical shot. I released my arrow and watched in fly right toward his chest. Thwack! He ran like a freight train to the edge of the woods, veered 90 degrees to the right and collapsed into a thicket. My ratractable broadhead flew true (as it has in target practice), blasted right throught the entry side rib, double lunged him, and planted itself into the far rib cage. I now have the meat and (eventual) mount of a 140 plus class archery buck at home, not just on trail cam. Can more than 5% of hunters make this shot? Heck no! Was it an ethical one, yes! Know your range, your skill, your penetration, adjust to the cricumstances and make the shot if you know it to be ethical/ high percentage. If you don't like that I took an 80 yard shot, or that Jay took a 60 yard shot... too bad! Go wound another deer, haters! Great job, Jay! I'm jealous, but very happy for you!

[kumprey]

Don't "agree". You took a shot and landed a great buck. If you didn't think you could shoot that range, you wouldn't have taken it! Good job! Keep practicing at long range and consider a better single pin sight that allows for greater accuracy and not "holding high" when your pin doesn't match the distance. If you see another monster at 60 yards, shoot again! Then send me the pictures!!!

People saying they are disgusted or using words like moronic, are described best by the words they use to describe your shot. Ignore them.

Peope that say others shoot at 50 and 60 yards "just for fun" don't hang out with good hunters. Why would you take shots you never intend to do for real?!? To ruin an arrow? How often do they do this "for fun?" Are they doing it every time they shoot, risking losing an arrow without ever planning to shoot this distance if the chance arrises? I say no way! These people do not and would never shoot this far because they know they cannot! For them, it would not be ethical. For these cynical and aggressive nay-sayers/ name-callers to assume you are as crappy a shot as them and post their hate is a joke!

As far as the follow up shots, I am sure your adrenaline was pumping, you were standing, the buck was bed... tough shots! Congrats on putting the finishing touches on a beast when it mattered! Buck down, Buck dead. Good job!

If the animal is stationary, you have a clear shot, you can stay calm, and you (not the lame peanut gallery) believe it to be a high percentage and ethical shot, take it! Over and over and over again! People wound animals when they are not a good shot, do not practice, do not control their emotions, or try to "get lucky" with a shot they should not take. You've done none of these, so be proud!

[CoG]

I am very confident in my shots and in my equipment. I understand, there are some that are jealous, but I was very confident in shooting that far and for those who are not then don't shoot.

Yet when you tell the story you were confident you missed, obviously the arrow DIDN'T go where you wanted, and you severed the femoral artery.  I guess that's what you were confident you could do?

I would be glad to let it all go, but your attempt to defend yourself is verbatim of every bow hunter I've ever met (see above).  No need to tell all the details all the time to all the people.  That's what rubs me wrong the most.  I'm most of all glad you got the deer, but again the story is the issue.

[kumprey]

looking again at the posts, the 1 guy who was totally out of line goes by "rude dog..." enough said.

[Deebz]

First of all, Jay:  awesome buck man.  What a cool story as well, if you ask me.  To have the ups and downs of being that close, finally geting a shot off and thinking you missed, then getting close enough to stick him again.  That's the whole reason for being in the woods in the first place, if you ask me.
 
Second of all, anybody who is going to rag on a guy for telling a hunting story is a person I would NEVER want in my deer camp.  Calling a guy out for admitting the truth of his encounter is ridiculous! Making fun of a guy who is sharing all the details of what is probably the single most amazing accomplishment of his hunting career is even worse!  Look in a mirror and tell me that you have never given details of your equipment (tree stand, broadhead, bow, etc...) when recalling a hunt.  On top of that, this forum is hosted by D&DH MAGAZINE.  If I recall, EVERY single article I have ever read included the details of equipment when recounted a hunt.  and lets not overlook the fact that one of our fearless admins posted this thread, which leads me to believe that Jay was probably interviewed for his story or at the very least asked for specific details.
 
As for the distance and shot type or whatever... he took a shot, he killed a deer. What else is there to say?
 
It's not people who are out enjoying the outdoors and legally participating in our sport that give PETA and other groups the ammo to undermine what we do, it's the close minded attitude of the small faction of imbeciles who insist that their way is the only way...

[pickleguy]

Awesome buck & great story. There is only one that we have to answer too & He will not be commenting on this forum. To the rest of you critic's grow up!

[JPH]

ORIGINAL: Deebz
....anybody who is going to rag on a guy for telling a hunting story is a person I would NEVER want in my deer camp. 

 
Some might say the same thing about hunters who come back to camp with stories like this, "I know I am accurate at 55 yards.  I have practiced this shot over and over again, but I am shaking bad enough I can't get my release connected to my D loop.  Finally, I'm ready but he has moved pass the 55 yard shooting lane and is now at 60 yards.  I pull back my Mathews Z7, with my Carbon Express Mayhem arrow and G5 T3 broadhead at full draw, aim a little high and let the arrow fly. As I watch the arrow flying, it starts to go to the right and then a loud smack sound and the buck takes off through the brush, stops and walks away.  My heart sank to the pit of my stomach and I just held my head down.  I knew I missed..."