Trad Gang

I don't know what to say? It's been a great year and tonight I'm going to hug my wife of 12 years a little tighter. Just to let her know that I appreciate the way she lets me hunt as much as I do.

After hunting public lands for four days, and sleeping in a cold truck, I finally connected.

More to come....

 (http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a34/chadlewis/IMAG0020.jpg)

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WOW, WOW, WOW!!! Whata buck!

Congratulations!!! If I were you. I would be sure to shave before I hugged my   :D   honey.

Give us some details after you get through huggin' your bride.

Congratulations! Is that part Elk?

Chad , Ill say that is a dandy buck sir!!what did ya take it with , what bow arrow and broadhead..???details...  :)   really nice!What a rack!!!!!!!!!!!!m man!!!  :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:

Why not me Lord?
What a buck!
Get your wife to go with you,,, that way you won't have to worry if she is mad and you won't have to sleep alone!

(http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a34/chadlewis/86372be1.jpg)

Holy moly What a buck  :eek:

Very cool! Congrats on a Great buck.

OUTSTANDING!!!

A hearty congratulations!!!!

That's great Chad. Can you tell us a story and tell us about your equipment?

Wow!! great job!!  :thumbsup:

That's great! Now you can spend the rest of your life hunting does.

Outstanding, congrats on a great buck!

Chad,
   Great deer!! Let us know the details of the hunt when you get a chance. For sure its a buck of a lifetime!

Great stuff Chad,and what a deer!!!!!!!

Congratulations!!!! What a deer!!!!

C'mon Chad... The suspense is killing us. Tell us all the details of the hunt and your equipment,  please...

OH YEAH!!  Thats the kind I keep lookin for but can't seem ta find. Way ta go Chad!!!  :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:

:eek:    :eek:    :eek:    :scared:  WOW what a buck!! Congrats on a fine deer and a GREAT wife!  :thumbsup:    :notworthy:    :notworthy:

Good God Man, we need a story!  great buck!

Absolutely stunning Chad, nice going! Big congrats to you!

Mark

That is just SICK AWESOME!!!!! Congrats on a awesome buck.WOW!!!!!!<><

Extremely impressive buck. He's got about anything and everything, anyone could ever hope to kill.

I admire your ability to maintain the composure it takes to be able to get an arrow in an animal of his caliber.

Great job, congratulations. I look forward to reading some details of your hunt.

:scared:  Dude that is one heck of buck!!!! Awesome job... I don't think that I could have kept my composure at the moment of truth with that guy! Congrats and enjoy every moment emotion that you are feeling right now  :thumbsup:

Kevin.

Wow thats a huge buck man congrats

Good grief! That's one outstanding buck. Congrats!  :thumbsup:

GREAT buck.  That's the one all of us are looking for. Looks like you found him  :)   Give us the details..........and hurry

:thumbsup:

WOW! What a deer! I think he would qualify for a wallhanger...

JL

in a word, AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:    

That is an outstanding whitetail!  He has height, width, mass, character...  What a beautiful animal.  Congratulations.

What a buck,looking foward for the story  :thumbsup:

Uh ... uh ... uh ... Well ... uh ... uh... uh and ... er ... um ... ah. Oh well, you get the idea. Ya did outstanding!

Dang!!!! That's big


Hutch  :eek:

Yep, that one will definitely do.    :notworthy:    :notworthy:    :notworthy:

Wow,he has it all...my goodness Chad,you did real good bud.Awesome....that's just what I wanted to see...I leave for Iowa Fri.!!!!!

Congratulations!!!!  :notworthy:  

Sweet pix too...

Excellent----his antlers probably weigh more than some of the deer I arrowed----

 :thumbsup:  

               Mark

QuoteOriginally posted by Chad Lewis:
 Just to let her know that I appreciate the way she lets me hunt as much as I do.  

Amazing!!!!!  note to self, don't show this to the wife or else she wil expect me to bring home one of them everytime I go out.

that was on public land?????  Whoah!  gotta reconsider colorado!  was out visiting a buddy in woodland park and i didn't see anything like that while out hiking the backcountry!  truely impressive!

mike

I have spent a few years in Woodland Park and hunted a lot of Colo. But that is one fine deer.
 Sure you didn't wander into Kansas????  What a memory this will be...........  :thumbsup:  Chort

super deer..you earned it ,congrats.

Wow! That's a beast...congrats!  :thumbsup:

sportsfans buckzilla is no more! congrats on a deer of a lifetime.how long have you been hunting that big boy? and just think you did it the trad way!!

Dude,

I Better get a phone call tomorrow first thing in the morning. WOW!!!

Gorgeous buck, Chad!!  Nice job!  The cold nights and public access will make him that much more special to you.  Congratulations!

SON!!What a Hoss!!Are you part Wensel?

That is a bangger buck if I've ever seen one! Way to go.

Hoochie Mama, that buck is FANTASTIC. Congratulations

Very nice deer ! I hope he tastes as good as he looks !

nice buck!!!!!!!!!!

Chad...what a deer! Way to go...Congrats on a super animal.   :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:

all i can say is wow. man you hit the big one. god saw fit and you were able to draw on your learned skill and got the buck of a lifetime now it is time to find one bigger or just shoot does til you die lol. just kidding lol. man what a buck and i know he is going to be a winner and i know your probably not going to be able to quit smiling for a long time and on public land to boot your the man
rob k

ahh,  WHAT part of colorado did ya say ya hunted.
very nice  yes.  very nice

SHOWOFF!!

Oops!

I meant:  AWESOME!!!   :eek:  

Congratulations!!  I'm sure we'll be seeing pictures of that one in Traditional Bowhunter.  Hope so, anyway!

Kindest regards,
Dan

Chad, WOW what a buck  :scared:  Many congrats!  :thumbsup:

INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!

Great Day!

Great buck! The tougher they come, they sweeter they are.

What an awesome deer,Congrats...Jim.

WOW! I bet it was hard to pick a spot on that one that was not above his head.  :)  Great Job!

MAN, WHAT A BUCK!!!  :eek:    :eek:    :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:  

CONGRATS!!!!!

i'm waiting on the story also.

Aswome Buck

ps: Admins we need a drooling tounge hanging out greamlin

WOW!AWESOME BUCK!
Congradulations!

It was certainly your day wasn't it. That is about as good as a bowhunter could ever ask for. Very very nice! CK

Simply amazing,
        The HUNTER and DEER!

Oh my...oh my...oh my...oh my...they realy do exist  :D  . As everyone else has said...congrats!

Tell us the story...PLEASE.

That there looks like the payoff to a LOT of hard work! Deer like that don't just happen....they are earned. Great job.

WOW!!   :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:

Wow is Right.  That bucks got more junk than Sanford and Sons!!!!  Way to go.

That deer is almost big enough to have mounted! Ha ! Seriously though, great deer, I think that we should probably have him tested for using anabolic steriods.

Wow Chad.....Wow Chad....Double Wow!

Congrats of a fine job on a double fine animal.  He sure will make a fine mount.

Congratulations! Great work.

Chad, Just think how nice he would have been in 1-2 years...LOL

Wow really, really great animal. Great job doing it with a trad. bow.

Congratulations for sure!
Regards,
Bill W.

What a beauty!  Thanks for sharing!

THe fact that you did it on public land gets   :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:  from me!! Thts encouragement to the rest of us. Congrats.

Two lifetimes is right!  Holy Smokes what a buck!
Congratulations - sounds like you earned it the hard way which makes it all the more special.
 :notworthy:    :notworthy:    :notworthy:    :notworthy:

Chad... that is one HECK of a beast!

Nicely done!

Holy crap Chad you da man!!! I have seen the pics you have posted of your past succesful hunts including that gorgeous bighorn ram. Everytime I see another post from you I think hows old Chad going to top that one and unbelievably you somehow keep doing it. Congratulations on another fine trophy! Now give us the details already!

Beautiful Buck, congrats

Congrads and thanks for sharing the pic,s

It,s up ta 6 pages now with no story    :readit:  

Whatsup wid dat   :confused:    :D

I assume he is still thanking his wife...  :)

QuoteOriginally posted by hayseed:
Congratulations! Is that part Elk?

LOL
Thats what I was thinkin too.
Man nice buck.
Congrats!

6 pages of posts and no story yet?  So congratulations and all but get with it son.  Lets hear all about it!

 :bigsmyl:

holey moley! thats the biggest... one of those ive ever seen!

Oh Man!! You shot the buck of my lifetime! What an absolute treasure!

I just got off the phone with Chad.  He is having "technical difficulties" getting on to TG right now.  He said he has been trying.  He will give some details then.

Congrats Chad on an awesome deer!  Nice going.

Wow, what a dandy. Congratulations!

What a deer!!!!!!!!  BLM

Chad was headed to another stand on private land that he and another guy had permission to hunt (unbeknownst to each other), and so Chad backed out and went to this spot instead.  He had seen a 25" wide 4x4 at the other spot while scouting.  Guess it was worth a change in plans!

You all will have to wait for Chad to get more details!

http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=29;t=000037

Oh, just in case any one might think that Chad shooting big critters like this deer might be a fluke or blind luck, just follow the link.......

Wow it is nice to know those guys exist and normal folks can tag em.
For a while there I thought things like that only happened to gene and barry.
I can only imagine how you must feel.!!!!

Nice!!!

Beautiful buck and any other questions about big bucks and traditional equipment!? Great job, looking forward to the story.

Wow, what a nice buck Chad.  Congrats on a job well done.

David

Oh, and one more thing, Chad statement about wanting to curl up with his wife, understandable, the woman is a hottie!!!

Chad can you add a picture of April on here holding a bow or something (so it stays proper subject matter)!

Right. And now Chad's puter is down? What kind of evil conspiracy is this? C'mon, Chad, we want, we need, in excruciating detail, how the setup and demise of this bruiser came about! AAALLLLL the details!

Bob

YESSIRREE!!!  good one...

IZZAT WOODY'S BROTHER??????? Nice Deer!

One more thing, Chad could probably be on David Letterman for his deer bleat that he does with just his mouth.  It kinda sounds like a devil-deer it sounds so realistic it makes the hairs stand up on the back of my neck.

Chad,
        It's nice to see someone succeed that's obviously dedicated. I've worked hard for all of my accomplishments and realize the effort that goes into success.  My had is off to you.

                          Well done,
                                  Pat Byrne

Wow! What a Great Buck! He's got it all! Congratulations Chad!    :thumbsup:    :notworthy:  

God Bless!

Jim

I've seen such deer in my dreams...but that's about it!

Man,what a super deer!

(Chad, you actually talk to Stevey on the phone)?  :D

Very nice deer Chad, Congrats!!!!!!

SaaaaaMMMOOOOOKKKKIIINNNNN!!!!

What a monster! Way to go, bro!

TOMANO

Congratulations on a real HAWG!  Don't it feel grand?

Now, here's the deal...Next year, you have to get a bigger one!

Too Short

Wow, you guys can sure humble a person. Thanks for all the positive replies I appreciate all of them.

Well, I've been one to talk a bit but I'll try to keep this short, but it won't happen.

I was hunting a good funnel area that in previous years held good bucks. Bucks that I would see one day and most likely never again due to the nature of this place.

Not long ago, I had a chance at another huge buck in this very same place, but no matter how I tried, I just couldn't get a good shot at him. Now I was back and it was a new year.

I hung a stand where that big one a few years ago slipped by. There was a faint trail running down the middle of this place, but that buck was still haunting me and I decided to setup where that unforgettable morning took place.

The first night I had two small bucks walk by at about 30 yds. I let them walk and began to wonder if I should shift. The next morning back in the same stand I had a small buck walk right through my setup and felt I was in the right spot.

About an hour later I had a doe and a young buck travel the same zone as the bucks the night before had walked and decided to move. I moved back 40 yds, and in 20 yds for what would be a solid 20 yd shot.

I decided not to hunt that evening and really wanted to find some private ground. I swear I knocked on every farmers door in the unit I was hunting.

I finally got permission on some very nice property and decided to take a walk around the perimeter of the place trying to judge where the deer were coming and going. As I walked to one place on a fence row, I jumped a huge 4x4. The buck ran right down a strip of trees and after looking the place over, I felt great about the next night to come.

I got up that morning and hunted my public ground spot. It was opening day of duck season but I still had high hopes. The new setup was excellent. You know the type, the one you can sit in all day and not see a thing but still have that slight tension on the string because you know it "IS" going to happen. There was that feeling, little did I know it would come so soon, and so fast.


Well It didn't! At about 7 o'clock I heard a deer go through the slough, followed by another. It was a buck chasing does. I grunted, the splashing stopped. I stood up, got ready and again I could hear the water splashing as deer were running through. They were heading away and all was quiet. I asked myself should I rattle? I decided against it, and let out a doe sound followed by a grunting buck. The water started splashing, I had tension on ths string, drew one time and got ready. I looked at my sleeves and all was tight. String slap wouldn't be a problem. The string on my fingers felt good, seated perfectly in my shooting glove.  I heard the big cotton wood leaves crunching, like two children playing in the woods but these sounds were not from children. It was that magical sound that we hope to hear during those two special weeks in the  November woods. The sounds stopped, and then started going away, I grunted, and grunted one more time. What I got back nearly floored me out of the tree.............................


It was the best "human" duck call one could ask for and I guess I was the "Duck" First named Daffy! As I sat down, I felt angry, but soon got over it. I felt like the guy who got cow called in during an elk hunt. Later I heard the deer running, but this time they appeared. One was yellow, the other black. I'll let you figure out the species. It was time to go to the private land.

It was mid afternoon and I was ready. I walked to the trees with the wind blowing hard in my face. When I was about 20 yds from the trees I was  sneaking into, I noticed a guy heading across the field at me in a pretty fast walk. I figured I should wait and see what he had to say. As he approached I noticed he was carrying a bow and he was a little upset. He started to ask me questions in a pretty loud manner and I told him to calm down, the deer were not far from us and just take it easy. He asked If I had permission to hunt there, and I told him I did. He then got upset and told me he had a spot just up the tree line and this was his last night to hunt. I told him not to worry, if he had a spot set, I'd let him hunt it and stay clear. As I left, I said isn't it funny how we both selected pretty much the same spot? He agreed, and that was the last I saw of him.

As I walked out of the field, my spirits were pretty low. I'd been sleeping in my truck for three days and now this? I was ready to call it quits, and go see the kids.

I called my wife and told her I was going to sit till dark and that I'd be home by 9 so we could spend Sunday together prior to me going back to work .

It never happened, this night would be like no other...................

Super congrats on a super buck!!!

But I just read this and now "the rest of the story"

PLEASE

Thats a dandy.

Ya but just think what he would have been like NEXT YEAR!!   :D  


UFF-DA! now thats a buck!!

congrats!!
BR

I'm excited to read the rest of the tale and I've already heard the rest of the tale!  Come on man!

Don't leave me hanging.  :confused:

Incredible amazing buck, but your story shows us how to keep going when road blocks keep popping up.  Can't wait to hear the rest...Way to go!

Wow..Chad...this is good stuff!!! Looking forward to the rest.........

QuoteOriginally posted by Guru:
Wow..Chad...this is good stuff!!! Looking forward to the rest.........

Ditto that!  :bigsmyl:

Very impressive deer, congrats.

Ten hours later and no update?  Oh the humanity!

Those customers can wait Chad, just tell them to read the damn instruction manual for once!  ; ^ )

Wow...what a buck!!!

I can't believe you shot that thing with one of them danged White Bison bows..... (That's a joke to you Steve, are ya still building them???)

I think Chad has been taking lessons from a few others around here on how to tell (or not tell...) a story.

Chad.......absolutely awesome!!!! Congrats!!!

No Dave, he shot his bighorn last year with one but he used his "ugly" bow this year!  LOL.

I haven't built any except for myself and friends since a year before I left St.L which would be about 6 years ago.

I sold one of my personal bows to Chad about that same time when he was just a poor, lowly Army private in Sauget(East St. Louis), Illinois and look at him now!

Congratulations, Chad. That is a heck of a deer!
  :notworthy:

I finally got up in the stand and only then did I realize the winds were blowing at least 30 miles and hour. It had been windy most days this week, but I felt like the days past, it would eventually lie down.I kept thinking if a deer came by there wouldn't be much I could do.

It was about 40 minutes before I could balance myself without holding the tree when the first deer stepped out. It was a lone doe I had seen before and things were looking good early.

She was acting nervous and I figured the wind was the cause. She then took off across the river bottom followed by a single antlered deer. He was having fun and things were getting interesting. I'm sure he thought he was a king, all 6 inches of one antler tailing that doe.

Not five minutes later a nice buck came out in pretty much the same place the doe and little buck had been standing. I tried to get him to come my way but we were separated by an old blown down fence line and although curious he wasn't quick to drop his guard.

I gave my best grunts and bleats and could tell he was interested, but he kept looking where the doe went, and then to the haunts of the windy forest where I sat hoping he would give me a chance.

He started circling me to get my wind and I felt with the current wind conditions there was no way he was going to pick me off. He was now about 65 yds out and directly down wind. He just stood there in the wide open river bottom looking for the doe he had heard.

I decided to do something I've never done while hunting deer. That was to rattle at him. I picked up the horns, and put them together softly to see if it would be his undoing. It wasn't! As soon as heard the horns he bounded off in the direction of the doe and small buck. So much for that??

It was still early and my hopes were high. A third buck appeared where the previous deer had been and I did my best doe imitation to see what he would do. As luck would have it, he walked pretty much to me. The 3x3 had been fooled and this night was turning out to be one I wouldn't soon forget.

It was starting to get late when I looked behind me and noticed a small buck rubbing on a tree some 80 yds away. The bucks were out, I just needed a few more minutes. I put my binoculars on the small buck and was watching him when for no reason, he took off? Not two seconds later out of the thick tangle behind me came a great buck.

He was cruising the funnel and coming my way fast. He cut the distance between us in half within seconds. He stopped, at some 50 yds and stood up on his hind legs almost completely vertical and began to destroy a tree. He was taking it to a whole system of branches and was doing so with tremendous force. It was hard to tell the difference between antlers and the tree branches as he violently sparred with his opponent.  He then dropped down, and started throwing dirt with his front hooves.

Never before have I seen buck throw dirt so far behind him. He was hot, and taking everything out on a tree there, not 50 yds away and headed in my direction.

He then snapped his head in my direction and on he came. That was the last time I saw his antlers!

I got ready, and focused on that little dark triangle as he headed my way. I had told myself if a buck came through I would try to take him in the first opening which seemed to be a close 20 yds versus the long 20 yds (visually) directly to my left.

On he came and for the first time, I could hear his foot steps in the cotton wood leaves approaching quickly. As he hit the first opening, his speed was too great and I never got on him as planned. He went behind a huge cotton wood tree and when he reappeared I was locked on knowing this would be the last opportunity for a shot. I grunted to stop him but he never heard it. I gave him one more and he locked up.


He was tense, standing there looking for the sound. I drew back, anchored for what seemed like two to three seconds and shot...... The buck took the arrow tight to the crease and mule kicked to the rear and took off.

It was then that I saw the rear view of him leaving with stuff sticking out from both sides of his antlers as he jumped the fence and ran out into a huge opening. 100 yds....... go down......200 yds........GO DOWN............. at 250 yds he stopped.

I now had to get up on my seat and was looking through some brush and could barely see him. He looked to be wobbling and I lost sight of him. He was only feet away from going into a river and was about to leave public land.

I sat down, and the surge hit me. I settled down, pulled out a small compass and got a good bearing on the last place I saw him. He was straight 90 east.  The wait was painful. You think after shooting a few animals it would go away, but if anything (for me), it has only gotten worse.

The "what ifs" started going through my mind. I felt that I had heart shot the buck but couldn't believe he went that far on such a hit. My mind again started playing cruel tricks on me. Was it low? If it was a heart shot he wouldn't have went so far? Maybe he needed to get across that opening? Did he make it to the river?

About an hour later (dark now) I got down. I went to the site of impact and found blood right away.  With good sign I started trailing and not 15 yds away, I found my arrow snapped in two minus 10 inches of the shaft with penetration that seemed to be complete.The Wensel Woodsman had done its job and now it was up to me.

I followed blood to the heap of what used to be a fence and then over. About mid way through the opening it was getting very hard to follow him so I pulled the compass out, walked the 90, and hit the river bank. I started to look in panic. The grass was tall, but I would be able to see him easily if he was down.  He was not there! 300 plus yards and no deer.


I then walked to the river bank and saw where he went down. He had stopped on a small sandbar and left significant sign and both the blood, and his tracks pointed off into the dark side of the river that my flashlight could not penetrate. Across a river I had no knowledge of as far as depth and now he was on private property.I decided to pull back.


Again I felt the huge surge of pressure and doubt about what happened. From the highest highs to lowest of lows, I felt alone and had only past tracking jobs to reflect back on. Some bad, some good, I was alone with nobody to talk to and only the lonely cold truck to look forward to.

It took me some time, but I located the land owner and told him what had happened. He was happy for me and told me it wouldn't be a problem at all. I tried to hide my anxiety and thanked him. He told me if it came to it, I could take his old dog if needed. He wished me good luck and I was sad to leave. Company was something I could have used.

It was near 8PM or so and I had a long night to look forward to. I was in my sleeping bag and felt I had a great nights sleep. I looked at my watch and it was only 10 PM. Again, the doubts crept in and the thoughts of tomorrow were cloudy at best. In a surreal moment, I said to myself if it turns out bad, it's a shame I didn't even get to really see the buck's antlers even though he was right there.

Morning found me standing at the rivers edge in the dark listening for yips and yaps of the coyotes that haunt this river bottom. It was quiet. Two ducks came down and landed right in front of me and soon it was light enough to see.

I crossed the river and located where the deer came up and out. Again the sign was very heavy and I was feeling quite good. Another 20 yds and I had nothing. It was like everything vanished. I searched and searched that little landing and thought maybe he went right or left, but the beaver slide runway was right there and was still in line with the last blood I  had found.

I looked and looked and found a spot of blood indicating he indeed went up the runway. Once up I still found nothing. I walked about 20 yds out where the ground was covered with cotton wood leaves versus the short grass where cattle had been grazing. After 20 or so minutes I found where he went. I went back, picked up my bow and pack and started heading back to the last spot when I saw his antlers sticking up out of the nearest brushy island. The journey had ended today in the same direction as it did the previous night, due east.

As far as the bow equipment went, I used a 62lb longbow with 33 inch 2216s tipped with Mr. Wensel's Woodsmans.  

Chad

WOW!! GREAT STORY!! Felt like I was right there with ya!  :thumbsup:  Congrats on a fine hunt and buck.

Thanks, Chad.

That is impressive!!! Congrats just don't seem like enough!

Great narrative of the the hunt and the trail Chad! Just felt I had to tell ya I cannot count the times I have gone back and looked at the pic's of your buck. He is absolutely impressive. I can only imagine how you must have felt when you did find him and got to put his rack in your hands for the first time. Talk about mixed emotions, I'll bet yours were scrambled.    :D    
I hope you and your buck make the cover of a trad mag, with story inside. Your persistance in the hunt despite disappointing events and your efforts to recover the buck make for great examples for all hunters.

Again, outstanding job in more ways than one.

Al

Well Said Al! Great story Chad!    :thumbsup:

God Bless!

Jim

Al,

Thanks for the kind words I appreciate them. I'm glad you enjoyed the quick little write up.

I guess I forgot to add as best I could tell I got one lung. The hit was perfect on the one side but instead of coming out the opposite side, it came out through the bottom of the chest. In Colorado there are certain units you cannot take the deer out due to CWD, so I quartered him just like you would an elk using the gutless method. I never searched for my broadhead or what exactly I hit.

There's nothing more to say, AWESOME!  :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:

Well written story Thank you!

I used that "gutless method" for the first time this yr and really liked it.Beats the snot outta draggin em out whole.

Congrads again TM

Great story!

Great buck and story!  Congrads!

I just wanted to bump this once, I just got back from Kansas and can appreciate this story because I hunted the same kind of terrain I think, and Chad has sent me some encouraging PM's on traditional hunting. Congrats Chad - fine, FINE whitetail !!

Good stuff Chad, congrats!  Didn't see this earlier, thanks Brad.  Was driving from MN to AK  ;)

Fantastic, congrats!

-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com (http://www.bowyersjournal.com)

I thought I'd just finalize this post with some numbers my taxidermist gave to me today.

The buck scored 172 gross as a main frame 8 point and grossed 209 NT.

The final net score was 168 as a typical (without subtracting all the NT points) and 205 NT when all said and done.

I thought it may be of some interest to see just how typical he actually was. One fine animal that mother nature created.

Chad

Incredible animal, Chad...I would love to see pics of the mount when it's completed. Congrats again!

I am so glad you bumped this back up. Your spellbinding adventure took place while I was in a tent the National Forest, so I missed the original posting. I returned near the end of the month, and though I backtracked through the threads, I missed yours.

What a thrilling hunt, and your story was told exceedingly well! Thanks for sharing it, and for the terrific pictures that you took of the deer. What a majestic creation of Nature, indeed!

Killdeer

Wow! Great buck and story, congratulations!

Wowie!!!!!!! Nice buck  there! Congratulations!

Superb buck & a nice read. Thanks for sharing it.

Larry

Chad,That's something else how symmetrical he was! All that bone and only 4" of side to side diff.,awesome bud!!!

Congrats again!!    :notworthy:

You should be proud as he is definately a buck of a lifetime.sleeping in your truck and all, you earned him.  

One fine buck! You should do something special with the mount,perhaps a pedestal or wall mount with habitat. Just something extra to set it out from all the other big ones you will get as the years go by.

I can only imagine. WHat a beautiful animal. Congrats!!!

Hunt it,

Chad, that punk, already has a 5x5 and a 6x6 (or similar number of points) that are 160's class, so some of them big one have already been begot!