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No words IKS

Fullbore

Senior Member
6,439
126
South Eastern Ohio
Ok…. Now that I’ve come off my cloud and celebrated with my brother and near and dear friends. I will tell you a condensed version of my fateful morning.
I just started getting Babe back on camera on the eve of Thanksgiving. He’s been MIA ever since November 4th.
On this past Sunday after sighting in our guns. Stacey’s son Adam saw Babe on an adjacent property at 11:30 cruising back towards my lease. I couldn’t believe he was on his feet during daylight! All of my pics of him were only late night and early morning.
However, it gave me hope that he might present another opportunity and this time I will have my trusty .444 Marlin!
it was a W wind and my ladder stand was perfect for that wind direction. So I patiently stalked my way towards it at first light. I reached it at around 7:15 and nestled in for an all day sit.
I was just getting comfortable when I heard movement directly in front of me at 75 yards. It was a young doe and she appeared to be close to estrous. Her mom was straggling behind her at 40 or so yards. I caught movement above the young doe and saw a good buck with long beams moving towards her. I immediately went into kill mode and my crosshairs found his wheelhouse and I squeezed the trigger.
He exploded forward into the thick brush in front of him and out of sight! I heard a crash and then total silence.
I sat there in amazement at what just happened!!!!! I knew I just killed a really nice deer, but not sure which one! Lol
It could be Babe or the Wide 10 that hangs around this area?
I gathered myself together and called Ric and told him what just happened. He said that he’s on his way and just wait till he arrives before tracking. Lol
I started making my way across the small hollow to see if I could find any blood. As I was looking towards the direction that the buck was going. I saw his long beams sticking above the brush where he slid into.
As I walked closer to him, his rack got bigger and bigger! As I walked around his final resting place I finally realized it was Babe!!!! I hit my knees and wrapped my hands around his gorgeous rack and thanked God for giving me this opportunity.
I called Ric and told him that In fact it was Babe and to bring my CanAm.
I text our hunting buddies and Adam and Tim were both near by so they offered to come help me and congratulate me!
It was so surreal to me that this actually happened!!!! So blessed to be given another opportunity and to share it with my friends!
You know….. if we didn’t have family and friends to share these kind of memories with? It wouldn’t be the same!!!!
Thanks again to all of you for the words of encouragement after my encounter with Babe during bow season.
Good luck to those of you still hunting!
Be safe and God bless!
 

finelyshedded

You know what!!!
Supporting Member
31,856
260
SW Ohio
Great recap to an epic season bro! I’m so happy that I was able to make it down here for a few days of deer gun to hang around with you and our buddies at deer camp but to get the call at 7:35am of opening day that you just killed a good one and it might have been Babe sent me from cloud 9 to the stratosphere. When you sent me a few pics of him laying there to confirm it was him I couldn’t get there fast enough! Lol
CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN BUDDY!!!! This couldn’t couldn’t have happened to a more humble, generous well deserving guy. Soak it all in and ride this high as long as you can. This sounds cliche but what transpired really feels “like it was meant to be”.🤗👍🏻
 

Stressless

Active Member
2,127
85
Keene, OH
Well Done all around, from trying to get it done in early Nov, TOO respect for a food a good shot gone wrong, getting after it gun season and getting it done proper!

Congrats on beautiful trophy. My dad had a saying, "the harder you work, the luckier you get" - you lucky guy! 😉
 
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Wildlife

Denny
Supporting Member
5,248
191
Ross County, Ohio
I care to let you know that I stand completely behind my previous comments regarding your fantastic success this deer season, however after reading your final write up just moments ago, which it has truly and fully set into my mind and appreciate all the more of your true determination in getting back onto your buck to get him completely taken care of once and for all. Such an incredible story behind your buck harvest that it's nearly unbelievable that it turned out the way that it did. I'm extremely happy for you, and to all those whom you care about that got to share that moment with you as well!

Really good stuff all the way around!!

Congratulations once again!!!