Copyright 2006 Hide-N-Camo®
As Hide-N-Camo® enters its first Whitetail season with our garments available to the public, we look forward to hearing from hunters who are having success while wearing the new camo. We have already been getting phone calls from Bow Hunters who are saying that they are getting closer to game than ever before while wearing the new camo. Matt Gerhold of Missouri harvested this very nice buck and contributed some pictures and the story of his harvest to us recently.
A "Lucky Buck" Buck
Photos and Article Provided by Matt Gerhold
Photos and Article Provided by Matt Gerhold
Matt's story begins on the last day of the 2005 muzzleloader season. It had been a deer season of disappointment after getting close many times to two different shooters, but never being able to put it together. As he headed out for one last hunt, he carried a borrowed Knight muzzleloader with one shot. He chose a stand looking east into the wind toward a small turnip plot along the steep banks of Bear Creek.
Soon, a doe appeared across the creek to his right, and another followed by several bucks. The last buck was the widest Matt had ever seen in the wild. The buck crossed the turnip patch 30 yards from his stand. As he pulled the trigger there was only a barely audible "pop" as the cap fired. The main powder charge didn't ignite and all he could do now was watch as the widest buck he had ever seen mill around only yards from him.
Click Here to see another picture of the buck.
Soon, a doe appeared across the creek to his right, and another followed by several bucks. The last buck was the widest Matt had ever seen in the wild. The buck crossed the turnip patch 30 yards from his stand. As he pulled the trigger there was only a barely audible "pop" as the cap fired. The main powder charge didn't ignite and all he could do now was watch as the widest buck he had ever seen mill around only yards from him.
Click Here to see another picture of the buck.
It was now July 2006 and the deer cameras were put in place. Early summer we like to get the cameras out in the pastures and fence lines, searching unassuming areas for that unexpected trophy in an unexpected place. We had also bought a new wildlife mineral, "Lucky Buck touting a guarantee of growing bigger bucks or your money back. We sat one camera in front of the new miracle mineral.
Four days later the camera showed "card full". That was some mineral. 130 pictures of all kinds of deer, and one of, it had to be, the same deer I didn't get during muzzleloader season. His width and short tine length was unmistakable. I had not been telling a deer tale all winter. Indeed, it was the widest buck I had seen. Click on the picture for a larger view.
Four days later the camera showed "card full". That was some mineral. 130 pictures of all kinds of deer, and one of, it had to be, the same deer I didn't get during muzzleloader season. His width and short tine length was unmistakable. I had not been telling a deer tale all winter. Indeed, it was the widest buck I had seen. Click on the picture for a larger view.
Through August, we were getting 80+ pictures each week of various deer, and often the one. But as time went, they became less frequent and turned from day time pictures to night time. Before long, we were getting just 5 pictures each week, in total. It was obvious, patterns had already changed and he was going to get harder to locate as the season progressed. In the mean time, I started moving one camera in a circle around the other to try to determine his direction in and out. But, it was too late. He and every other deer had moved off, permanently I feared.
September 15th came with the promise of a fresh season to screw up all over again. Right out of the gate, I was lucky enough to have a shooter, broadside at 15 yards, but it was early. Moving stand to stand, I hoped to just see this buck somewhere sometime before the bucks got rutty and became even more unpredictable. Dad had been hunting the other side of the property. We were both looking and waiting. Both of us passed early on nice deer and both figured we were perhaps foolish for doing so.
Friday, the 22nd, deer were moving. Dad saw the buck emerge from the timber and into a bean field just before dark, ranging very little. We had located him, at least that night, but getting a favorable wind and getting close enough. That was a problem.
Saturday, the 23rd, we double teamed the spot from both sides. The wind was strong. Deer were nervous. He was a no show. It was obvious that deer preferred eating bean leaves and that the leaves were about to fall. After consulting with friends and listening to the ever cautious hunter, I knew that opportunity was short. We would have to risk the wind and noise of moving a stand.
Sunday afternoon, I took in early with a climber in hand. The wind was swirling, but favoring me most the time. I went as high as possible in a tree that offered a shot into the beans and woods. Now I don't know if it's proper to ask God for something as trivial and silly as a specific deer to shoot, but it couldn't hurt. As I ranged the yardage around me, I did just that. There's no doubt it is possible, but I wasn't sure how big a deer hunter God was and I was pretty sure my intentions were self serving, but is that always bad? Doesn't God do things that please him? Matthew 21:22 (New International Version) "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Maybe I was taking this out of content, but hey, I'm a deer hunter, not a scholar.
Deer were moving early and following a path skirting some 50 yards around my location. Climbing trees are not always located in the ideal spot. You have to go where the tree is. It was early and I was contemplating moving down the line just a little. But, I did recall bucks seldom walk the same way twice and they tend to cross trails rather than follow. There was too much activity to move now.
It happened about that fast. At 50 yards I saw him walking intently my way through the thick of it. Just enough time to grab the bow, pull back, get it on him, release, watch him run off, and then for the next hour wonder, "Was that him? I had been known for letting my killer instinct override my quest for a big deer.
To make a long story short, God is obviously a deer hunter. They say luck favors the prepared, but I doubt luck had anything to do with it. So, if you've got a problem with deer hunting, or you've got a problem with your hunting, take it up with the "Man"
September 15th came with the promise of a fresh season to screw up all over again. Right out of the gate, I was lucky enough to have a shooter, broadside at 15 yards, but it was early. Moving stand to stand, I hoped to just see this buck somewhere sometime before the bucks got rutty and became even more unpredictable. Dad had been hunting the other side of the property. We were both looking and waiting. Both of us passed early on nice deer and both figured we were perhaps foolish for doing so.
Friday, the 22nd, deer were moving. Dad saw the buck emerge from the timber and into a bean field just before dark, ranging very little. We had located him, at least that night, but getting a favorable wind and getting close enough. That was a problem.
Saturday, the 23rd, we double teamed the spot from both sides. The wind was strong. Deer were nervous. He was a no show. It was obvious that deer preferred eating bean leaves and that the leaves were about to fall. After consulting with friends and listening to the ever cautious hunter, I knew that opportunity was short. We would have to risk the wind and noise of moving a stand.
Sunday afternoon, I took in early with a climber in hand. The wind was swirling, but favoring me most the time. I went as high as possible in a tree that offered a shot into the beans and woods. Now I don't know if it's proper to ask God for something as trivial and silly as a specific deer to shoot, but it couldn't hurt. As I ranged the yardage around me, I did just that. There's no doubt it is possible, but I wasn't sure how big a deer hunter God was and I was pretty sure my intentions were self serving, but is that always bad? Doesn't God do things that please him? Matthew 21:22 (New International Version) "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Maybe I was taking this out of content, but hey, I'm a deer hunter, not a scholar.
Deer were moving early and following a path skirting some 50 yards around my location. Climbing trees are not always located in the ideal spot. You have to go where the tree is. It was early and I was contemplating moving down the line just a little. But, I did recall bucks seldom walk the same way twice and they tend to cross trails rather than follow. There was too much activity to move now.
It happened about that fast. At 50 yards I saw him walking intently my way through the thick of it. Just enough time to grab the bow, pull back, get it on him, release, watch him run off, and then for the next hour wonder, "Was that him? I had been known for letting my killer instinct override my quest for a big deer.
To make a long story short, God is obviously a deer hunter. They say luck favors the prepared, but I doubt luck had anything to do with it. So, if you've got a problem with deer hunting, or you've got a problem with your hunting, take it up with the "Man"
Click on the picture for a larger view.
Visit Matt's web site at http://www.gerholdfarms.com
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