Damon Hoard, 48
Location: Ohio
Gear: Phantom Saddle, Predator XL Platform, One Sticks, Skeletors
It was the first week of November. My birthday falls on Nov 5 (def meant to be). Started with an observation sit the first night. Which led me to my first sighting of a big buck working a scrape line in the back of a pasture 500 yards away. Checking the wind for the following day, it was perfect to set up along where I saw that buck. The following morning, I used my skeletors, climbed up and got set up before first light. I didn't see much but that evening, I saw 4 shooters of course not in bow range. They seemed to work towards a ridge I was familiar with that has a pretty good pinch in it. So I left my sticks and that setup, just in case I wanted to come back to it quickly. The next morning, with another platform and my one sticks, I went to where I suspected these deer to be traveling already wearing my phantom. Was able to slip into my spot easily and quietly. Sat for almost two hours not seeing a deer but hearing a lot of grunting, tending grunts which I had never heard myself before and multiple snort wheezes. I had enough, and knew the wind was in my favor. So tore down my set in no time and eased my way down into the creek bottom where I knew there was a good pinch point. After getting almost to where I wanted to be my movement caught the attention of a deer that raised its tail and slowly walked away in the bottom. During the 30 min I just sat still I could hear a lot of deer vocalizing on the lower ridge across the creek from me. I finally felt I could make it to the pinch I had been working towards. Made my way to a tree that the wind was barely out of what direction I felt the deer would come . Within 20 min of being set up a doe came running up from where I suspected the deer to come, with a nice buck in tow. He passed me too quickly. I grabbed my grunt call and got his attention. He started raking a tree directly to his left and tearing the ground up under his feet. I decided to snort wheeze and he took the bait leaving his doe in the brush next to the creek. He got in range and just as I was about to shoot he saw something he didn't like, but it was too late for him, I had already let one fly. Double lung. He only went about 90 yards before crashing. Not a world beater but my best buck to date.
