The story of Tank - Deer Hunting - Deer Hunting

Before I begin my story, I would like to thank Ricco and my brother (IDO member asphyxiation) for giving me encouragement, knowledge, and tips on how I could kill Tank!
I first got pictures of Tank in the summer of 2012 as a 4.5 year old. I only got two pictures of him the entire year, and felt like he left his summer grounds once he shed his velvet. He was the biggest deer that I got pictures of that year, and I gave up hope in being able to harvest him.
I started running my cameras this year at the end of July. I was hoping to kill G3 this year-an 8 point that I had two encounters with in 2012 as a 3.5 year old. This year, G3 is a 130-135 inch 8 point with a big split brow tine. I knew where he was living and his travel routes, but I didn’t get any more pictures of him after the full moon in September.
I decided to hunt a lot smarter this year than in years past. I took the advice from Ricco about only hunting a spot once you get a shooter on camera. Otherwise, it’s a waste of time and energy. Additionally, I designated under layer clothes strictly to hunting. Here, I wash them in Scent-a-Way and place them in trash bags upside down so that no air can get into the opening of the bags. Also, I only hunt when the wind is in my favor, and try not to hunt a particular stand more than twice a week.
September and the whole month of October were good to me this year. I saw more bucks than does in those two months than ever before. However, I never saw a shooter in stand.

October 19
I try to check my cameras every 3-5 days after I hunt to see if any shooters have gone passed my stands while I’m not there. Saturday, October 19 was a full moon, and I was prepared to see something worth shooting 3-5 days before, and 3-5 days after the moon phase. At 4:30 am, I got a video on my Covert of a big 10 point that I had no previous pictures of. I figured that he was 135-140 inches gross. After a few minutes go by, I got another video of Splits on the same trail. He’s a 4.5 year old125-130 inch 10 point with double split brows and a kicker off his right G2. To say the least, I was pumped to finally see some shooters on their feet! I continued to hunt as much as possible during the moon phase in hopes of seeing G3, Splits, or the 10.

October 22
I hunted the Killing Tree on the evening of October 22nd. Prior to this hunt, I bought my first bottle of Nose Jammer because I knew that I was going to have to start pushing my limits before gun season started. The wind was out of the NNW that night at 10-15 mph, which made the windchill in the upper 20’s. The first deer to come out was a doe, two fawns, and a 6 point at 5:15 pm. The 6 point pushed the doe and fawns multiple times, but they were having none of it. He began shredding a small sapling while the does and fawns continued to feed in the pasture. Around 6 pm, another doe stepped out to my west and began making her way upwind of me. I desperately wanted to shoot her because it was early enough and I thought that it wouldn’t affect my hunt. When she got into my shooting lane, I thought to myself, “Don’t blow this spot before the 3 day window”. I reluctantly passed her.
A couple minutes later, a 2.5 year old basket 8 came out where the second doe came from. The 6 point and the 8 began aggressively sparring 30 yards from me. When they were done, the 6 point let out a growl. At 6:10, I look back to where the 8 point came out, and the 10 point from October 19th was standing at the edge of the opening. Meanwhile, the two small bucks walked right underneath me, and I was sure that one of them was going to pick me off. The 10 point stood there for ten minutes listening and observing the behaviors of the other deer before he stepped out. He began working from right to left between me and a small group of oaks about 50 yards away. I had pre-ranged a small cedar at 38 yards, and got ready for the shot. He began to feed on the grass for over ten minutes before he stepped out at 40+ yards. Once there was nothing between us, he turned quartering-to me at 48 yards. I decided not to shoot. A couple minutes go by and he makes his way to 43 yards, but this time he was too quartering-away from me. I drew back when I noticed his body language signaled that he was going to turn; but he was facing away-so I let down. My hands were so cold from holding my bow and my legs were shaking so bad that I couldn’t let myself make a bad shot. At this time, the 8 point began nudging a doe, and the 10 point bolted down the hill after her and out of range. He began to tear up a cedar tree about 55 yards away, and finally left. All of the deer went downwind of me that night, but had no clue that I was there. I like to think that my scent precautions and Nose Jammer helped conceal my odor, but I’ll never know.
I sat there in disbelief that I passed an opportunity at the biggest buck that I had ever had that close to me. I was discouraged after the hunt because the gap was getting smaller between that time and gun season. I texted Ricco and my brother and told them what had happened. They reassured me that I made the right decision of passing up the shot because of the angles. After I let the moment pass, I patted myself on the back for following through with my values in making ethical decisions.

October 26
The wind wasn’t perfect to hunt the Killing Tree in the morning. But, I sprayed my boots and the tree with Nose Jammer because of the success I have had with it so far. I ended up only seeing two fawns around 8:00 am. I was certain that the “mystery trespassing woman” that had been walking around had ruined the spot, and I was beginning to get worried that I wasn’t going to get another chance at the 10 point. When I got down, I checked the Cuddeback that was located 25 yards to the north of my stand. To my surprise, Splits and the 10 point showed up the night before, at 11:30 pm on October 25th! I then called my brother and told him that he showed up again.
When I got home, I put my SD card in my computer to look at the pictures again. I called my brother and told him, “This deer is a lot bigger than 135-140’’. He replied with, “I wasn’t going to say anything, but I think he is about 150 judging from the video”. I texted Ricco the picture to tell him the news about the 10 being about 140-145’’. Ricco responded with, “He’s over 150”. After this, I told Ricco that I was nicknaming the 10 point Tank after the buck he shot last year because indeed, he is a tank.

October 28
I felt that I had spent too much time at the Killing Tree, and needed to try the Saddle. The Saddle is a stand located about 1/4 mile from the Killing Tree where two draws come together. There are two bedding areas to the east and west, and the bucks travel down the draws in the mornings and evenings. I ended up busting a deer on my way in that was bedded to the south of my stand. I got into my stand about 6:35 am and waited for first light. Right at shooting time, I heard a deer coming down the draw. I got ready for the shot, but it turned out to be a 4 point…He ended up bedding 10 yards on the saddle to my left for over an hour. I tried everything I could to get him to run off (rubbing my boots on the platform, clearing my throat, etc). He did spook a little bit, but ended up bedding again. This time, however, he bedded between me and a big cottonwood about 10 yards away. At 8:45 am, I looked down the hill to the south and I saw a deer standing in the blow downs. I put my binoculars on the deer, and realized that it was Tank. He bedded down, facing away from me at 60-70 yards downwind.
I texted my brother and Ricco, “Tank just came down the hill and bedded 60 yards away”. Both responded with, “wait him out”. My original plan was to hunt until about 10:30 because I had class in Minneapolis at 1 pm. But, I was willing to skip it to get a shot at this deer. I kept thinking about shot opportunities, angles, and the 4 point that was bedded 10 yards away. With the wind being pretty strong, I tried to get the 4 point to leave so he wouldn’t bust me in the moment of truth. At this time, I sat down really fast and looked right into the eyes of the 4 point and waved my arms. He continued to chew his cud, and proceeded to look the other way! I said to myself, “You gotta be kidding me!” Ten minutes later, the 4 point got up and left, thank God. I then texted a classmate telling her that I would not be coming to class at 1 pm because I had more important things to do.
For the next 20 minutes, I anticipated my shot opportunities, when and how I was going to draw, etc. I figured that my best shot was going to be a quartering-to shot at 15 yards instead of letting him walk up the saddle and behind me broadside at 7 yards. Because I wasn’t confident with taking a quartering-to shot with a Meat Seeker, I unscrewed it from my arrow, and swapped it with a Rocky Mtn Snyper because I knew that this broadhead could blow through a shoulder.
While he was bedded, I was able to watch him scratch his back with his rack and groom his cape over and over again! At 10:45 am, Tank stood up, and so did I. He stood there for about 5 minutes before he started walking back up the hill. At this time, I grunted at him, followed by a snort wheeze with my mouth. He stopped behind some trees and listened for the “deer” that was calling at him. I then pulled out my Primos Buck Roar and Roared at him, followed by another snort wheeze. He started working his way on the side of the hill, where he stopped and rubbed his tarsal glands together. At this point, I knew he was coming in. He worked his way into 20 yards, but was quartering-to me. Also, there was a small branch covering his vitals, so I didn’t have a shot. He stood there for about 2 minutes, listening intently for the buck that was making the calls. He got a little suspicious and decided to leave. When he turned quartering away, I drew back. I settled my pin for the middle of his body and squeezed the trigger. To my surprise, I spined him and he dropped without any further flinching at 11 am.
I have my top pin set for 30 yards, and for treestand compensation, so I have to aim lower at anything less than that to get a heart shot. I think because of the elevation and quartering-away angle, my shot was high….or it was because of buck fever! However, I thought for sure that I cut his artery with the shot, so I stood there shaking like an earthquake from the adrenaline, and waited for him to bleed out. But, he tried to get back up, and proceeded to pull his way down the hill. Once I gained my composure, I climbed down, and made a follow up shot. I then called my brother to tell him the news, but he didn’t answer. I then texted him and Ricco, “I killed Tank”.
It took my dad and me 3.5 hours to take pictures, dress him, drag him up the draw (took 1 hour to get him up the draw), and across the field. Tank popped the support bars off the deer cart three times during this process.
Tank ended up being 5.5 years old, and grossing 158 1/8” as a 10 point with a 1” sticker off his right base. Tank weighed 200 lbs dressed x 1.35 (live weight), to put him around 270 lbs on the hoof. I can’t believe how much I underestimated him in the initial video that I got of him. However, I would have shot him in a heartbeat regardless of score. This is a buck of a lifetime for me, and I still haven’t left cloud 9.

Pictures #1-3 are of Tank at 4.5
Picture #4 is after my first sighting of him, and when i decided to name him Tank
Thanks for reading and shoot straight!!