This past week I had the rare opportunity to take off for a few days and make an out of state deer hunting trip in Kansas. I would be making the trip with my youngest son Noah while my oldest stayed at home to help run the kennel. After hearing story after story and watching multiple hunting shows, I was convinced that Kansas was going to be a dream come true. To say that I got off to a great start would be untrue.
When I got in the truck to leave, it barely started. Not a good sign for a long trip. After about 30 minutes at our local NAPA store we were back on the road. It was 9:30 am. After a few fill ups, snack breaks, and restroom stops, it was 1 am the next day when we checked into our Kansas motel. The hospitality along with a great nightly rate that I split with friends, put a smile on my face as I drifted off to sleep.
Four short hours later, my hunting friends Bobby & Scooter are up and ready for their first hunt in their previously hung stands. Noah and I had no stands hung. In fact, we had only seen the property once in the spring shortly after the farmer had granted us permission. By 6:30 or so Noah and I rolled out of bed to hang stands. Shortly after mid day we managed to hang the last of three stands and I was exhausted. As tired as we were we still managed to get in an evening hunt.
I saw a single buck in the distance before dark while Noah only saw turkeys. The next morning found us out bright and early seeing 5 deer between us. I held high hopes. The next few hunts were horrible. I saw nothing and Noah saw the same. My buddies were having more activity on their farm and I was getting negative. I never dreamed I would come to Kansas and see nothing. “What a waste”, I thought. I should have went duck hunting instead. I couldn’t believe I was wasting my precious vacation on this. Not to mention my aching back was getting worse with every hour I hunted.
The next day was slow but Noah managed to fill his antlerless tag before dark and that made everything worth it. He had killed his first deer ever and done it with a bow! I couldn’t be more proud. A chip off the old block! The next morning Noah decided to sleep in but I was committed to giving Kansas 100%. It was the rut and anything could happen…… But nothing did. I saw very few deer over the next days with none giving me a shot. I was even more down. My fellow RutBusters told me to stick it out because I was in the best place in the country to shoot a big whitetail and luck could change in a second. To make matters worse, the weather was not cooperating.
My Wednesday evening hunt was 20 ft up a tree in 30 plus mph winds. One word describes this … scary! As a sat there and I do mean sat there because I was to scared too stand, I began to think about things. I thought maybe I should shoot a doe or the first decent buck I saw and put Kansas in my rear view mirror. This is when I believe The Lord spoke to me. No, I don’t mean I heard an audible voice. What I felt was a message come to my heart & soul that said… “Wait for something Legendary! Be a legend!” I felt a calmness come over me and my attitude changed. I wasn’t going to shoot a doe. I had meat in the freezer already. I had already killed plenty of average bucks in the past. I was committed to waiting for a legend!
Back at the motel we were discussing our trip when I told Bobby I wouldn’t be coming back to Kansas. The Texas hill country had stolen my heart and it was less than half the drive. I like to see deer on every hunt and I usually do in the hill country. I knew the deer were larger in Kansas but I was bored to tears seeing nothing. I was glad I gave Kansas a shot but it wasn’t as much fun as I hoped. I was tired and my back hurt. The next morning I decided to hunt a spot I had previously gotten blanked on but it had my most comfortable stand so I was going there.
The Millenium tree stand is a dream! Light weight, easier to hang, and lazy boy recliner type comfort! If I was going to wait for a legend or possibly not even draw my bow back, at least I would be comfortable. Sitting comfy in the stand well before daylight, I had a good feeling and a much needed positive attitude. Today could be the day. A few minutes after day light I saw a deer eye, a deer nose, and a piece of horn. I readied myself for the shot but he never came. I heard him raking the bushes but saw nothing. Where did he go? How could he leave? Surely I would have seen him? Maybe he layed down 15 yards away under a bush?
An hour goes by and I figure once again another deer vanished into thin air. I saw a deer cross a wheat field 400 yds away but no action near my stand. I planned to hunt until 10:00 a.m. or maybe 10:30 a.m. My stand is comfortable and I have to fight to stay awake. I’m physically, emotionally, and mentally drained. As I think about getting down, there is a ruckus to my right. A doe is being chased by a great looking buck about 15 or 20 yards from my stand. I quickly jump to my feet and grab my bow. My release is still in my pocket! I frantically clip it on and get ready for the shot. My buck is about to get away. As the first buck leaves chasing the doe, he spooks the deer I thought had vanished. The buck below me had been bedded down 20 yards away and I never knew it. All I can say is…thank God for my ScentMaster™ box and my ScentLok™ gear. Without that, the buck surely would have smelled me only 20 yards away.
The bedded down buck quickly hops up then angles up the bluff to my left. This gives me an extreme quartering away shot. I pulled back my 60X Strings on my Strother bow, I put the pin in place and let the ViperTrick + Beman ICS Bowhunter arrow fly! It hit its mark perfectly. The bruiser walked about 20 yards and began to stumble. I watched as he fell to the ground! My blood was pumping because it appeared that the buck was more than just a great buck, it looked like a lifetime buck. Did I finally kill a giant?
My experience as a bowhunter tells me to wait at least 30 minutes on a perfect shot before climbing out of my stand. I tried but I don’t think I made the 30 minute mark. After all, I saw him go down. After what felt like a LONG 20 minutes, I climbed out of my stand and started walking towards the downed animal. Once I made it up the bluff and laid my eyes on the beast, I was amazed. My trophy was a 208 and 7/8″ green scored non-typical Whitetail Buck.
No ground shrinkage! He grew bigger with every glance. I was elated. I sounded like the guys on the hunting shows that my wife makes fun of for getting overly excited in whispering tones. Then it hit me and I began to chuckle out loud as I gave thanks to my Maker because the buck I just killed was indeed legendary! After help loading the legendary giant, we took lots of pics and shared high fives. Noah shared one of my best hunts ever with me and he was now officially hooked. I sent Bobby a picture. He was happy for me and asked if I changed my mind about coming back to Kansas. I told him I’m definitely not coming back! He asked why? I said I’ve already shot a 200 plus inch legend and my hunt was legendary. How could I ever top that?
