Two teenagers go out hunting and come back with a Boone-and-Crockett-class buck. Some might call it beginner’s luck. We will call it divine intervention on a grandiose scale.
This story starts with two high school buddies: Nathan Schmitt and Brycen Dumke of Hubertus, Wisconsin. Brycen is a 15-year-old who has already bagged deer and turkeys while hunting with his family. Nathan, 14, is a newcomer, but with the help of his friend he bagged his first gobbler last spring in Washington County. This sparked his desire to hunt even more.
Fast forward to autumn. The hunting season was well underway when Brycen asked Nathan if he would like to try muzzleloader hunting. Nathan agreed, and the two boys headed to the woods after school one Friday to pop up a blind for the next morning.
That next morning found the friends in the blind before daylight. Nathan’s family owns the land they were hunting on, and he had his sights set on a nice-sized 8-pointer they had been seeing all fall.
As daylight filtered across the landscape, the boys spied a buck! It was a beautiful 6-pointer, and it was in range. However, after some whispered discussion, Nathan decided to pass because he was still hopeful of seeing the 8-pointer.
The morning wore on, and the boys saw all sorts of wildlife. They were immensely enjoying the time outdoors when suddenly several does appeared. The deer were moving quickly across a field that led to some woods.
Based on the does’ behavior, Brycen knew something was following them — most likely a buck. Peering to the side of the blind’s window, he caught movement. Buck! Big buck!
Brycen immediately knew this buck was special, but as he later told his dad, “This was Nathan’s hunt. I really wanted him to get his first deer.”
Nathan quickly got into shooting position and tried to find the buck in the scope. Brycen instructed him to let him know when he was ready, so he could stop the deer as it was trotting in front of the blind.
Nathan gave confIrmation when the buck was about 70 yards out, and Brycen let out two “blats”
KABOOM!
Nathan’s shot was on the mark.
The buck’s 12-point rack rough-scored 184 inches. It sports 27-inch main beams, and all of its mass measurements exceeds 5 inches (44-7/8 total inches of mass). The inside spread is 17-2/8 inches.
Congratulations Nathan and Brycen! The smiles on your faces are what it is all about. Everyone here at Deer & Deer Hunting salutes both of you and your families on this incredible hunt!
The fall hunting season was filled with highlights for the Dumke family. Before this memorable hunt with Nathan Schmitt, Brycen got to experience this moment with his younger brother, Caden, and his dad while hunting in Buffalo County Wisconsin:
— — — — — — — — — — —
Never miss a Deer & Deer Hunting update: Sign up for our FREE weekly newsletter!