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The Story Of Pete

Strouds weekend was quickly becoming a great opportunity for Allen and I to spend some good time together. With him having conferences Thursday and Friday it meant he didn’t have school. Rarely do we get more than a weekend to do something like this. Top it off with us being able to go down the weekend before for a quick trail camera check and a little hunting we knew that we had some good opportunities if we put some stand time in.

Pete was the name given to one buck we had on trail cameras over the last several years. A few sheds and plenty of pictures and we knew we had something special living around our place now and then. A great buddy of mine kept teasing me that he was just going to have to come over and kill him. When he wouldn’t come out to hunt him I said the next best thing to do was to name the buck after him. Until last year none of us had seen Pete on the hoof. That was until Allen had him at 40 yards dogging a doe. That memory sparked the drive in Allen to become even better at bowhunting. Last year Pete survived another Ohio deer season.

This year he showed up on camera again, as usual there was no pattern and seemed random. I believe this year he would be 7 1/2 but could have been as old as 8 1/2. It seemed he was always a ghost to us though but this early hunt gave Allen and I hope our paths might cross.

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Friday evening I decided to hunt a food plot we put in earlier in August based on the wind direction. As I eased up to the plot I bumped a doe and two yearlings bedded on the edge of the ridge. They moved off without any real commotion so I felt confident as I climbed into the stand.

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Of course that didn’t last long and 20 minutes later they came back, momma was searching for me. She blew a couple times but just walked off as one of her little ones walked right under me and over to munch on acorns. It wasn’t long and I had a small buck in the plot munching on Big-N-Beasty. Next thing I know there were 3 bucks and 2 were fighting, right under me.


4 does later and the plot was full of deer. I felt like I couldn’t move!! Well that didn’t last long because the doe was back behind me again searching and she blew again. Crap, they were all gone in the blink of an eye. I stood there thinking she deserved an arrow if she came back. I stood there searching the thick for any sign of a deer and after a good half hour I was starting to think she really did blow it for me.

Around 6 pm I look back at the plot and I realize Pete was literally walking through and he was almost halfway through it!! He didn’t slow down as he seemed to be passing through and not there to eat. I rushed to grab my bow off the hanger, drew and tried to get him to stop. I grunted loudly and he seemed to stop but it was only a pause in his stride. Too late, the arrow was on its way!!! As the arrow hit he immediately smashed through the brush, tail tucked tight into his ass! The crashing went maybe 30-40 yards but I knew there was an opening in there where he could sneak away. In my mind it looked like I just made the worst shot on a deer in my bowhunting life. The arrow hit him in the guts, but my only hope was that he was slightly quartered away. I stood there shaking uncontrollably feeling like I was going to throw up!!
I texted Allen first, then family and friends. I was so freaking worried about the shot I even went on FB Ohio Deer Trackers page and made a plea for help. I knew what Pete meant to me, the history and knowing what he was again this year. I didn’t want to mess things up any worse than I already thought I did.

Soon I had deer around me again so I couldn’t get down for fear of spooking them towards him. Right before dark I was able to get down and take a quick peek to see if the arrow had passed through. It was just a blur and my somewhat frantic looking produced nothing. Knowing if there was a chance of getting a dog on site I wasn’t about to go any further and I backed out. He needed time anyway and figured there would be no looking until morning.

Allen and I went to Strouds for a mind break and food. The best part was all the reassurance I got from everyone that heard the story.

It was a very sleepless night and I was lucky to get an hour straight of sleep at one time. Through the middle of the night I had received a message from a tracker listed on the Ohio Deere Tracker FB page. His name was Brian McCoy and a dog named Molly out of Lancaster, OH. he was available and was willing to be there first thing in the morning. Still thinking that I had made the worst shot of my life I agreed to his terms and asked him to come to the farm that morning. My buddy Pete, The one I named the buck after, was also getting off of his midnight shift and was going to head there to the farm as well to help.

Soon Pete, Brian, Molly and I were out on the edge of the food plot where the buck Pete had been walking when I shot him. Molly was just enjoying her time sniffing around while Brian gave us instructions but as soon as he gave the command Molly took off literally in the direction Pete had ran. She quickly towed Brian into the thick brush as Pete and I looked around for the arrow or any sign of the hit. Next thing we know we hear Brian yell “we found him...holy shit is he big”!! The deer literally fell where I had last heard him crashing through the brush!!! To say it was an emotional thing for me would be an understatement. Having the person there that I named the deer after was probably one of the best things that could’ve happened as well. The deer was huge and everything I could have ever hoped for in a buck. We took pictures and I texted many people including Dave @giles to let them all know we found him.

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I mentioned to Dave in a text that I had no idea how we were going to get him out of there simply because he was enormous. It only took a second for him to reply.....

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Before long Dave @giles, Mike @Mike, Michael @Redneckfucker and Dave’s son Kody arrived at the farm to help Allen and I get him out. Pete, Brian and Molly had to get going so I was very grateful they showed up to help.

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Gutting Pete was not the most fun part at first but once I got up in there and found that I had hit the lungs and actually clipped the heart I realized that my worst shot ever actually was probably the best one I could have ever made on this deer. Clearly the shot was definitely a steeper angle quartering away than I had thought. The arrow had traveled all the way through the other side of Pete, exiting just behind the opposite shoulder but had not broken through the skin.

Soon after @Mike and @Redneckfucker made quick work dragging Pete out to the 4 wheeler. I’ve never seen two guys grab a hold of a deer that size and muscle that thing like those two did!!! Hell I couldn’t even keep up with them as they busted through the brush dragging that deer out!!!!
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Taking Pete to Strouds to share him with all you TOOzers who were there was incredible. I cannot thank you guys enough for all of the congratulations you gave me and especially for recognizing Pete for what he truly is, a fucking stud of a buck!! I am going to miss seeing him on trail cameras and the hope of him walking by again one day.

One thing to add to this already incredible story for me is that Taylor @Diablo came over to take a look at him on Sunday with his wife. Taylor had found a few of Pete’s sheds over the years as well and he surprised the hell out of me when he gave them to me!! Now I need to come up with a great mount with all of his past sheds and do a final tribute to Pete.

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Fletch

Senior Member
Supporting Member
6,078
118
Just got up and while having my morning coffee read this great recount of Pete.... What a fantastic buck and story to go along with him... Again CONGRATS ON A BUCK OF A LIFETIME!!! Also sounds like TOO MEMBERS ARE THE BEST FRIENDS ONE COULD HAVE IN A LIFETIME!!!
 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
I've read this 3 times already this morning. What a great accomplishment. The dedication and hard work put into growing deer like this is not for everyone. Add the miles between home and the farm. Hats off to you and Allen for having the self control to do what is necessary to let deer grow.

Also know that I would've driven the 2 hours from my house to do this. So don't hesitate in the future if you need a hand again. I'd much rather take the drive to help a guy out. I've done it before and I'll do it again.
 
This right here is what humbled me the most. Seeing everyone's excitement and how something like a deer can bring so many together. I knew what Pete meant to Allen and I, to see others enjoy him in a different way was one of the most gratifying things ever. To also see how so many TOOzers came together for Dan's buck just goes to show the type of people who are here in this forum. You all deserve my biggest heart felt Thank You!!

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