“Sweet Success”

For many, seeking trophy whitetails is a hobby – a pastime that has been passed down through generations. The nine day Wisconsin gun deer season is looked upon by most of us not only as a time to hunt with others – but as a tradition! Those of us who are fortunate enough to experience the great outdoors are in a category all by ourselves. We respect the outdoors and pay homage for what has been offered to us. Personally, the thrill of being one with nature fills my soul with serenity, excitement, and joy. When in nature it is easy for me to escape the harsh realities of the real world as I’m able to drift into my own little piece of paradise. The “piece of paradise” that is most common to me is located on our 106-acre family farm located in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin.

The 2010 Wisconsin Whitetail Gun Opener was an extension of an already memorable season. I was fortunate to harvest a trophy whitetail buck that I named “Gravedigger” during the early bow season. The mount was on display during our gun hunting gathering which sparked stories and excitement from many of our friends and family. The presence of “Gravedigger” as well as other trophies on the wall filled the air with a sense of future success.

Opening morning came early as we didn’t rest much due to a late night of camaraderie and excitement of what the season may bring. For the first time in years I was not the initial one to rise and get to my stand early. The valley was lit as I edged my way to one of my most coveted stands. Visibly, I did not bump any deer during the 400-yard hike to the “buck stand”. Minutes later, bundled and geared, I reach my destination. The treestand is situated twenty-three feet up in a solid birch tree. In my stand I have a clear view of the valley overlooking rye, corn, and mixed clover fields to my left and rear. In front and to the right I overlook natural travel routes through thick brush and cover of a small forest of oaks. It is now 7:00 am and I’m ready for action!

A few shots roar as I anticipate the arrival of a bruiser whitetail. The wind and weather is nearly picture perfect for the opening morning. Thanks to the constant trickle of adrenaline in my veins I am wide-eyed and ready for my dreams to become reality. Moments after being situated I hear movement in the brush to my right. It’s a buck – it’s a good buck! He proceeds to calmly make his way through the brush and make a scrape under an apple tree directly in front of me at a distance of twenty-five yards. Before raising my 7mm rifle I watch him for about twenty minutes. Being that I harvested a “buck of a lifetime” in the early bow season, I was hoping that this buck would make his way toward my father – who was in a ground blind approximately 250 yards south of my set. My father has never harvested a whitetail for the wall and I was hoping this could be his first. Unfortunately for my father the buck decided to travel northeast. He stepped into the freshly picked corn field to my left and started to slowly trot toward the line fence. He presented a broadside shot at sixty yards during his travel – it was then that I decided to harvest the great whitetail. He is a beautiful buck and will be another great addition to the wall. The memory of the hunt will be preserved for a lifetime and the experience will be relived over and over in my mind. The 10-point whitetail sported just under an 18” inside spread, 23” main beams, nearly 10” G2’s and G3’s, and is expected to score in the 140’s. The season was well under way!

The extremely short morning spent on stand proved to be a success and concluded an extraordinary year in my life as a whitetail hunter. I admit that I was a bit bummed that my season was finalized – however I later found that it was very enjoyable as I was able to fully take pleasure in other hunter’s experiences in the field. One of those experiences that I was able to enjoy was that of my father’s hunt. Only a few hours later, my father did harvest his largest whitetail buck to date! His 130” 10-point whitetail was harvested less than fifty yards from where my deer was shot and expired! Listening to the excitement in his voice was second to none and I feel fortunate that I was able to experience the aftermath of his harvest with him. A dozen deer were positioned in front of him in a picked corn field when he squeezed the trigger on the largest buck in the bunch. The great whitetail dropped on the spot and my father was able to wrap his hands around the trophy moments later!

To top it off, my nephew also harvested his largest buck to date! He was able to redeem himself after not being able to connect with a bruiser on opening morning. Brett’s buck was very present on area trail camera photos throughout the year. I also had an encounter with him on the opening day of the bow season where he did not present me with a shot. In hindsight, it was a blessing as I may have never harvested “Gravedigger” and Brett may have never harvested him! He is an interesting buck with a clubbed foot on his front, left side. He has long main beams and an 18” inside spread. Unfortunately, he has three points that are 1/8” short of scoring and he broke off three other points before he was harvested during the second day of the gun season.

Another highly anticipated whitetail season has come to an end. This season proved that we do not need a huge piece of property to grow beautiful bucks. The truth is that any property can hold trophy whitetails if the herd is managed properly, it’s hunted and scouted properly, and most importantly, if neighbors and hunting partners hold similar values and interests. With that being said, trophies are in the eye of the beholder and success in the field varies with each individual. I feel fortunate that I hunt with others who share similar interests as my own. Points and scores aside – we all had a fun-filled season! The camaraderie of the season was just as rewarding as our trophy animals. We found sweet success in the 2010 Wisconsin Gun Deer Season!