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Successful Spot and Stalk - Score Update

I finally got around to putting a tape to the buck I killed on the 14th.

He ended up gross scoring 135 3/8".

It makes him my highest scoring 8 by quite a lot. I was tickled with him regardless of the score.

Here's a couple more pics.
 

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Outdoor Enthusiast said:
Well this is a first for me….

I spotted this buck locked down with a doe. They were moving through some thick cedar woods and the buck was dogging her hard. I watched them move towards a small thicket and lost sight of them. I figured they would bed down since it was early afternoon.

I decided to make a move towards them since I could get the wind in my favor, and I could get elevation above them with the lay of our farm in the area.

I made my way to a rock outcrop that is thick with briars (that we can't bushhog). I figured it would allow me to hide and glass to try to spot them. As I scanned the woods I spotted a long white tine. Well at least I thought it was. As I watched the tine for ten minutes it never moved so I thought I was imagining it to be a tine. Then all of a sudden an entire rack appeared. The buck must have been sleeping with his head down so only one tine was visible to me. Now i am in the game!

I don't use calls, but I thought about trying to grunt or snort wheeze to get the buck to stand. But with such a good consistent wind and the deer completely unaware of my presence I decided to just wait and watch. After about an hour, the buck stood from his bed to stretch his legs. I can see the top half of his body now, and he is offering me a good broadside shot. I get my gun settled and squeeze off the shot. As the smoke clears I think I see him go down in the bed but I couldn't be certain. So I give it some time.

The hot doe is now standing within my view. She is skittish but won't leave the thicket. I am waiting to see what happens. I am worried I missed or the buck isn't dead. I am thinking that the doe would bring him back to the thicket if he ran off so I wait and watch for 15 minutes. Nothing. The doe just stands right where the buck was bedded. I finally have had enough waiting.

As I walk down to the thicket the doe finally takes off running. No other deer in the area. No buck leaving with her. I walk up into the thicket but I can't find the buck. It is chest high briars. I move down through it and see that big white belly. Dead right there. He collapsed straight down into his bed.

I was pleasantly surprised by his rack. Definitely no ground shrinkage. Good long tines and good mass. The shape of the frame is also very cool.
Click to expand...
I Love his antlers
 
Outdoor Enthusiast said:
He ended up gross scoring 135 3/8".
Click to expand...
In my opinion, it takes a big 8pt to score 130 or better. I've been very blessed to kill a few over the years that big. A few years ago, a taxidermist buddy mounted a low 160 8pt and 10pt. It was unreal how much "bigger" the 8pt was than the 10pt although I wouldn't complain with either.

Congrats again on a great buck!!!
 
Last edited:
TN Larry said:
In my opinion, it takes a big 8pt to score 130 or better. I've been very blessed to kill a few over the years that big. A few years ago, a taxidermist buddy mount a low 160 8pt and 10pt. It was unreal how much "bigger" the 8pt was than the 10pt although I wouldn't complain with either.

Congrats again on a great buck!!!
Click to expand...

I see folks throw around "130s 8pt" a lot when referring to deer they pass or an up & comer on their property, as if it's just a bit too small. Immediately I know they haven't measured many racks. A true 130" 8pt is a very big rack.
 
Outdoor Enthusiast said:
Well this is a first for me….

I spotted this buck locked down with a doe. They were moving through some thick cedar woods and the buck was dogging her hard. I watched them move towards a small thicket and lost sight of them. I figured they would bed down since it was early afternoon.

I decided to make a move towards them since I could get the wind in my favor, and I could get elevation above them with the lay of our farm in the area.

I made my way to a rock outcrop that is thick with briars (that we can't bushhog). I figured it would allow me to hide and glass to try to spot them. As I scanned the woods I spotted a long white tine. Well at least I thought it was. As I watched the tine for ten minutes it never moved so I thought I was imagining it to be a tine. Then all of a sudden an entire rack appeared. The buck must have been sleeping with his head down so only one tine was visible to me. Now i am in the game!

I don't use calls, but I thought about trying to grunt or snort wheeze to get the buck to stand. But with such a good consistent wind and the deer completely unaware of my presence I decided to just wait and watch. After about an hour, the buck stood from his bed to stretch his legs. I can see the top half of his body now, and he is offering me a good broadside shot. I get my gun settled and squeeze off the shot. As the smoke clears I think I see him go down in the bed but I couldn't be certain. So I give it some time.

The hot doe is now standing within my view. She is skittish but won't leave the thicket. I am waiting to see what happens. I am worried I missed or the buck isn't dead. I am thinking that the doe would bring him back to the thicket if he ran off so I wait and watch for 15 minutes. Nothing. The doe just stands right where the buck was bedded. I finally have had enough waiting.

As I walk down to the thicket the doe finally takes off running. No other deer in the area. No buck leaving with her. I walk up into the thicket but I can't find the buck. It is chest high briars. I move down through it and see that big white belly. Dead right there. He collapsed straight down into his bed.

I was pleasantly surprised by his rack. Definitely no ground shrinkage. Good long tines and good mass. The shape of the frame is also very cool.
Click to expand...
Whew, beauty of a buck!
 
TN Larry said:
In my opinion, it takes a big 8pt to score 130 or better. I've been very blessed to kill a few over the years that big. A few years ago, a taxidermist buddy mounted a low 160 8pt and 10pt. It was unreal how much "bigger" the 8pt was than the 10pt although I wouldn't complain with either.

Congrats again on a great buck!!!
Click to expand...
Yeah. I have seen a 140 8 beside a 150 10, both from Illinois, and the 8 looked much bigger.
 
Ski said:
I see folks throw around "130s 8pt" a lot when referring to deer they pass or an up & comer on their property, as if it's just a bit too small. Immediately I know they haven't measured many racks. A true 130" 8pt is a very big rack.
Click to expand...
Same. I even hear the same from locals in my area about 120" 8s. Most of the time they are actually talking about bucks that score 110".
 

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