Well, this is a story about one of those big ole bucks...the smart ones..the one that is like a ghost. Old, mature and wise in the ways of hunters. The kind that avoids hunters with ease,...and ends up dying of old age.

A Big ole main frame ten point. The kind that gets under your skin...and you have to get.

Well...the big ten was a ten point when he first caught my eye....but only 3 , so he got a pass. He was nice framed, but short tined...but you knew hed be a good one in a year or two. And boy was he. He blew up.

The next year, I got pics of him..main frame 10 in the 140s. And I wanted him...I wanted him bad. But, as with 4 yr olds...he eluded me. Id get his picture, jumped him once that year,..and saw him another time..like a ghost...there..but GONE before I could get on him. Off course...just a Window of SECONDS to shoot in seriously thick cover.

The next year...got on him again..a few pics...and he was huge...150 class. Still a 10..but a perfect ten. Its then that he got his name...the Big Ten...as we had a couple smaller 10s around and wanted to identify him..THE BIG ten!
That year, I had him...two times in the same morning. In THHIIICCCKK cover....chasing younger bucks off a hot doe. But all I could shoot was his head...and out of respect..I held off...hoping for the neck or chest. Each time the opportunity was as usual...seconds! With this joker you werent getting much time. I never got another chance!

He LOVED the thick cover, I NEVER ever saw him in a field. Even my pics were always in a thick area as well.

Again the next year...we got on him again. And he was BIG..I mean REAL BIG. I figured 160 inches. A biologist from here who has been to my land ( I wont mention his name, he can if he wants) ...he thought he was 160 class too.

Last year...we were on him again. However he was 7-8 now...and started going down hill. Not much , but mid 140s to 150, Still a good one. And I was on him now...I knew him! I was slowly and surely figuring him out!

He would be all over the area we hunt ( my neighbors land, and a friend from here...) and we would all get his pictures..until after the 1st week or 2 of gun. Then theyd get less...And Id get him alot.

He headed to the same thickets everytime. Right where I was always seeing him, or across a creek where I was seeing him and getting his pics in the past. Again, I got on him..in the same thick pines I had before where I just had his head. Once again..he had a doe locked down in there...and was running off bucks.

And again..I had the small window of 3-4 seconds...and didnt shoot as there was stuff in the way...and I thought hed follow an 8 pt he ran off out,..but he pushed the doe in deeper..and away they went.

Now..this year! My hunting buddy sent me pics..and it was him...but now the Big Ten...was just a big 9...but a soybean eating high protien intake big ole 8 year old..on the down side...and really needing to be shot this year.

Heres a few pics..this 1st one is him in his prime:



and here he is this year:

Super nice buck right there!

Beautiful buck!! I wish you luck killing him but in a weird way that's one of those bucks you almost find yourself pulling for him to die naturally after eluding hunters for so long. It's almost as if he has earned that right...almost.

As you can see...he is a great buck. On the downhill side..but old..and to be honest...thats when I catch them slipping up again..8 and older.

Also, I have a few more pics in the dark,..hard to see but its him. Back in the same thicket and at the same spot as that picture in his prime.

Well, its the rut here where I hunt, and it seemed to me..everytime I got on him..it was in that same pine thicket, on the same little road.
It seemed that is where he liked to go during the rut. To get on my does, and lock them down in that little section.

So today..I decided to go in there to get him.
I usually walk a long 3/4 mile hike to get to this spot with the south wind...but when I parked..it was 62 dang degrees...and I knew Id be drenched when I got there.

So I got back in my truck and drove all the way around and went in the short way. However..it was really risky as I had to walk right through 1/4 of that area and UP the same road I see him on.
I decided to risk it, and to cover me, I drug a scent drag rag with code blue off 2 feet to my side, then hung it right where I always see him. The same trail. I then snuck like a cat into my ladder and waited.

As light broke..I saw a deer...coming up the road...right on the scent. Yep...I know what youre thinking..HIM.

Nah, a little 6 pt Ive passed on before. But made me feel better about my plan. He sniffed my scent rag...around the ground a while..and went into the thicket.

About an hour later..i caught movement behind me...No..not him...LOL! Fooled you. Nothing but a lousy coyote!
I was contemplating shooting the dang thing....and as I did I glanced over my shoulder and..WTH!!!??
A deer...at my scent rag..I turned to look having turned 180 degrees looking at the yote...and YEP..HIM! like a ghost! standing there..in the little road..sniffing my scent rag!

I knew I only had seconds..he dont play..and as I turned..I got my rifle off my hook and up..but too late. There was a pine branch in the way....and he SAW ME! He immediately went to go and stepped into the dang thicket again!

But..not quick enough and the 270 still got on his shoulder as his head entered the thicket. I squeezed it off! It felt good!

He whirled and ran past me and out into my neighbor who I hunt withs property...hauling arse...I could see his tail twitching and was sure O had hit him...but you sure wouldnt of guessed it. But when I see that tail a twitching I know the deers dying..still I let loose with a Texas Heart shot just as he hit thick woods on the other side...I saw his legs going I thought..but into it he went! Dang!

I got down..looked quick where I shot..No blood..at all. But I wasnt going to waste time..I saw the 2 trees he went between when I shot last...and headed there.

The whole way..looking for blood...none

WTH???
But when I got there to those 2 trees..BLOOD..lots of it. Heck yes. I then looked..there he was 20 yards in...dead as a rock. The Big ten (now a big 9) was DOWN!

Here he is:

Great buck with a great story!

It was a long hard fought game with the big ole guy. I actually felt a little bit sad...and really happy...all at once.

Im glad I got him and he was a real challenge to me, but Ill miss him too.

He taught me a lot too. A real lot. Especially about big bucks and the rut.
A great teacher.
He will be hanging in my office soon though, and Ill remember those lessons everytime I look at the big guy.

Congrats on a fine buck and a great history!!

You darn sure "teased" the ending of this story on out.

Wow!

I'll say it again, Super nice buck right there.

A big congrats to you!

Enjoyed your thread!

Sweetttt (awesome story) That's an Old Warrior! Congratulations..

Thanks yall.

And thanks to my buddy on here ATLBravos ...who with only 2 hours sleep...got up and met me and my wife and helped me get him out of there.

He was over 200 pounds. We needed the help!

Thats the kind of folks you can meet on here.

Awesome ending!! Please tell me you are going to print out the years of trail pics to frame and hang with him. Congrats!!

I like the way that rack looks. Congrats on a great deer!!

Thats no problem. I definitely wanted to see this ole boy. He was well over 200lbs. I'll post a few more trail cam pictures I had of him. He was the first shooter buck I got on camera at this place a few years ago so it is sad to see him go but I'm glad one of us got him.

Nothing like finally connecting on that elusive one. I hunted a buck in Louisiana for 4 years before I ever killed him. By the time I killed him he had went from the 140s to the teens. I still mounted him though. Probably more proud of that deer than any of the rest I have killed.

Congrats!.. I know its been a long time coming

Awesome buck with a story to boot.

Great idea! Ill do that!

... Awesome Buck and story...

Congrats Phil! That's one helluva story to go along with a great deer!

PIG!!! Congrats.