# Perhaps my finest trophy



## capn (Aug 11, 2005)

I'm not much of a deer hunter, more of a waterfowler, but took what is perhaps the finest trophy of my times in the outdoors this weekend. It won't make any record books, but it is by far my best buck.

What really makes him a true trophy to me though is the work my partner and I put into getting him. Shot him in East Texas on public land. To get away from the other hunters, we hiked in close to 3 miles with packs prepared to stay out all day looking for a good buck. No 4 wheelers, no box blinds, no baiting allowed. Just good old fashioned walkin and sit down next to a tree style hunting. Well, scouting and moving in quiet payed off.

Had three does within 15 yards of me early. They were constantly aware of me from where I was sitting, and from where they approached I would have had a left handed shot, so I made the call to move to the other side of the old overgrown logging trail where I could get against a tree and have some cover, even though visibility would be reduced. It also turned me around for a right handed shot in that direction. That was a great call. At 9 I looked to my left and the first thought through my mind was that was a HUGE deer. It was still foggy and I was looking through brush, but as I was bringing the scope up I knew it had to be a buck. When he turned his head I saw chocolate tines moving way, way above his head and clearly outside his ears even though my view was obscured. That's when I knew I was looking at the biggest buck I had ever seen. I figured he could take three steps forward and be in the clear, but he could turn around and I wouldn't even be able to see him. I knew I had to take the shot. I focused in on the brush between us, found a baseball sized hole that let me hit him behind the shoulder, and squeezed off. How I thought through and did all of this in less than 5 seconds is beyond me! I knew I did not flinch because the recoil shocked me, and when the scope settled he was gone and I heard him running through the woods hard breaking stuff, then one last commotion and silence. And somehow on all of this, I got an eerily accurate mark on exactly the direction I heard him running.

And that's when the buck fever hit! :rotfl: I couldn't stand up and nocked everything over in my attempt to do so. Then I couldn't walk straight, then I couldn't breathe right, then I thought I was gonna have a heart attack! I was a mess! :rotfl:

And then, heartbreak. There was NO BLOOD. I made three trips down the trail, not a drop. I went back to where I was sitting, recreated the shot to check my mark, rechecked everything, no blood. My worst fears were coming to mind - that I had missed the biggest buck I had ever seen. The thought of that brush deflecting my shot kept coming up and I was sick over it. As the buck fever was finally wearing off, I got a rational thought in and, starting from where I thought the buck was standing, took off walking in the direction I heard him run. Couple steps, check for blood. Repeat. I didn't make it 50 yards into the woods when I cleared a couple of laydowns and saw a white belly. And horns!  The shot was perfect and the bullet did a number on him, but that buck had the thickest brisket and rib meat I have ever seen on a deer and it held the blood internal, leaving no trail.

It was a mainframe 8 with a mule deer fork and a 2 inch sticker on the base... but the tines were TALL (G2's over 11 and G3's over 10.5), symetrical, and thick. The brow tines curved forward at the tips and were gnarly. The tips of the mainbeams come out forward and then curl in to within a few inches of each other.

Then came the real task. It took my partner and I three and a half hours to drag him out!  It was miserable, and today I hurt in places I didn't even know I had. But, all it does is add to the story and the memories that will go along with the rack. And that is what makes it such a special trophy to me.


----------



## Jungle_Jim (Nov 16, 2007)

Awesome buck and story!! Great Work!

Jim


----------



## jay07ag (Mar 22, 2006)

way to go man thats awesome....there are studs running around the national forests in east texas


----------



## txoutlaw67 (Nov 22, 2008)

is that state hunting that you did. the reason i ask is the orange you have on.


----------



## FishinFoolFaron (Feb 11, 2009)

Very nice. Congratulations


----------



## Charles Helm (Oct 22, 2004)

Real fine buck. Congratulations.


----------



## wave hopper (Dec 27, 2004)

nice deer all that hard work pays off thats the key to hunting public land is to get as far back and away from everybody


----------



## General CoolBro (Jun 13, 2005)

Well done on the story, pictures and taking your trophy.

Very nice, thanks for sharing.


----------



## willsoonbfishin (Dec 8, 2006)

super nice buck. congrats!


----------



## troutslayer (Feb 7, 2006)

Now thats what it is all about......congrats on a very fine trophy and a well written story


----------



## fishingfred (Jul 16, 2007)

Great story and congrats on the Trophy!!!


----------



## Sugar Land YAK (Jun 19, 2004)

*Deer*

Nice buck...see u in January


----------



## capn (Aug 11, 2005)

I just got done scoring him and came up with 142 7/8. Just wish that the pics did him justice!


----------



## SwampRat (Jul 30, 2004)

Good buck and great story. Congrats.


----------



## 6Mile (Dec 17, 2005)

Bodie, nice buck and great story. Way to go bud.


----------



## Sunbeam (Feb 24, 2009)

Great hunt. That's the real old fashion way. Real fair chase for sure. I'll bet there are dozens like him in that area that will go all season with out being seen since most of us have forgotten how to get out and mix it up with them.
Again nice job on a great buck.


----------



## dwhite (Jul 11, 2007)

Great buck Capn! Way to put in the time to make yourself successful!!


----------



## elkhunter49 (Jun 7, 2004)

Great Buck for sure !!! Very unique. That's one I'd mount. Congrats


----------



## rufusoilt1985 (Jun 24, 2009)

sweet buck WTG


----------



## baldhunter (Oct 8, 2004)

Congrats on a great buck!!!You worked hard hunting and retrieving your harvest,it really puts it in "The Special Hunts I Will Always Remember".


----------



## buckbuddy (Sep 1, 2008)

Cool A_ _ story! and a good looking Buck! Enjoy him!!:rotfl:


----------



## Bukkskin (Oct 21, 2009)

Good for you, man. Congrats


----------



## Jfreeman (Nov 3, 2004)

Awesome!


----------



## vvflash04 (Oct 2, 2007)

AWESOME 

Great story and a trophy in anybodies book I am sure...


----------



## medulla762 (May 24, 2004)

Way to go capn........now where's my dadgum sausage.....hahaha


----------



## jt2hunt (May 13, 2006)

congrats


----------



## Bucksnort (Jun 29, 2004)

WOW!! That is a great story and a great buck. I hope you are getting him shoulder mounted. Everytime you look at him on the wall you will recall the story with you and your friend.


----------



## justletmein (Feb 11, 2006)

That is a great buck, congrats!


----------



## capn (Aug 11, 2005)

Actually not going to have him shoulder mounted. I thought about it, but I've never really cared for shoulder mounts and the one I do have is in the garage because of it. Plus I'm trying to save money for school, so it didn't make sense. Most likely I'll have a European mount done since I don't have one of those and have always liked them. Will put it up in my boy's room so he can have good dreams before every hunt.


----------



## salth2o (Sep 21, 2004)

Excellent story and an amazing buck!

Congrats.


----------



## ShallowSport24 (Sep 15, 2009)

great story. Congrats


----------



## wacker (Mar 22, 2006)

Cool deer, Congrats!


----------



## InfamousJ (May 21, 2004)

Dude.. a 142" 8 pointer? has to get a shoulder mount over the fireplace!  payment plan, take your taxi duck hunting.. do something. 

Awesome story and deer man.. trophy no doubt! Congrats.


----------



## Lezz Go (Jun 27, 2006)

Great story and I'd be proud to have that one on my wall.


----------



## 9121SS (Jun 28, 2009)

Congrats and great story.


----------



## bluewaterrip (May 8, 2006)

:brew2:

Hearing this story makes me want to go hunt public land. Thanks for the story and glad you did not give up after not seeing any blood. As soon as you heard the silence when he was running I knew you had him  Every dear that has run on me is alawys followed by branches breaking and then silence.

:brew2:


----------



## 11andy11 (Aug 12, 2004)

awesome. I hunt public land so I know what you went through.


----------



## deke (Oct 5, 2004)

Great deer, and I appreciate the well written story as well. E Tex public land...that IMO makes that deer a super trophy no leases, no feeders, no blinds, just hunting old fashioned way. Congratulations.


----------



## Tiny (Dec 19, 2006)

Very good, Very Good for you man!!


----------



## bountyhunter (Jul 6, 2005)

Awesome is all I can say, Congrats!!!!


----------



## Fishdaze (Nov 16, 2004)

*Congrats!*

What a trophy. You EARNED it!


----------



## RogerB (Oct 11, 2005)

congratulations! great buck!


----------



## waterspout (May 21, 2004)

Congrats Brodie,, fine buck! Can't believe you got buck fever now... poor mistreated ducks are going to miss you.


----------



## Josh5 (Jun 27, 2007)

Congrats! Great Story! Way to work for it!!!


----------



## DEXTER (Jun 28, 2005)

Very nice buck for anywere - especially nice for public land. Congrats:brew:


----------



## huntinguy (Aug 22, 2005)

Great post Brodie and a beautiful buck man!


----------



## redduck (Jul 26, 2006)

great buck and even better hunt. It brought back memories. Just shows it can be done with the right mental determination and prepardness. Congratulations.


----------



## DEG (May 29, 2006)

Great buck. Thanks for sharing the story.


----------



## idletime (May 11, 2005)

Great animal! Congrats!


----------



## greg77 (May 22, 2006)

That buck is pushing 200. I'm giving you 50 style points for doing it the hard way!

Congrats!


----------



## Bull Minnow (May 28, 2004)

You are off to a great start Brodie! Your boy had succes and you came through in a big way. Very nice buck and a great read. I split the cost of that Taxi work with ya!







A true trophy!


----------



## bbridges (May 21, 2004)

Awesome!!!


----------



## TXPalerider (May 21, 2004)

Man!!! That is AWESOME!! That deer is a trophy on a managed ranch!! The fact that he came off of public land is astounding!!! You are "DA MAN" Brodie!!!!!


----------



## NWPescador (Jun 8, 2007)

Thats a great Buck!


----------



## Pablo (May 21, 2004)

Congrats to you on a fine trophy and an even better hunt. Reading your story made me feel like I was there. Nice job.


----------



## TXDRAKE (Jun 24, 2004)

Brodie,

WOW great buck and great story!! Its nice to see some can still take nice deer without all the modern conveniences! Again, way to go!


----------



## LJeanGrayless (Sep 14, 2009)

Congrats! Nice one.


----------



## Redfishr (Jul 26, 2004)

Heck of a nice deer.....


----------



## Nwilkins (Jan 18, 2009)

Thanks for sharing


----------



## pngndn (Jun 19, 2009)

*trophy*

what caliber are you using and bullet...i heard ballistic tips dont leave alot of blood.


----------



## TXPalerider (May 21, 2004)

pngndn said:


> what caliber are you using and bullet...i heard ballistic tips dont leave alot of blood.


I'm going to go out on a limb and say, I don't think he was shooting ballistic tips.

Not to hijack the thread....But, your comment is a pretty broad statement, that as a rule I don't think is incorrect. I have seen just about every type/caliber of bullet fail to leave a significant blood trail at one time or another. Different bullets are designed for different things.

Ballistic tips are designed for long range accuracy and enhanced expansion at slower downrange speeds. If you shoot a BT in a high velocity caliber at a sizable animal at close range, the bullet will "grenade" on impact and not provide much of an exit wound or blood trail.

On the other hand, if you shoot a partition or solid bullet in a slower caliber at long range, you are likely to get a pencil sized exit hole and also have very little blood to follow.

It's all about matching your caliber/bullet design to your expected hunting circumstances. Shooting a particular bullet/caliber in a situation that it is not designed for, then characterizing it as a design failure, is not really fair.

I personally prefer a plastic tipped bullet with a bonded core (Scirocco, Accubond, etc). IMO, for my type of hunting, it offers me the best of both worlds.


----------



## capn (Aug 11, 2005)

.243 Remington Core Lock. I was using my son's gun because it is lighter to carry all that distance plus I shoot it better than mine, and I am glad because I had to thread the needle. The lack of blood trail had little to do with the bullet and more to do with the animal though. He had thicker rib and brisket meat than I've ever seen on a deer, plus a thick coat, and there was massive bleeding at both the entrance and exit wound... but inside that rib and brisket meat. On the inside that deer was toast. It reminded me very much of what you'd see on a shoulder shot of a big hog... no blood trail but a dead animal in under 50 yards. 

In my estimation the bullet performed well, although I would prefer a heavier caliber.


----------



## Grizzly1 (Dec 12, 2008)

Capn~Great story. Your story sounds alot like my father-in-laws from this opening morning. He hunts the National Forrest near Lake Sam Rayburn. He has hunted it during bow season and rifle season for YEARS, he is 56 years old and has always just shot whatever he sees for the meat, he will not get on a lease, HE LIKES THE ALL NATURAL CHALLENGE OF THE FORREST. Well, this year with the 13" rule he has COMPLAINED all year about what am I gonna shoot now. Saturday morning he went out, walked in farther than alot of people that hunt public land and went up a tree using a tree climber. A doe came out and he could see a buck was behind her, she turned and went back into the woods and he said that he prayed for her to come back and bring the buck. Five minutes later here she comes back, he said that she crossed in front of him and the buck stopped at the end of the brush, JUST LIKE YOU he shoots a .243 because its light and he said that he had a softball size hole in the brush to shoot him through. The buck stopped and all that he could see was his tines in the brush and the small opening behind his shoulder. He made the shot and the buck took off towards a creek going downhill, then he couldn't see him, a few seconds later the buck started coming back uphill from the creek bottom and as he approached the top he did a back flip down the side. He said he had never been so excited while deer hunting and he has killed a ton of deer in the forrest over the years. The buck was a large 10 point with four 1" kicker points making him a 14 point, really dark horns and about 15" wide with 13" tines. A NICE ONE FOR ANYWHERE. The best part of the story for me was that last year at Christmas after hearing that he had drug a deer out several hundred yards with a rope by himself, his Christmas present from me was one of the break-down carts to carry deer with, I think it was about $80 at Gander Mountain, Academy has them for $70, he was so happy because he just went to his truck and got his cart and went back, tied the deer on, and wheeled it out. He sent me a pic on my cell phone of him with the deer on the cart with a BIG SMILE. If your going to hunt the forrest alot, the carts are really cheap when you finally need one. IT PAID FOR ITSELF IN 1 TRIP. Just wanted to share this story with you. CONGRATS ON YOUR TROPHY.


----------



## dbullard (Feb 13, 2008)

great story awesome hunt !


----------



## Haute Pursuit (Jun 26, 2006)

That is a great buck. Big congrats!


----------



## activescrape (Jan 8, 2006)

You are my hero for today


----------



## Hotrod (Oct 11, 2006)

Heck of a story and a fine trophy, excellent job!


----------



## timberhunter (Feb 20, 2008)

congrats on the deer, though you should learn how to quarter a deer in the woods, it makes it much easier than dragging it 3 miles....bring a light pack frame in with you hide it in the woods then just pack it out......alot less work


----------



## WildThings (Jan 2, 2007)

capn said:


> Actually not going to have him shoulder mounted. I thought about it, but I've never really cared for shoulder mounts and the one I do have is in the garage because of it. Plus I'm trying to save money for school, so it didn't make sense. Most likely I'll have a European mount done since I don't have one of those and have always liked them. Will put it up in my boy's room so he can have good dreams before every hunt.


AHA !! check the other forum for my pm - let's talk!!

Congrats on an awesome animal !!


----------



## Van (May 21, 2004)

Brody,
Really nice deer and a great story. Congrats!


----------

