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I first encountered this one-of-a-kind buck in 2002, during a mid-December bowhunt on my father-in-law's Illinois River bottom farm. My perch overlooked a heavily wooded ridge between bedding and feeding areas. With daylight quickly fading and a doe standing below my stand, this rascal emerged from the brush, grunting deeply, and sauntered toward me in a stiff-legged gait. As the buck weaved through the trees, I very cautiously raised my bow and eased into a comfortable shooting position. I drew when the deer was within 20 yards, but it stopped in a bad place -- small limbs obscuring the vitals. As I waited anxiously for the buck to take another step, the almost-forgotten doe circled downwind of my stand, got a whiff of me, and then suddenly bolted down the ridge. The buck turned to follow her as I released the arrow. I was horrified to see the arrow nick a small branch and sail over the unsuspecting buck's back. I'd heard of people shaking from buck fever, but I'd never personally experienced it until that moment -- as I watched that incredible buck top the ridge. I got a good look at the massive rack, and that image haunted my dreams for nearly a year. Those were 11 long months! Though excited about the prospect of finding that deer in my sights once again, career and family prevented me from bowhunting as much as I wanted when the '03 season finally rolled around. By the time the November shotgun season arrived, I was anxious to get into the woods. The long weekend began much the same as usual for our gang. We met at my father-in-law's clubhouse around 5:30 a.m. to discuss where we'd be hunting. It was unseasonably warm that day, and the deer were not very active. I saw only a small spike venture past my stand as I snapped some digital photos. The following morning, I hiked to the same deep ravine that I'd hunted for several years. By the time I reached it, I was soaked with sweat and not very enthusiastic about the day's prospects. Within minutes of getting situated in my climber, however, my attitude changed. I heard a buck grunting, and deer were moving along the ridge. I sat motionless, waiting for the morning's events to unfold. Being positioned at the mouth of a deep hollow where several ridges come together, I felt fairly confident that the deer might cross the ravine near my stand. At 7:07, a doe suddenly appeared over a small break just a few yards from my stand. A short distance behind her, I could see antlers bobbing through the trees. Within moments, I retrieved my shotgun from the tree hanger and had the buck in my scope. The big guy closed the gap in seconds. It would cross the ridge within 40 yards of my stand if it stayed true to its course. My only fear was that one or both deer would pick up my scent in the swirling breeze before I was able to shoot. Lucky for me, the buck -- none the wiser -- stopped 40 yards in front of me, just as I'd hoped it would. For reasons I can't explain, my first shot completely missed. I believe things might have happened so fast that I rushed the shot. After the blast, the doe fled over the ridge, and the buck turned to pursue her. The bang never seemed to phase the buck. It was still totally fixated on the doe's every move. I miraculously had time to eject the empty shell, chamber another slug, and then drop the deer in its tracks with a follow-up. I didn't realize, at first, the caliber of animal that I had harvested. Only after descending the tree and making my way over to the buck did I realize I was looking at the same monstrous buck that had walked out of my life a year earlier. As I started counting points and admiring the unbelievable mass, I dropped to my knees, threw my arms in the air and praised God. My brother-in-law Brian, who was hunting nearby, heard the shots and came to investigate. It was a long drag back to the four-wheeler. Having family and friends around made the day all the more memorable. Both my dad and father-in-law accompanied me to the check station. My 4-year-old son's first response was, "Daddy, you shot a moose!" Luck was definately on my side that November morning. I truly wish everyone who shares my passion for whitetails could taste this kind of experience! written by Chad Goetten *Editor's note: Chad Goetten's Jersey Co., Illinois buck has 24 scorable points, measuring 265 4/8 total inches of antler, with an inside spread of 23 inches. hunter profile-Keith Pinson | Whitetail Feeding Habits All Year Long | The Ridge Stand by Matt McAnally | Off & Running--J.P. Mahn | Elk Photos | Confidence Doe | Shed Hunters | Chad Goetten Buck | hello M.B.B. Rob | Mud Lick Monster | | Return Home | Taxidermy Shop | Hunting Photo Gallery | KIDS TRAIL! | Wild Hog Mania! | Fishing Photo Gallery | |
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