No Rest for the Wicked! Nov. 9, 2009

The trail camera pics said it all. There was a giant whitetail roaming the woods at KSBUCKS! While I studied the pictures, I realized the deer had a “wicked” looking drop tine skirting the side of his face. Thus, the name “Wicked”. I immediately began to plan how I was going to harvest this monster. I knew that to lay eyes on a buck like this would be an accomplishment, and to get footage would be incredible. The odds of me getting an arrow through him were even more unlikely. Hunting with the perfect wind, getting in and out of the stand undetected, and making certain I was scent free were all necessary steps needed to make this hunt successful.

BVO prostaff Michael Harrell and Adam Nichlolas met me at the hotel in Wellington, KS. Also joining us was Ryan Clark, who drove ten hours from South Dakota just to film me. Ryan is quite the dedicated hunter, and I am so grateful to him for his willingness to help me. Our first morning, November 6, we sat in an observation stand. We thought it was important that we get a feel for how the deer were acting. On the morning of November 7, we revisited the observation stand. At noon, we moved in for closer inspection of this buck’s bedding area. We hung a new set, and remained there for the rest of the day. As we sat, Ryan began to have flu symptoms.

The next morning we decided it would be best for him to stay in bed, and try to recuperate. While waiting for my cameraman to get well, I had a difficult time sitting still. I drove to the lease, and considered entering the woods alone. Maybe I could at least get some footage. Sanity prevailed, and I decided to wait until I could go back in with a cameraman. Jason Newberry, KSBUCKS outfitter, knew I was in a bind without Ryan so he offered to film me. Needless to say, we went immediately to the stand. At 5:00 pm, I caught movement through the timber. I trained my field glasses on the deer. . . It was Wicked! He was about 70 yards away. I tried a couple of soft grunts, but he payed me no mind. He just kept on walking right on to the cut beans. Jason was unable to capture footage of him due to the thick woods. I was extremely excited to just see this once-in-a-lifetime buck.

The following morning, November 9, Ryan was much better and we were ready to go! I turn on the weather channel to check the wind, and it was all wrong. 5-10 miles an hour out of the East. This was the worst wind possible for this stand. We decided to wait for a wind change before entering the woods. Finally, a North wind! We get in the stand at 10:00 am prepared to sit all day. The stand is backed into the timber, but a small wheat field is visible. At 2:00 pm, I see Wicked at 300 yards. He walks out on the field with a smaller buck. I rattled to him and made a few calls, but he slipped back into a small neck of the woods. At this point, I am puzzled. He hasn’t reponded to any of my calling tactics.

We sit tight, and at 5:00 pm a buck stands up right where I last saw Wicked enter the woods. I raise my field glasses, and sure enough; It’s him!

Knowing my previous calls didn’t work on him, I broke out the K & H Gravity Doe Bleat. After turning it over a few times, he starts walking toward us. We are sitting on a pinch point with a deep creek squeezing him right to our position. Leaving the timber, he enters the wheat field on a zig-zag path toward us.

Later, as he walks straight at me, he never offers me a shot. Then, the unthinkable. . .As Ryan follows the deer with the camera, the swingarm makes a squeaking sound.

 Wicked bolts into the woods. I am aware my opportunity to kill this great animal is probably lost. I snort wheeze a few times, and he actually heads back to us. With light fading quickly, I finally have a shot through a small opening. Upon release of my arrow, I know it’s a bad shot.

After my miss, Wicked runs away only to return again in 10 minutes. At this point, it is too dark to shoot, but now I’m assured it was a clean miss.

Not many hunters ever see a buck of this magnitude, let alone get a harvesting opportunity. I was given both. I thank God for the experience, and I thank Him even more for changing my heart throughout the days of this tale. God was able to bring to my attention that He would desire my passion for Him to be equal or more than my obsession with chasing whitetails. I was made aware of the blessed life He has given me, and how I sometimes get caught up in the unimportant. How lucky I am to have had eight days to enjoy the great weather, and God’s beauty in the woods as I sat amongst it. This isn’t the end of my saga with Wicked. Hopefully, this is to be continued. . .

A big thank you to Jason and Whitney Newberry from KSBUCKS for the hospitality and awesome food!