Quest Has Ended....For Now

QuietButDeadly

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I have been chasing whitetails pretty much since they have been here to chase. I still remember the first set of deer tracks I ever saw on our Orange County farm when I was 15 years old. That was exciting. My first experience hunting them was with a farmer friend going to Camp Butner and hunting with shotguns and dogs.

From those beginnings, I have seen the seasons and deer population expand. I have hunted with most legal weapons except crossbows and pistols. And I have been fortunate over the years to kill a pile of deer and some pretty nice ones at that. I have quite a few shoulder mounts on the wall and over the last decade or so, a bunch of Euro mounts as well. I have killed some heavy deer (200+ lbs) but the older mature bucks with nice racks have been hard to come by.

All of that changed yesterday evening as I managed to be at the right place at the right time and I did not make any mistakes. The hunt was short and sweet. Does filtered out into the fescue hay filed from my left but they were not in feed mode. It did not take long before the buck showed up and I said shooter. From there it was all business, getting ready for a shot opportunity. It all happened fast as the buck stopped about 125 yards in front of me a showed me his butt. Not my idea of a good shot and I knew he would stand still long with the does around. A loud maaaaa and his head popped up and he turned broadside and took a couple steps to his left. I got the crosshair just ahead of the point of the shoulder and squeezed. Bang, Flop! He dropped like a sack of taters and did not kick or thrash a bit.

I watched him for a minute or so before I climbed down to go check him out. I was pretty confident that this buck was #1 on our hit list for this season and a quick check confirmed it. We have quite a bit of history with this buck over his at least 5 1/2 years. He has a habit of showing up on camera early and then vanishing, Last year he disappeared in early Sept. and was not seen until this summer. He stuck around a little longer this year until the end of Oct. and we really wondered if a neighbor had killed him. He is easy to ID with a trash point that turns 90 degrees off his left main burr and he also appears to have a third pedicle with another point in between his main beams. That point also has a 90 degree turn.

Bottom line, he is the best buck I have ever taken to date. I finally got a good one!

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pattersonj11

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
That’s a nice deer. Score is something to look at, but a nice mature buck is more than just a score. A nice heavy 4.5+ year old buck is better than just what it scores.

Plenty of young 2-1/2 and 3-1/2 year old deer can score well.....but they won’t fair well tangling with one of those on breeding grounds.

knocking down the baddest one in the area is more than just killing a deer that scores well. I’ve never felt pulled to the Midwestern states or Canada for the horns. A big mature buck here is the same as a big mature deer there in my thoughts. Same for the little deer in Florida.
 

Packfan

Eight Pointer
That’s a nice deer. Score is something to look at, but a nice mature buck is more than just a score. A nice heavy 4.5+ year old buck is better than just what it scores.

Plenty of young 2-1/2 and 3-1/2 year old deer can score well.....but they won’t fair well tangling with one of those on breeding grounds.

knocking down the baddest one in the area is more than just killing a deer that scores well.
You are spot on sir.

I love to put a tape on them; I’ll admit that much. But, boy a thick tined heavy framed slick 4x4 with a neck as big around as a 5 gallon bucket sure makes for a pretty mount. And often times these are the baddest dudes on the block. And outsmarting one of those during the chess match is something to be proud of.
 

Loganwayne

Ten Pointer
for Nc, a 140” main frame 8 point is hard to come by. It seems like it usually comes with tall skinny tines and about 20” in between. They are definitely out there, but they are nice deer and genetics is the only thing keeping them from 150-160” as a 10 or 12 point.
my buddy killed a bruiser of an 8 point last weekend and it scored right under 138" it was almost 19" wide and carried heavy mass all the way. this buck may have a little better mass but not as wide id expect it around 130-140
 

Eric Revo

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Very nice buck, congrads on accomplishing your quest. His score isn't what's important on this buck, it will actually take away from the buck's attributes. He's a unique deer and it's a great history with him, that's what's important.
 

HorNhnTr

Twelve Pointer
Very nice buck, congrads on accomplishing your quest. His score isn't what's important on this buck, it will actually take away from the buck's attributes. He's a unique deer and it's a great history with him, that's what's important.
Agree 100%
 

Firedog

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Ya'll don't let an old man fool ya... he has got his share of good ones over the years. This one just happens to top them all so far. Birthdays boys, the more we let walk the bigger the dead ones get. This old boy was getting shot by any of us with any weapon, which makes it even better that he found him first. When this one gets back from the taxidermist.. It might just be time to do another photo shoot with all of them. Will have to find a different location this time, but the collection has grown since the original barn shoot.

Congrats again old man. My favorite picture

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Familyman

Twelve Pointer
If they make a movie out of this, the title should be: "When Squirrelly Met Burly".

I'll explain.

I've helped QBD do tree work before, so I consider him "squirrelly" for a legit reason. The man could maneuver around in the treetops like a.......well, like a dang squirrel!! Watching him in action while standing flat-footed on the ground, it scared me to death......didn't phase him a bit. From me...with regards to him, "squirrelly" is a term of endearment, as well as respect.

With regards to the deer..."Burly" warrants no explanation.
 
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