Now that the Wisconsin firearm season has come to a close, its time to share with all of you my story of the buck I took this past thanksgiving day, otherwise known as "The Ghost"
In order to understand this story to the fullest, we must go back in time to early September before any hunting season had opened up here in Wisconsin. Trail cameras were up and the food plot was still growing, and well the big bucks just didnt quite want to show themselves on camera yet. After months and months of checking our DLC Covert scouting cameras, no mature bucks were showing up on Haastyle Acres other than a nice 3 1/2-4 1/2 that we had named "Krueger" in the previous season, in which was just on the borederline of being a shooter buck. I was down in the dumps at the end of August (which is usually when I get my mature bucks on cam). However, the week of September 4th thru September 10th would prove different from the past few months.
As I went around my property picking up SD cards, I didnt expect anything big to show up on camera. I replenished my mineral sites, swapped out cards, and headed back to the house. I plugged in the various cards and ran through the pitures and the usual suspects showed up, yearlings/2-year olds/does/and raccoons. However ,as I went through the card from my Covert ll that was down in the bedding area of my property, I came across a somewhat eerie picture of a big buck coming to my mineral site. I could tell this was definitely a big buck but with somewhat of the rack almost being seethrough, but I could not tell just how big he really was.
In order to get a clear opinion, I instantly clicked a photo with my cell phone and sent it off to some of the Haastyle Crew. Instantly I received responses from Joe, Seth, and Jeff. All gave me the some opinion...SHOOTER BUCK. As Jeff came by later we came up with a name, "The Ghost", due to the eerie appearance of this mature buck in the picture. The saga had now begun to harvest this impressive animal.
Before I knew it, archery season had come and gone. Though it was successful due to seeing many deer and even a couple of three year olds that I had on camera throughout most of the summer, I still did not see any sign that "The Ghost" was still running around the area. With my head down, and my dreams of taking this animal going down the drain, I had almost chalked up the season as a failure when it came to harvesting a mature buck. However, maybe the Wisconsin gun season will be the time to redeem myself. The week before the opener was upon us and I was as excited as a lil' kid in Toys R' Us.
Before I knew it, archery season had come and gone. Though it was successful due to seeing many deer and even a couple of three year olds that I had on camera throughout most of the summer, I still did not see any sign that "The Ghost" was still running around the area. With my head down, and my dreams of taking this animal going down the drain, I had almost chalked up the season as a failure when it came to harvesting a mature buck. However, maybe the Wisconsin gun season will be the time to redeem myself. The week before the opener was upon us and I was as excited as a lil' kid in Toys R' Us.
Opening day arrived and I sat, and sat, and sat longer until finally I seen my first shooter of the season. An eighteen inch wide eight point came out of a pine plantation on our property and stood on top of the hill just as if he were Bambi's dad. However, this ol' buck knew better than coming down the hill. He stayed out of the comfortable range of my muzzleloader (255 yards). As he walked off, I figured that would be the only shooter I would see all season. As the opening weekend came and went, I went back to work with my head down once again and a feeling of defeat slowly coming upon me. As Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday came to a close, my mindset changed from being down in the dumps to a feeling that a buck is going down this coming week.
Thanksgiving Day had arrived and all of Team Haastyle was excited to hit the woods up again for a big ol' swamp buck. My dad and I went over the game plan in our wood shed and finally headed off to our stands one hour before light. I arrived at "The Log Cabin in the Sky" and climbed up into my home on stilts for the day. Up went the shooting windows and in went the Blackhorn 209/Barnes TEZ/ and CCI primer into my Omega. I was now ready to put the whack n stack on a big mature buck. The sun started to rise in the east just as a doe came out of a stand of pines to the west. However, she was not just walking on out, she was zig-zagging and trotting across an old food plot of mine. Right behind her was another deer, ITS A BUCK! I grabbed my binoculars and glassed the deer. It was one of the two year old bucks I was watching throughout the year and he was hot on his girlfriend's trail. I watched as the two lovers trotted into my marsh. As I watched these two deer disappear into the jungle of cattails, I heard several low grunts coming from the same direction from which the two deer had came from. As I swung to look out that window, a tall racked, big bodied buck busted out of the woodline. I instantly knew that this was my shooter buck for the year. As if it were a part of my body, my T/C Omega went up and the hammer was cocked back. The big ol' buck stopped for one last time before busting in the marsh. However, what he didnt know is someone was about to get Haastyle on him!!! With a squeeze of the trigger, I ignited the Blackhorn 209 and the 250 gr. "Fist of Death" went barreling into his body cavity.
Smoke filled the air as I watched the magnificent animal barrel back into the woods from where he had originally came. The buck barreled through the woods like he just stole somebody's wallet. I thought that I had seen what I call "the death run". This is when the animal's body is mere inches from the ground and it almost appears as if their legs are above their head due to them running so hard. It had happened so fast that I sat back in my chair in awe. I tried my hardest to give the buck a half hour of time just in case it wasnt a very good hit. I got down from the "Log Cabin in the Sky" and headed to where the excitement happened. I looked around for blood but could not find any sign of a hit. I started to worry, but knowing where I had seen him last in the woods, I started to head that direction. As I slowly walked up the trail I noticed something bright white catching my eye in the wood line. Could this be my buck? I went from a slow walk to almost a jog. I came up to the spot only to be disappointed that it was just a downed hickory tree. I instantly went from a little worried to about ten times more worried. As I turned to the right to head back to get my dad to help me track, I noticed a tall, tall rack attached to a deer laying on its side. MY BUCK! MY BUCK! OH MY GOSH!! HE'S HUGE!!! I walked on up to the animal and the rack only grew larger as I came closer. As I went to grab the rack, I realized....it's "The Ghost".
I couldnt believe that the buck that I had only one eerie picture of from Sept. 6th had made a mistake on Thanksgiving Day. The season had finally turned around and surprised me with this great buck. I went to my knees and bowed my head, thanking God for this magnificent animal. I went back to get my dad to show him just exactly what I had just harvested. I will always remember my dad's first impression going up to my buck and the sense of pride that he had that his son had harvested such a great animal. What an incredible experience to give thanks for. I also give thanks for the friends and family that have celebrated this remarkable animal with me. What a great Thanksgiving Day!
Smoke filled the air as I watched the magnificent animal barrel back into the woods from where he had originally came. The buck barreled through the woods like he just stole somebody's wallet. I thought that I had seen what I call "the death run". This is when the animal's body is mere inches from the ground and it almost appears as if their legs are above their head due to them running so hard. It had happened so fast that I sat back in my chair in awe. I tried my hardest to give the buck a half hour of time just in case it wasnt a very good hit. I got down from the "Log Cabin in the Sky" and headed to where the excitement happened. I looked around for blood but could not find any sign of a hit. I started to worry, but knowing where I had seen him last in the woods, I started to head that direction. As I slowly walked up the trail I noticed something bright white catching my eye in the wood line. Could this be my buck? I went from a slow walk to almost a jog. I came up to the spot only to be disappointed that it was just a downed hickory tree. I instantly went from a little worried to about ten times more worried. As I turned to the right to head back to get my dad to help me track, I noticed a tall, tall rack attached to a deer laying on its side. MY BUCK! MY BUCK! OH MY GOSH!! HE'S HUGE!!! I walked on up to the animal and the rack only grew larger as I came closer. As I went to grab the rack, I realized....it's "The Ghost".
I couldnt believe that the buck that I had only one eerie picture of from Sept. 6th had made a mistake on Thanksgiving Day. The season had finally turned around and surprised me with this great buck. I went to my knees and bowed my head, thanking God for this magnificent animal. I went back to get my dad to show him just exactly what I had just harvested. I will always remember my dad's first impression going up to my buck and the sense of pride that he had that his son had harvested such a great animal. What an incredible experience to give thanks for. I also give thanks for the friends and family that have celebrated this remarkable animal with me. What a great Thanksgiving Day!
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