A Good Day in the Woods
By Clay Fuhrhop

Have you ever got ready to go hunting and could not decide where to hunt? The wind is the wrong direction; the stands you can hunt have been dead. You have very little confidence in any stand that would work under these conditions.

Sometimes you must use rule #1 “no bucks will be shot unless you are hunting”. November 26, 2007 was one of these days.

After much thought on a misty rainy afternoon, I just decided to climb in the stand with the most cover even though the action had been slow in this area. Many thoughts run through my head. I could be getting some things done, working, or just hanging out at the coffee shop. It would be really comfortable drinking a glass of tea or taking a nap after getting up at 4:30 am every morning.

After about an hour of trying to stay dry a doe came running by too far to shoot with a bow. Behind her was a basket rack buck. Not far behind was a 2.5 year old 8 point and a 3.5 year old 9 point. After chasing around the stand for 10 minutes or so, I noticed another buck coming my way.

I raised my binoculars when he was about 60 yards away, it took only seconds to see this was a buck I had been waiting on for 2 years after passing my share of medium size bucks.

Everyone can relate to having something go wrong when a big buck comes in close. Murphy’s Law seems to work extra hard when you hunt trophy whitetails. Thoughts went through my mind of the 2 large bucks I did not kill in the last 2 years.

By the time I got my bow in my hand the buck was standing at 30 yards. He had been running hard and I was worried he would take off after the doe before the shot could be made. As soon as the pin was on the vitals I cut the arrow loose.

The arrow hit the spot I was aiming for. My elation was short lived when the buck ran 10 yards with the arrow protruding from its chest cavity. While I am watching the arrow sticking out of the chest, it broke off and fell to the ground.

The disappointment I felt was shattering. I sat back in the deer stand devastated. Most bow hunters know when the arrow does not go through it is bad news. Even if the shot is lethal, it can be difficult to find the deer.

Once on the ground my suspicions were confirmed, no blood was anywhere in sight. After seeing the arrow was broke in the middle, there was a better chance of finding the deer knowing there was penetration into the vitals.

I decided to let him lie down and get some help as it was already starting to get dark. After relating the story to my brother and neighbor they encouraged me. “If the shot went through the lungs the deer is dead”.

Three of us scanned the area for blood with no luck. We did find his track for about a hundred yards through the food plot. He turned and ran into the thicket. Ahead was a new dirt road, after scanning the road we saw no sigh of his track. We decided he must still be in the thicket.

We started walking back and forth in the area and finally my light flashed on a set of horns that would be the biggest buck of my life. I just sat down and stared at him as I called for my helpers and enjoyed the moment.

As elusive and wary as whitetails are there is no greater thrill than hunting and harvesting a trophy whitetail. Especially after passing good bucks for 2 years, waiting for a great one.

The deer green scored 176 gross and 162 net, with circumference measurements averaging almost 5 inches.

Sometimes we have to force ourselves into the woods when we are tired. Time must be spent in the woods to bag trophy bucks. I’m glad I forced myself to go to the woods on November 26, 2007.

Clay is a avid hunter and recreational real estate broker. If you need advise on buying real estate Clay can be contacted at clayf@egyptian.net.