As many of you already know September 15th was an amazing day for archery here at Tobacco Road. Pro staffer Sean Ottaly was the second to take an awesome buck that Saturday. With all that has been going on with the wedding and such, I owe Sean an apology for the time it has taken to get his article up but here it is!

On opening day I missed a doe in the evening hunt, followed by another miss on an evening hunt during the week. I began to get very frustrated at my shooting and wondered what it could be, however, little to my knowledge the third time out would not be as disappointing and would show the third time is a charm!

This particular hunt was fairly unique from the start. It was the first night of the year all the boys were spending the night at camp, we had a first time bow hunter, and a hunter who is in his second season trying for his first bow harvest as well. We all met at camp about an hour early that evening to put in our requests as where we wanted to hunt and enjoy each other company. A little before four we pack up our things and were off. Where I had chose to hunt that evening was a stand I had wanted to hunt after some observations the year before. During the rut in the 06’ season I had seen several bucks and does but they were out of my range. I observed their travel route and was more then excited to hunt this area. Although I hadn’t completely walked this area in the past I knew where I wanted to be. It was picture perfect, a big draw in a little strip of hardwoods connecting two giant cattle fields. This spot was truly the perfect funnel. At about 5:30- 5:45 I finally got settled in after trimming the limbs that needed to be taken out and reaching my desired elevation. Archery season during September in North Carolina can be tricky weather wise, it can be unbearable. On this particular afternoon it was around 78 after several days above 90 and a week of 100+ so it was just perfect. I had hardly got my bearings in order, after just getting situated, and I heard footsteps. I figured it was a few cows, as the cattle have access to the block of woods I was hunting but to my surprise I turned around to see the legs of a whitetail. Looking a little closer over my left shoulder I then saw horns and knew right then I was going to take this deer. He was heading right down the draw, straight towards me. I reach around to grab my bow, turn back slowly in hopes I wasn’t busted by all the movement seeing he was only about 45 yards out. I hadn’t anticipated deer moving down the draw at all, I was set for them to come up it instead, besides the wind was blowing up the draw virtually eliminating any chance of seeing a deer from that direction. Anyhow, here we go, I wheel around to this bucks direction and manage to do it unnoticed. Once turned in his direction I notice another buck behind the first. My heart is beating out of my chest at this point because the bigger bucks are usually the last in the group and this first deer was already wall material. As it turns out the second was actually a little smaller, which  was a little disappointing actually, but with that behind me now I can focus on the first one. He hung up around 30 yards grazing through the under brush, about that time I notice the smaller of the two stick his nose in the air and check the wind, my heart sank as I had gotten this close only to be busted by this deer I have no interest in. Much to my surprise they continued on, apparently the scent free shower and scent blocker suit worked to my advantage. Fifteen minutes had passed, I had gained my composure and was awaiting the perfect shot. They covered more ground with every second and were going to pass me right at 20 yards. Just at that point I realized where they were about to come out, a severe downhill shot was in the works and a vision of last years identical shot and miss on a potential record book buck pops in my head. I knew what went wrong then and told myself not to let it happen again! As he steps behind a tree without a care in the world, I draw my bow, three more feet and he stops broadside, THWACK! Astonishingly he drops right there, the shot was a little high but had penetrated the vitals as well. I sat down, gathered myself, called the rest of the crew and let them know we had a big buck down (BBD Baby!), and started down the tree. Not but about 8 feet down the tree at this point I hear something else coming down the draw, a dang coyote, “Great!” I think myself, my bow is 30 feet at the base of the tree and there is a great buck dead 15 feet from this mangy coyote. Without thinking twice I let out a “Yaaaaaaa!, Yaaaaaaa! Get Out Of Here!! Just as he had smelled my buck like a flash of lightning he gone with his tails between his legs. I finally reached my dee, thinking he was a nice 10 I realize his left side only had four points. He may not be a monster, but this excellent 9-pointer is my personal best with a bow! Looks as if the ante has been raised for the rest of the season.

With the recent cold front that pushed it’s way through NC came a change in weather. A change in weather that many were not expecting. Flash flooding, wind, rain, lightning, and tornado’s didn’t give a very good out look for a Saturday morning hunt. Not a problem, there is always a afternoon hunt, which is exactly what Tobacco Road pro staffer Kevin Johnson had in mind. Let’s see how this all went down…

Saturday afternoon rolls around and I have yet to decide whether to hunt or not. The season has been on for more then a week and I had yet to sit in a tree. My six year old son, Hunter, and myself hung two stands that morning and I worried we had left too much scent in the area to hunt one of the new stands. Scent or no scent I had a gut feeling that today was the day. I still had dreams of killing a buck in velvet and the weather was just about as perfect as it can get here in NC so why not enjoy. I knew the bucks in my area were still in their bachelor groups so why not take a chance. A quick shower (to eliminate adding anymore scent to the area) and a change into clothes I head to the stand. Finally settled in my stand around 5:15 and prepare to enjoy the rest of the evening. It was getting close to 7:00 I catch a glimpse of movement and much to my surprise a nice eight pointer stepped out into my view at about 40 yards, here we go! With my hearting beating a mile a minute just from one nice buck there steps out another eight pointer, both still in full velvet. I couldn’t hardly control myself, with many deer under my belt and on the wall there something about the sight of two wall hangers working their way through the woods in full velvet. Trying to figure which was the biggest of the two, I position to take a shot as they take those last few crucial yards. I could see the first eight pointer was a high rack, 14”- 15″, with nice tines while other was an even nicer looking deer with taller looking tines and a little more meat for the table. That’s the one! As they move closer and closer, the biggest one stops while the other slowly continues, he’s starting to get too close! I don’t want to take this one but I don’t know how much longer I can wait to come to full draw, finally he begins to follow his little brother. By then I knew I had draw as soon as I got a window. The buck crossed in front of a big pine and I slowly drew my bow back , then there he was, just five yards away standing broadside looking around. The buck I wanted had stopped walking yet again while the smaller of the two was in my lap. I began to wander if he was going to come on in or if I would have to take the smaller of the two. I don’t know how much longer I can hold this bow at full draw. Finally! He is on the move again and I am gaining yardage in my favor, QUICK! The first buck never made another step forward. My buck came to about 30 yards , turned broadside and stopped. Being at full draw so long, every muscle in my arms and shoulders are turning to jelly and burn beyond belief. It;s now or never, I put my pin right behind his shoulder and let it fly. Whack! It was a great shot and I knew it immediately. The buck spun around and bolted off as his little brother follows not knowing what has happened. As the two run just a hair out of sight, another buck as big as the one I had just taken the shot comes out of no where following his brothers. Triplet eight pointers, wow this is AMAZING. I knock another arrow and sit down to help stop the shaking. I rehearsed everything back through my mind about that shot, I felt good about it, I know it was a great shot. The white vanes of the arrow disappeared perfectly in the boiler room and I knew I had my first buck in full velvet. Not only my first in velvet, but one I can put on the wall! I wait him out for just a bit and slipped down from the stand and walk to where he stood. Looking for the one thing that will make you grin from ear to ear, bright red blood, Yea Baby!! I walked a few more yards and there sat my arrow covered in the same beautiful red blood. That arrow was as straight as it was the day it came off the line. Now knowing for sure he was not lying far, I went back to the truck and called my wife so she could tell our son Hunter. He was almost as excited as I was. I tried to call anyone and everyone to give me a hand get this buck of a lifetime out of the woods but no one could make it to me in under an hour. It was getting late and the anticipation was killing me so I grabbed my flashlights and head back to find him. Picking up where I had left the arrow, I begin to follow the trail and it looks to be a heart shot just as I wanted. After about 45 yards there he was, THE BUCK OF MY DREAMS!! We all know white men can’t dance, but I know good and well the celebratory dance I did when I came to him looked great! Before I went any further I pause to thank the good Lord for this amazing experience and a day that I would never forget. At last – at last – I have finally done it. It was now time to get him home. I got the four wheeler and trailer, loaded him up and headed back to the house . My little boy was so excited , he jumped right in the trailer and grabbed his head so we could take a picture of him with daddy’s buck. I still do not think I slept a wink that night. Although the odds were against me the weather was too perfect to pass up. Now I have yet another story to add to my collection!