Finally got a good buck! It's a been a journey for me. I first started hunting seriously in 2020 and shot my first buck that November, a small 4 point. I spent many hours in the field that season and saw one nice buck but got excited and missed him at 150 yards. 2021 came around and I got real serious, spent hundreds of hours in different stands that year and saw a lot of deer, I was set up on a scrape line one morning and had a really nice 5+ year old 8 point come in to only 4 yards. I drew back my bow for the near-vertical shot and figured it was a done deal. Nope. I missed again! Just took a clump of hair off his shoulder. I did shoot two bucks that year, one a real old one with crappy scraggle rack and a little 90" 3 year old 8 pointer. A couple decent deer, but still not the big mature buck I was after.
This season I was determined to get one and have spent a ton of time in the woods. I've seen and passed many younger bucks, but it finally happened this morning.

I set up on the ground watching a big hay field that runs between some bedding and thick cover this morning with low expectations. All my best spots and the areas I felt most confident in had come up empty, but I knew that this time of year everything that makes sense to the bucks gets thrown out the window and you just have to be in the right spot at the right time. At about 7 a doe comes running across the field with a spike and 4 pt in close pursuit. That's when I started to get my hopes up, but wasn't really expecting much since the last 30+ hunts hadn't turned up anything. But then just about 10 minutes after the others came through I see a brown shape start crossing the field a little over 250 yards away. The body looked big and my heart started racing as I jerked up my rifle and found him in my scope. A quick look confirmed this was a big, mature buck and I was going to get him. He paused for a second and I let one fly. I didn't know if I hit him or not, but all I saw was him taking off. I quickly racked another round and made a loud alarm bleat sound with my mouth that got him to pause at around 280 yards. I aimed just over his shoulder and squeezed off again. I missed again! This time he starts trotting towards me. I frantically rack another round as he walks through a low spot in the field I can't see into. Moments later at 200 yards I see his head and neck rise up out of the low spot. He stopped for a second to look around and I center the crosshairs on his second and pull the trigger for the third time. This time he drops like a rock!!! I chambered my last bullet and watched him for a second to make sure he wasn't moving and then stood up and ran to him to make sure he was dead and I didn't get the dreaded back slap. I made a perfect neck shot and didn't have anything to worry about. It was all celebration after that. God certainly decided to bless me this morning!

21" main beams 15" inside spread

Congrats man

Very nice! Congratulations.

Congrats!!!!! Great buck!!

Yeah buddy.... Got you a Goodun....

Nice one Bud !

Nice one

Congratulations.

Congrats man!

Way to go!

Congrats

Congratulations

Good Deal. Congratulations.

Dang good buck young man!

Well done, man!! Happy for you!

Congrats man.

Heck yeah bud that's a goodun

Congrats

Good job and congrats!

Congrats!!