Greg’s WI Trophy | Wi Whitetail

In 2014, Greg’s first year at TCO, he did not shoot a buck. However, he did see many bucks and plenty of daily action. So he decided to return in 2015.

Opening day, 7:30 a.m. All is well as Greg watches a small buck feeding 150 yards out. Then, at the edge of the woods, still in the shadows, he spots another buck. No need for the binoculars this time around. The buck finally exits the dark woods and walks into the open, past the smaller buck. This buck is not interested in feeding. He continues walking, faster, then faster, in the open. Greg can see the buck easily, but there is light brush in the way. The buck stops for some reason and looks back to the smaller buck. Luckily enough, he stopped where there was a clear shot at 110 yards. Boom! That’s all.

Patience.

I had to congratulate Greg on being patient, waiting for this trophy to clear the brush and taking the perfect shot. Not only for his patience this year, this shot, but all of last year too. He could have gotten antsy and shot a smaller buck in 2014, but he didn’t. This year his patience paid off.

Rifle: Savage 300 Win Mag Bolt Action. Scope, Luepold 4.5 – 14. You need a scope of this size to be accurate here. You can expect potential of 200-300 yards, sometimes more.

I prefer hunters with bolt action rifles. This is the perfect example of why. To me, a hunter using a bolt action, like Greg, is more patient, and will take one accurate shot instead of letting lead fly and hoping for the best.

By the way, at TCO, we don’t start archery hunting until the end of October. We then hunt until the week before rifle season, rest the land and start over on the opener of rifle.

This buck had been trail cams numerous times for several years. He was a regular. Although, I don’t believe anybody had ever spotted him while hunting. This year he vanished from trail cams for 3 weeks, during the peak of the rut. I was thinking he wouldn’t return, or had been shot, then, thankfully he returned.

The last photo shows Greg indicating to the trail camera that he shot a 10. Happy! Very happy. He’s smiling inside.