It was a cool October day and the rut was just starting to heat up. I had a feeling about this day and I told my 11 year old grandson Justin, aka Bubba J that we should get to the ground blind an hour before we normally do. From my many years of hunting, I knew that a day like this, with the weather patterns and all that it was going to be a good day for deer movement. I picked him up from school and within 45 minutes we were in the blind.
We settled into the ground blind and prepared for some action. It didn't take long and we had a small, 1 1/2 year old buck working the edge of the food plot. Bubba and I agreed that he would only target a 2 1/2 year old or better buck this year. He has already harvested three, 1 1/2 year old bucks in his brief hunting career, starting at the age of 7. Moments later we had 2 other small bucks come in and all 3 started acting tough and in charge. They were rubbing trees and making scrapes all along the food plot edge. They would have short sparring sessions with their antlers. It was more of a play type session than an I am the boss session. We watched these 3 for roughly 45 minutes or so.
Approximately 1 hour into the sit, my grandson whispers to me " I see a deer moving further back in the woods and he looks big". I did not see it but I had him get ready and prepare for a shot with his crossbow just in case. Roughly 5 minutes later, I looked out the corner of the ground blind and I saw a nice buck coming out and stepping onto the food plot. He was making his way towards us as I said "Big buck". Bubba got ready as he saw him too. Moments later, the buck was standing broadside. "Take him" I said to Bubba. "I can't see him" Bubba said. You see, his view was blocked by a patch of the ground blind. He was looking through the front of the blind and I was looking through the corner and he couldn't quite see him yet. The buck took 2 more steps and I saw Bubba raise and aim his crossbow. A few seconds later he squeezed the trigger and released the bolt. The bolt had hit its mark!
Bubba had made an almost perfect shot at 28 yards. I watched the bolt slam into the deer and then watched him run away in obvious distress. Bubba and I celebrated. We hugged, we high fived and we were both so happy that it brought tears to our eyes. They were definitely tears of joy and tears of adrenaline as the post shot buck fever started to kick in.
We knew he had made a good shot, but we decided to wait 10 minutes before tracking. We found a substantial blood trail and tracking was very easy. Moments later we found the buck roughly 50 yards from where he was shot. The celebrations started all over again for us. This was his biggest buck ever and a hunt that neither one of us will ever forget. His practice, patience and perseverance paid off. Sitting in a blind with your grandson and watching him harvest his biggest buck is a moment in time that is forever stamped into my memory. Nothing but smiles!!!
Equipment used:
Centerpoint Amped 415 Crossbow
Ameristep ground blind
Beman ICS Whiteout bolts (no longer made)
Swhacker 150 grain 3" Broadheads
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