Home Forums Campfire Forum The Election Buck

Viewing 24 reply threads
  • Author
    Posts
    • Alexandre Bugnon
      Member
        Post count: 681

        Good morning friends,

        It’s nice to be back posting on tradbow, especially today. Lots have happened this last 365 days. A very painful break-up here at home in NY and my mother’s disease and death in Switzerland, where I spent the better part of this year to take care of her, lead me to a complete shutdown of all things archery and bowhunting. In fact, it was on November 6th 2011 that the breakup took place. That day, I stopped hunting, put all my archery gear in storage, and moved back to Manhattan, NY after 17 years in the Hudson Valley. Exactly a year later, I kill a magnificent animal sporting a beautiful rack!! OK, enough pre-ambule, on with the damn story!!:D

        The season in NY opened on October 1st. I’ve been hunting sporadically since, driving up to Beacon from New York City, staying at my daughter’s who kindly lets me use part of her garage as a gear room. Last Thursday, after Sandy calmed down, I drove up with the determination to hunt the steep, rocky Hudson Highlands everyday all day from Friday morning until Tuesday evening, before having to leave again on the road today Wednesday.

        On Friday, at about 9:30AM, I was sitting inside a deadfall on an oak flat when I saw a deer walking on the shelf below. I hurried on all 4 to try to intercept him where the to flats join up. When I had him in sight again, he was heading towards me, stomping his feet. He heard me. He came to 15 yards and never spook. I was on one knee, trying to stop shaking. The stand-off lasted about 1/2 hour, until he had enough, bolted and stopped a hundred yards away and calmed down. He never made me out! A plaid jacket, a mask and a leafy boonie hat is what I was wearing. The buck seemed huge, eight point, with one side veering down like a race bicycle steering wheel. I decided to leave this area alone and come back in a few days

        On Saturday, I was hunting back to my car and made what I thought to be a great downhill shot on a buck. the arrow hit him high and down in the vitals, but had no exit wound. I searched and searched for 3 days and never found him. The whole region being out of gas because of Sandy, no dog tracker could drive down. A friend advised to forgive myself and keep hunting. I did.

        Yesterday morning was enchanting! 23 degrees, sky full of stars, and no wind ( a first !) I was back at the oak flat before day break and sat in a rock formation overlooking said flat ( remember, steep mountain ), giving me a tree stand kind of advantage and shot. Like Gene Wensel said, it’s not cheating, just good predatory skill!! 45 minutes after sunrise, I get busted by a spike while trying to get my binos to admire West Point across the river. But he also kept looking left and right. I was looking away from him when I heard steps on leaves. I slowly turned my head around and saw a buck coming to me from the left. I couldn’t believe I might get a shot!! 40, 30, 20, then he turns downhill!! With fresh memories of a great 22 yards downhill shot, a nightmare and a lost deer, I decided to release pressure on the string. A minute later, I hear steps again, this time on my right. It’s the crooked-horn buck from Friday!!! He’s coming to me like on a leash! When perfectly broadside at 10 yards, I released the Abowyer brown bear tipped arrow from my beloved Shrew Classic Hunter, but it hit him high and I spined him. He went down immediately. I quickly nocked and shot another arrow, this one piercing both lungs before burying itself 5″ in the ground. He died in about 45 seconds from the time of the first arrow. I saw him shake and exhale his last breath right in front of me, which was very impressive. I felt bad and sad for a short while. But when I walked to him, I felt so alive, happy, and proud to be a traditional bowhunter. Thank you, Deer, and God bless you!

      • Alexandre Bugnon
        Member
        Member
          Post count: 681
        • Alexandre Bugnon
          Member
          Member
            Post count: 681
          • Alexandre Bugnon
            Member
            Member
              Post count: 681
            • David Petersen
              Member
                Post count: 2749

                Great story and buck, Alex! And nice fall camo, which obviously worked for you. After your past year, you deserve this moment of renewal. Hope to see you at Kzoo.

              • Bruce Smithhammer
                  Post count: 2514

                  Good to hear from you and congrats on a fine buck, Alex! Welcome back.

                • T Downing
                  Member
                    Post count: 233

                    There is no such thing as justice in hunting…That said, Alex, you deserved this animal, his death was a gift to you. He will eat well, and you will never forget this experience, this death, this life…Well done brother, a fine whitetail buck killed ethically and humanely on the ground…Doesn’t get any better.

                  • William Warren
                    Member
                      Post count: 1384

                      T Downing wrote: There is no such thing as justice in hunting…That said, Alex, you deserved this animal, his death was a gift to you. He will eat well, and you will never forget this experience, this death, this life…Well done brother, a fine whitetail buck killed ethically and humanely on the ground…Doesn’t get any better.

                      So true.

                      Alex, congratulations on a nice buck with interesting antlers, the kind you can’t stop looking at. 😀

                    • David Coulter
                      Member
                        Post count: 2293

                        Alex,

                        Nice deer and a great story to tell. Congratulations. I wish you good health and better years ahead. dwc

                      • Stephen Graf
                        Moderator
                          Post count: 2429

                          Great pictures. I can tell it was a fantastic day to be alive! Good job.

                        • paleoman
                          Member
                            Post count: 931

                            I love your pics too! I’d frame one of those.. I hope you’re on your way to a much better year too!

                          • Ripforce
                              Post count: 225

                              Nice deer love your wool jacket!

                            • Wexbow
                                Post count: 403

                                Here’s hoping that buck is a sign of good things to come! And I too love the jacket, has a cool 70’s retro vibe to it as well as being excellent woods wear 8)

                              • Alexandre Bugnon
                                Member
                                Member
                                  Post count: 681

                                  Yes the jacket is great!! It’s a Pendleton I stumbled onto while surfing Ebay a little over 2 weeks ago, and I just had to have it! my other hunting Pendleton jacket and 3 plaid shirts are from also from ebay, and cost me between 20 and $40. I went all out and spent the big bucks on this one, $90 !!

                                • Alexandre Bugnon
                                  Member
                                  Member
                                    Post count: 681

                                    I just got my deer back from the taxidermist. It’s beautiful!:D

                                  • David Petersen
                                    Member
                                      Post count: 2749

                                      Yes, he sure is! His “deformity,” along with the fact that you took him from the ground, makes him a double-decker trophy to my way of thinking. I wish they made more nontypical elk. At this rate I don’t think I’ll be vertical long enough to get one, as I’ve seen only one in my entire elking career and at 20 yards and drawing I was busted. The relative “abundance” of whitetail nontypicals (compared to muley or elk) is yet another reason to celebrate this “classic American deer.” Congratulations again, my friend.

                                    • James Harvey
                                      Member
                                        Post count: 1130

                                        Beautiful mounting mate! Also I only just read this story thanks to your bump of the thread. A great read too 😀

                                      • bruc
                                        Member
                                          Post count: 476

                                          He is a beauty for sure ! I read the story for the second time and enjoyed it again. He certainly is a unique buck .

                                          Bruce

                                        • Ralph
                                          Moderator
                                            Post count: 2580

                                            Nice!!! I like the “lazy” antler. Glad your kickin’ again. I think your “fall” camo be a year round thing here in our drought conditions. 😀

                                          • Raymond Coffman
                                            Moderator
                                              Post count: 1235

                                              Alex-

                                              condolences on the hard year.

                                              wonderful story of a great Hunt!

                                              I like going after the odd ones also, in my limited experience they seem harder to hunt. Almost as if they realize their unique appeal.

                                              Scout

                                            • David Coulter
                                              Member
                                                Post count: 2293

                                                Hey Alex,

                                                That’s a beauty. I love it that it isn’t pretty in the typical sense. More character, more beauty. One to remember. Congratulations, dwc

                                              • David Coulter
                                                Member
                                                  Post count: 2293

                                                  Holy smokes, this was 4 years ago. Anybody got an election day story this year?

                                                • Alexandre Bugnon
                                                  Member
                                                  Member
                                                    Post count: 681

                                                    dwcphoto wrote: Holy smokes, this was 4 years ago. Anybody got an election day story this year?

                                                    No election buck for me this year, Dave! Actually almost no hunting at all! My newborn baby is my deer! Huh…. , no! She’s my Dear!:D

                                                    Man, between taking care of Juliette and more touring in November than I ever did in the past, I went out maybe 2 mornings and 3 evenings this whole year! That’s cool! I’ll make up next year!

                                                    PS: It was fun for me to read my own story again after 4 years. I’m happy to say that the break up lasted only one year, and we got back together and had this beautiful child together! I already took her scouting and check trail cameras, in a camo coat, no less! She’s only seen deer on TV, though, and she loves Elk sounds! Take care!

                                                  • David Coulter
                                                    Member
                                                      Post count: 2293

                                                      That’s a beautiful time. Time well spent, with family and earning to fund the family. All good. The deer will grow bigger waiting. best to ya, dwc

                                                    • Robin Conrads
                                                      Admin
                                                        Post count: 916

                                                        Broadhead wrote: Family is everything. You have a beautiful child. Happy New Year.

                                                        davenash wrote: Awesome journey. Good hunting in the future and that young lady is beautiful.
                                                        God bless.

                                                    Viewing 24 reply threads
                                                    • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.