You know some say that they’d rather be lucky than good. In my case I say the same thing. I was thinking that I was pretty lucky in my hunting year so far after dropping an antelope, whitetail and elk in the three weeks while I was out on my western tour. Well that vacation came to a stop and I had to head back to Europe to do several more shooting seminars and training clinics. From October 5^th to November 4^th I was everywhere but some place where I could hunt. I like Europe and enjoy time there, but I do really miss leaving work and being able to get in the woods for an afternoon hunt. The last week in Europe was especially hard because everyone was sending in these photos of awesome bucks that were starting to make the mistakes of rut and showing up during shooting time. The day to fly home finally came and I was especially excited to see the fall colors, as well as, my house after a long flight and long trip. My excitement slowed though as my garage door opened up.

 I was quickly reminded that all of my equipment from the western tour was still lying on the floor in the garage where I had left it. Not only did I have a month worth of travel stuff to sort out I also had a months of hunting gear to sort as well. I really wanted to hunt my home state of Wisconsin but was limited on time and locations. For one I had a very tight schedule in November with only a few weeks to be home and hunt Iowa, train for indoor season, make a trip to Utah to visit Hoyt and have Thanksgiving with family before heading back to Europe again. I had waited 2 long years for that tag in Iowa and was going to spend most of my time there. My plan was to hunt a day in Wisconsin and then go to Iowa for a full week if needed. I figured if I did get lucky there early enough I could come back home to hunt Wisconsin again. The night I got back home I had a few friends come by that had been hunting in the area constantly since I left and had some good stands hung for me to hunt. I had wanted to hunt that first evening back but just couldn’t get everything organized in time (too much laundry and too much mail to go through). I had a brand new Hoyt Vectrix XL waiting for me on my door and I was really eager to use that bow for my hunts. I managed to put that bow together at about midnight and proceeded to sight in my bow in the headlights of the truck in my driveway at about 1.30 am. I was totally wiped, as was my buddies. Thomas wanted to run the video camera for me and hunt a spot he had about 45 minutes from the house. That would mean we leave about 4.30 to make it there in enough time to get set up for the morning hunt.

The alarm went off way too soon as we have all felt many times. I think I hit snooze a few too many and before I knew it we were really late getting rolling. All my gear was in the garage on the floor still and I gave Thomas about a five minute run down of how to be a video man. I let him run the camera a little as I packed my backpack and put my gear on. Since we were so late going I thought that instead of ruining the hunting spot by going in too late we should elect to hunt at a closer location, which the closest stand I had is a stand I have set up about 100 yards from my house. Every year I plant a mixture of oats and clovers in about a 3 acre food plot that butts right up to my lawn. The deer use it frequently and during the summer months I had several nice velvety bucks passing through on occasion. During the winter months I usually get several bucks on camera as well. We went out my garage and walked to the double ladder stand and got set up for the hunt. I gave Thomas about a 1 minute intro to the tree arm and joystick that runs my camera. I had a gut feeling it wouldn’t be the best camera work butt I would take what I could get.

It wasn’t but about 2 minutes at very first light when I looked behind me up in the corner of the food plot and noticed a big bodied deer. I stood up and turned around so I could get my Nikons on the deer to see what it was. Well it was a no- if’s, and’s or butt’s about it SHOOTER buck. I was immediately jacked up and my heart started racing. I was trying to tell Thomas that he was coming and where he was coming from all while watching the buck quickly coming within shooting range. I hadn’t even hung my bow or taken my quiver off and it was go time! The buck moved into about 20 yards within seconds of tending a scrape that I later seen at about 25 yards away.  I pulled back and nervously anchored in and made a few quick whispers to my camera guy that the shot was about to happen. Before I knew I the release had gone off and the Wac Em’ Broadhead found the mark on this big brute. The buck tipped over before making out of my 3 acre plot and I was so pumped! I could see the heavy rack sticking up from the clover and was trying to tell my camera guy to get focused on the buck laying there. Bless his heart but I think it was more than he could bear.  What are the odds right? I feel bad even telling this story because I know that so many people bust their butts day in and day out and that just doesn’t seem to happen. However, I too have done that and several years have not filled my tag in my home state. Today was my day, and like I said I’d rather be lucky than good any day while hunting.

After a few quick words into the camera I got down from the tree stand and made my way over to what I believed to be my biggest whitetail, or for sure the most mature whitetail I had ever taken. Seconds after seeing this buck I realized it could have very well been one that I have hit poorly and never recovered about two years earlier. He was not quite as tall but definitely more massive that before. Certain proportions of a rack you just don’t forget and don’t see often. This one was one I hadn’t forgotten. Losing that buck years earlier made me sick for months and to get another chance and capitalize on it was just all too bitter sweet. I know that deer respond differently to pressure and I believe this buck had become comfortable this close to my house because I hadn’t been there to stink up the yard with my scent or my dog. I reviewed the video footage and let’s just say some rookie mistakes were made. However, I gave Thomas another 5 minute lesson on how to take good animal photos and this time he did good cause my pictures turned out just fine. Well part four of my DWT was now finished and the only business left unattended was the Iowa tag. It took me about four hours to process my deer and get the truck all packed. It is another four hour drive to my Iowa spot and if all went as planned I could be hunting by morning.

Stay tuned because part 5 is only a day away.