Not to keep those of you following this blog in suspense, but until this very moment, I've been unable to tell the story of my Oklahoma buck let alone post a good photo. After surviving tornado-like conditions in the hours following my evening hunt, I hit a wall of severe winter weather the moment I entered my home state of Colorado the following morning. A blizzard was rolling through the area and highways were shut down. Luckily, I had a good friend who just happened to reside in the small town I'd just crept into. I took sanctuary at his home for the evening, and helped his wife, who just happens to be the Emergency City Manager, deliver supplies to stranded people. Not only was it rewarding, but it was a lot of fun blasting through the snow in a big 4x4. God always has a plan. We were able to deliver supplies to lots of people in need as well as lead people to shelter at a nearby Baptist Church.
Now for the rest of the story...
The pressure was dropping, but the deer were moving as a strong front approached. Before my buck came into the field, I had put eyes on a total of 23 deer and about 30 turkeys. At exactly 4:21 p.m., the biggest deer I've ever seen in the wild strolled into the field. He wasted no time moving in my direction and absolutely demolished a pair of scrapes. I could have killed the 160-inch-plus brute numerous times, but I just couldn't force myself to do it. My good buddy Scott Sanderford had paying rifle hunters coming in a couple of days, and I just couldn't force myself to finger my release. Scott had put me in this spot, a spot he was saving, because of the adverse weather conditions. It was close to the house and had a few shooter bucks -- eight points mostly -- entering the food plot. Scott had zero trail camera pictures of the buck I encountered. Once again, the power of the rut. It took every ounce of restraint I had, but I did it. Moments later, while the big boy was working a scrape, a good-looking eight point entered the wheat. The second the larger buck detected the smaller intruder, he took off at a dead sprint toward him. There was nothing I could do. Both bucks scampered behind a small isolated island of cover in the field. I just knew my Oklahoma hunt was over. However, about a minute after the pair vanished, the larger buck appeared at the opposite end of the field chasing a doe. Seconds later, the eight point came around the island of cover and paused 44 yards in front of my stand. My arrow, an Easton Full Metal Jacket 6MM fired from my Bear Escape, was perfect. The buck collapsed within 10 yards. I can't think of a more fitting end to an awesome Oklahoma deer hunt. It was defiantly one of the most exciting evenings I've ever spent in the whitetail woods.
Stay tuned. We aren't done yet. I still have a Colorado doe tag to fill, and head to Texas for my final whitetail hunt of the year on November 27. I hope you all are having a great season. God Bless, and good hunting.
If you would like more information about Croton Creek adventures, visit their website or give Scott a call at (580) 497-6387. You won't find a nicer couple than Scott and Joni, and you definitely wont' find a pair of people who care as much about putting their hunters on quality deer as they do. I love them to death, and feel honored to call them friends.
