11/11/2023
This is a wild story about big buck this year. This arrow was picked up 5’ away from where “Big Silver” was harvested during first rifle this year. Rewind two months and we were on this very ridge chasing Big Silver with a bow. That guy was hard to kill! Always surrounded with dinky bucks and always deep in a hole, which made him very difficult to hunt with a stick and string. The very last time I saw him during archery I was scaling a ridge top to glass from a k**b that would give me vantage over two separate canyons. Knowing I was in their territory, I was very cautious with every step of my trek, and glassing quite frequently. Eventually I glassed a few bucks up below me at 100 yards, I knew Big Silver was with them and they hadn’t scene me. I slowly backed out of their vision and dropped my pack. At this moment it was around 10:30AM, 80+ degrees, with a very slight breeze. I stripped all of my gear and found a route that would put me at 70 yards of them, which is my max range with my current bow. I made my way to this point, and took my time getting comfy on my knees and in position to shoot. I ranged him to verify, and he was at 70 yards in his bed with his vitals broadside to me like an open book. I felt great about it all, and readied my arrow, equipped with a string nok. I drew back and let the arrow fly, I watched the lighted nok fly right over his back and hit the dirt and sticks behind him. He stood quickly and took a few steps making him out of range. He stood behind a tree and his buddies had me pegged, this stalk was ruined and would be the last time I saw him during archery. My good friend had a first rifle tag for this unit, and as soon as the archery season ended, I knew we needed to get back in there and get him on this great buck. We did just that and Evan made a great stalk and shot at 100 yards. I watched it all go down from 900 yards away and I was stoked for him! And not 5’ away from Big Silver lay my Vap Arrow, with the nok still on from months before. Interesting story and lesson on deer behavior and habits. As well as amazing battery life!
