Ethan scored his first buck ever, his first time hunting at Turtle Creek Outfitters. As you all know, sometimes it just happens that way.
Ethan’s Uncle has been hunting at Turtle Creek Outfitters for a number of years, previously coming alone. This year he brought his nephew along. I believe it was their second day in stand. Ethan was hunting a new stand on the island. It was late October, the rut seemed to be waiting for the starting whistle, temps in the 60’s, light breeze, blue sky, no deer around. (By the way, some hunters might say the rut never did start in 2015) Ethan and Uncle were texting about the slow day, chatting about coming in. It seemed more like summer to them, than autumn, deer hunting weather. Uncle left his stand and was walking toward Ethan when he gets a text, “I just shot one”. Wow! Uncle was literally a minute or two from busting that chance!
Ethan, in stand, heard something to his left. He turns and sees this buck thrashing the brush about 40 yards away. Its thick in there. Ethan grunts. No response. Thrashing continues. Grunt again, nothing. He grunts a couple more times. The buck never acknowledged the grunts….but eventually the buck continues on the trail which leads right by Ethan, then stops with his vitals covered by a tree at 12 yards. Ethan draws, shoots to the back side, barely missing the tree. A few hundred yards later, they find him dead, laying right on an ATV trail.
Congrats Ethan!
We hadn’t seen this buck very much. I’ve added a couple trail cam photos below. On the profile, first photo, he looks like more than a 2 1/2, but when you look at the final two images, he appears bigger and older with a rounded nose. Probably 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 years, but on the second, straight on photo, he looks even older. I really don’t know.
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