Top_Heavy's World

Friday was a mess, my oldest son had a fever and I was on call to stay at home with him the rest of the day. My work load needed me, but family is always first. I was feeling the pressure as the phone calls were regular and I could feel the tightness creaping into my shoulders. I managed to get to bed before 9:00 as I had high hopes for an early rise and a very long drive to a secret little farm I hunt in South Central Iowa.
The warm splash on my arm and a strange gutteral noise brought me upright from my slumber. Anthony was sleeping next to me and I realized how sick he was as the vomit ran down my arm and splashed onto the bed sheets and the pillows. We got him cleaned up and back to bed and then set about the task of cleaning a king sized bed, new sheets, pillow cases etc. The clock claimed it was only 2:00 but it felt much earlier. I had to be up in an hour to make the long drive.
The alarm was annoying so I turned it off and laid back down... I stretched it until I couldnt' take it anylonger... I showered and threw on some clothes, I was hunting this morning no matter what!

It had been raining for almost 3 days, the low pressure and chilly drizzle only gave way to heavy rain that flooded the street in front of my office. I checked the weather reports almost hourly looking for the break. Saturday would be a high pressure system and the traditional NW winds that accompany that. Any hunter worth his antler collection knows that mature bucks are on their feet the first day of a high pressure system. It is as much a sure thing as the sun coming up in the morning. The fact that it had been nasty for so long only added to the intensity of the expected movement. I was preaching to everyone I know "If you only get one day this week, make it Saturday! They will be moving like you dream of!" I preached so much that I knew I had to get to a stand... no, THE stand by sunrise.

I don't mind 1 or 1 1/2 hour drives in the morning, but this drive was too much. The broken center line didn't look broken and I could barely see. I had to get there. I had slept in but was convincing myself that late was better than never. I pushed on until the lights of Hy Vee welcomed me. I pulled in, picked up the sustenance for the day and I raced further toward my farm. Parking the truck I frantically loaded my pockets with food, rangefinder, release and windicator and grabbed my bow. It was light enough to see as I trotted away from my truck. I hate being late, I am in the stand 1/2 hour before most people get out of bed, so I was feeling sick. Perhaps I was sick from no sleep and too much stress, but that is beside the point. I hate being late. I forced myself to go quietly and made it to the hill that overlooked the stand. I carefully made it down the steep hill with out falling and climbed into the 20ft ladder stand.

I noticed the tree was leaning more than when I set the stand,so the platform was no longer level. I lowered the shooting rail to give myself a "sense" of security as I knew my calves would be aching if I had to stand for long. I screwed in my bow hanger and knocked an arrow... the tiny fluff of a broken strand caught my attention and I manually turned my peep to center it. I knew the strand was broken, but my Drenalin was shooting so well that I just put up with the peep turning as the string stretched a little more. Completely ready, I stood up to surmise my surroundings.
I was situated on the point of a large bluff. In front of me was a 25 yard wide flat that ended at the river bank. There was a long abandoned logging road in the middle of it that was now growing up in honeysuckle and brambles. Behind me the ground rose at more than a 45degree angle. South of me there was a flat that was covered with thick brush and is a text book bedding area. North of my stand the bluff angles back to the East and the timber opens up again. This stand is in the tightest most geographically perfect funnel I have ever found. The down fall of this set up is that you don't see deer until they are within 20 yards on either side and there is only a 10 yard shooting window. I have had deer get by before proper identification, but the number of big deer in the area made it worth this risk.
I was able to stand about 10 minutes before I felt calm enough to sit. I had dropped the shooting rail so I was going to stand to shoot, unusual for me. I replayed the moves I would have to make, this was important because the deer would be so close. I had my release in my right jacket pocket and I was ready. A let my back sag against the tree as I watched the trail to the North. I turned slowly to look over my right shoulder and then I turned to look South. "Holy Shit"... I actually murmurred it aloud! I watched a monster thick rack develope from under an overhanging honeysuckle branch. I knew in less than one step that he was the one and I rose. I had put on my fleece for a reason this morning, I was a little warm, but when silence is needed, nothing beats fleece. The bow was hung perfect and I barely extended my arm. Hand in place, I took my eyes off the buck only to properly click my release to my D-loop. I came to full draw as he took only the 3rd step since I noticed him. He stopped and started to take out his annoyance on the branch hanging in front of him.
I let out a large breath and followed the steam as I focused on the buck. The huge left antler had 4 good upright points and I could see a short kicker off of the G2... my breath went South East against the bluff, but then took a downward path as though it was swirling right where the stag now stood. Huge mass, all the way out... the close side looks as good, no spike or surprises. His body was facing right at me, maybe a couple of degrees off, but the trail he was on goes less than 2 yards from my stand and he was only 12 yards away. His head turned hard to his left and I saw the pocket. I touched the release and the arrow sunk where the shoulder meets the neck, about 2/3 of the way up the body. He turned and bounced off a tree, then another. He circled the clump of trees and headed South down the trail he had just walked up. It is amazing how clearly I could see him for about 50 yards with his tail partially up, but I never saw him as he approached. I removed my bow hanger, raised the shooting rail and carried my things to the ground.
The bucks tracks were obvious in the soft leaf covered soil. Not a single drop of blood... "please God, let that shot be as true as it felt.... please let it be true" The sun still wasn't over the horizon so I walked partially up the bluff and sat next to an old stump. I have spent many hours next to that stump, it is where I used to gun hunt with my daughter, she would sit on it and I would sit on the rock I was now perched on. The center of the stump is fairly rotted now, so I put my banana peel in the hole. I snacked on the days worth of food as I watched the sun rise. I had been in the tree less time than it took me to walk there from my truck. The lighting was a little better so I started again. No blood; not unusual for the shot I chose. I will state matter of factly, take this as bragging or just understand my logic, I shot this deer where I did because I know how well I shoot, I know what my equipment will do, I know deer anatomy, and I am very calm when I shoot. I know this deer is dead, my question is did it make it 100 yards? I found the broken arrow about 5 steps further. about 10" of arrow including the Rage 2 blade, was missing. There was blood on the shaft about 1" up so I know I got 11-12" of penetration. That deer isn't even going to make it to the bedding flat!!! I easily followed the tracks in the mud, it was almost unfair. The bright yellow leaves of the honey suckle bushes covered the ground and the rain had turned the entire area into a smooth almost "painted on" surface. His were the only tracks since the rain let up so it was like tracking in a fresh snow. I slowly walked about 20 yards when a doe bounded back towards the bedding cover, she was eating acorns on the side of the steep slope and decided they weren't worth an encounter with me. I could see a touch of white up the trail and I lifted my binocs. Bellyhair... then the large sweeping antler that assured me he was down. I continued to watch the track as I was still looking for the first drop of blood. He had just trotted, slowly, with tail only partially raised, until he dropped. It wasn't violent and he hadn't kicked or even roughed up the leaves. The massive Rage hole was perfect, exactly where it needed to be. I sized up the antlers and body. He was short, height and length, but extremely thick, I struggled to move him. His antlers were wide and also extremely thick, they looked too big for his body. My friend, the landowner, had told me of this buck and his many sightings on both ends of the farm... I bet the "Big 9" used this trail often.
Reaching the truck I found my cell phone and started calling "the guys". It was now 7:58 am. I had left the truck, walked 15 minutes, hunted, shot, waited, tracked, recovered and rewalked 15 minutes.... all in less than 90 minutes!

24 1/2" and 25 1/2" beams, 22" inside spread and 38" of mass add up to 170 6/8" of total gross bone.

Many of you have already found 6 things you wouldn't do- the shot choice, the angle, the almost immediate track on a "poorly" hit deer with no blood trail... I know, you have your views and I obviously proved mine. On my next entry here, I will go over specifics and share with you how and why I do what I do.

Thanks for being here, you make it more fun and are why I write.
Matt Yamilkoski