Highs and lows. Although you could characterize about any season in that way, I think it perfectly describes the 2009 campaign. There were ups and downs in terms of the hunting. Pennsylvania…down. Illinois…up. How about the weather? Early to mid season…rain, wind, and even snow. Beginning of the rut…perfect. Late rut during the Illinois trip…rain again. Late season…heavy snow. And finally, the temperature. We had a cold snap in mid October, but then things warmed back up a bit during the rut. And the late season? How about one day in the 40s, with most of the others topping out in the teens and twenties! It’s safe to say I used all of my clothing this season to deal with the conditions at hand.

Early Season – Pre-Rut 

The season started out pretty much as expected. I did see three shooter bucks on the first Saturday, which was unusual, but none of them were in the class I was looking for. I got nice video footage of them while they fed under my stand, and had the satisfaction of knowing that I could have filled my tag with a pretty nice buck had I wanted to. On October 21, I took a nice doe to put some meat in the freezer, and from that point forward I made the decision to concentrate on a buck, while holding on to my other antlerless tag until the winter season. Although I knew there were several good bucks roaming around, none of them were moving during daylight hours. I knew the rut would provide the best opportunity.

Rut

Out of nowhere, it happened. Although I was starting to see mature buck activity pick up during shooting light in late October based on my trail camera photos, I still wasn’t seeing them on their feet. I went into Halloween night with high expectations, but was disappointed when I didn’t see a single deer. A rainy and windy cold front blew through earlier in the day and the radical winds were not in my favor. Still, it turned out to be quite a memorable night after all as one of the guys hunting our property met up with the “Moose” buck. When he described the deer to me, I knew immediately which buck it was. Although we didn’t find him that evening, we picked up the trail first thing the next morning and found the deer not far from where we gave up the previous night.

Mark Duffield's "Moose" buck had 16 scoreable points, weighed apx. 220 lbs., and had a green score of 141 3/8. He was four-and-a-half years old.

Although I knew about this buck and was hoping to get an opportunity at him, I was excited that one of our guys was able to get him, and I enjoyed being able to get my hands on him. It was an exciting moment for everyone involved, especially Mark who got a trophy of a lifetime.

I would get my opportunity a week later on November 7th when Mike and I were filming a hunt on a windy evening in a relatively new spot for me. As the sun set, a mature buck headed right for our location just how I had planned, and I thought I was going to fill my tag. Unfortunately, the buck had two broken points on his right side so I decided to pass on him. Talk about ups and downs, and all in a mere 30 seconds!

 Unfortunately that moment turned out to be my best opportunity during the regular season. I saw a lot of really nice bucks over the next several days, but none of them met my personal antler restrictions. One of the days I saw 11 different bucks, which was just about as good as a filled tag in my opinion. After a tough regular season at home, it was time to shift my focus to Illinois, and the opportunity to hunt some of the biggest bucks on the planet.

Illinois

I’ve always felt that going on a hunt out of state was a nice way to cap off the season, and there is no reason to put any pressure on yourself to be successful. I look at it as a hunting vacation, and try to enjoy the fun of hunting away from home while putting little emphasis on actually harvesting a deer. When you book a hunt, you can’t forget that it’s still hunting, and there are certainly no guarantees. This was the mindset I took with me to Hancock County, Illinois this year, and I think it helped me take down the biggest buck of my hunting career.

The weather was horrible, and you truly had to make the best of a difficult situation. There was a small window of dry weather to start the morning of November 16, and if there was ever a time to get lucky, this was it. You can watch the above video for the details of the hunt, but I’ll describe the final thoughts as I remember them just as I was about to take the shot.

I knew the buck was a giant. I saw a lot of points, and his swagger screamed mature buck. To be up close and personal with a buck of that caliber was surreal. I don’t remember breathing. I distinctly remember whispering “He’s coming in!” When he stoped to work the licking branch below me, I resisted the urge to draw prematurely. I knew that he needed to get directly in front of me where he would have the least chance of catching my movement. Everything was in slow motion, but at the same time it was faster than I could comprehend. I whispered under my breath, “Step out of there,” and almost on command, he took the final few steps I needed. I drew the bow and simultaneously made the decision to take him right through the shoulders. He was just a few yards away, and I knew my Easton Axix arrows at 10.3 grains per inch tipped with the old reliable Muzzy 100 grain three-blade broadhead could handle a shot like that, and I had complete confidence in my setup.

It was power versus power, and when I released the arrow I immediately heard it slamming through the deer’s chest cavity. He sounded like a freight train as his 270-pound body raged through the woods. It’s a five-second moment that I’ll never forget. Tthen there was silence. I couldn’t see the buck, but I sensed he was there. This was confirmed just seconds later when I heard the crash, and then silence once again. This time I could see his stomach below the brush in the distance, and I knew he was down.

I never got nervous until I approached the buck and saw just how good he was. I took a minute to gather my thoughts and gain a full understanding of what I had just accomplished before I touched his rack and massive body. Although it was harsh to think about, I reminded myself that I may never again in my life be able to stand over a buck like this that fell to my arrow. I tried to savor every second of the moment, while not taking even a second of it for granted.

From that point forward I think it rained 90% of the time, which made the hunting difficult for the rest of the guys at camp. On our last day the weather broke a bit and I was able to get back out and take a nice adult doe to cap off my trip. Brian saw the biggest buck of his life during the evening hunt, and I know that made his trip, despite the rain. It was a pretty exciting way to end the hunt.

Firearms Season

I got out with the bow a couple of times during the firearms season, but never go an opportunity at a shooter buck. The highlight for me was Angela taking her third deer in three years. She took a nice doe during the evening of the first Saturday, and she did it after passing up a respectable buck. Her reasoning? “It’s too small,” she said. She later told me that she would have felt worse about shooting a younger buck than not getting a buck at all. “I put my crosshairs on his shoulder and I could have shot him,” she said, and I could tell that was good enough for her. I couldn’t have been prouder.

Another perfect shot by Angela downed this mature doe, and put some meat in our freezer.

Late Season

Weather was again the story during the late season. On one occasion I went out when it was just seven degrees. Because I was getting pictures of a few great bucks that made it through the earlier seasons, I was driven not to give up. I saw several bucks, including the biggest one hanging out on the property on New Year’s Eve. Unfortunately I was walking out of the woods when a group of six or seven bucks came through chasing a doe. The big guy was included in the group, and we locked eyes at just 20 yards apart.

I was face-to-face with this buck on New Year's Eve, and just knowing that he made it through has me already looking forward to next season.

The next evening provided my only chance to take a good buck in the late season. We had the wide eight-point with long brow tines just 20 yards away, but he busted us in the tree at the last second. I tried to draw, but it was to no avail. Trying to get a big buck in the late season is tough enough, and when you add trying to film it, it’s nearly impossible. Although I was a little disappointed, it was really no big deal. I’m learning that watching them get away and knowing they’ll be even bigger next season is almost as fun as shooting one!

Looking Ahead

Every season provides it’s share of memories, and 2009 will go down as one of my all-time favorites. Despite the tough weather and the fact that I didn’t fill my PA buck tag, I was able to take two does as well as the biggest buck of my life, and I also had the opportunity to touch the biggest buck ever taken on our property. Although my body is thankful for the end of the season, it won’t be long before I’m back at it doing some post-season scouting and a little antler hunting. As scary as it sounds, the 2010 season starts now!