Here is his 08 Trail Camera Picture. At this point, he really had no name. I just knew him as tall and tight.
Now spring starts to pass and no luck finding this bucks sheds. Timber is cut and everything starts to move around in this area. I put a camera back in this same location and after weeks of waiting he shows up. But, he has something new and cool. Seems he either hit the side of his rack or ticks had embedded on his right MB between the G2 and G3. At this point, he doesn’t look that big. But, he enters my hit list for this season as a possible shooter.
Here are his July cuddeback photos. Only got 2 of him the whole summer and then he vanished like a ghost. At this point, he gets a name. Catcher fits well since his right side looks like a catchers mitt. No, he isn’t the actual member here called "catcher" LOL!
Present day Nov 4th comes into play. I had gotten one of my biggest bucks the day before so I was somewhat in a relax state of mind. I decided to get on the combine to cut soybeans since they had finally dried down. But some of the land was a little to wet so I had to stop early. I grabbed my gear from my truck and just put my scent lok pants and jacket on over my blue jeans. I put on my rubber boots and sprayed down with scent away. It’s basically the same routine I always have. I headed to a stand I hadn’t touched all year since hanging it in early July. It over looks a fresh cut piece of timber with rolling hills. My stand is in a funnel between short pines, the clear cut, and a wet bottom. The wind was southwest which is why I decided on this stand. Perfect wind! Well I was in stand at 3:30pm. I settled in and searched the forum here on my blackberry. I grunted a few times and hit the can call off and on every 20mins. At 4:30 I notice movement to my left in the clear-cut coming over the hill. Antlers... good ones at that. I put binos up and it was a good 22inch wide 7pt but he didn’t have much mass. Having taken the better buck the day before I wasn’t taking this guy. I have pics of him on my cuddeback also. I noticed he was timid about something behind him. Then i saw a dark brown-stiffed legged buck coming over the hill. I could instantly tell it was a VERY GOOD buck. I got the binos up and without a doubt it was CATCHER. Boy did he grow the month after that trail camera picture! He circled the 7pt and they both lowered their heads and began to fight. It wasn’t much of a match. Though the 7pt had a bigger body he couldn’t handle Catchers brute mass. It lasted maybe 15 seconds before the 7pt broke and trotted about 10ft away. What do I do? They are 75yards. No rest. This is a dream buck. Do I call him closer.? What if he see's a doe and walks away? I decided to put the ML'er up and get a feel for him. At this point I’m not shaking for some reason. I'm as calm as possible. I settle the Nikon BDC scope on him. Rock solid it feels! He's facing me somewhat so I can’t shoot. I put the ML'er back down and then he turns broadside. I pit it back up and again it’s a rock solid grip. I can’t believe I'm not shaking. Some type of ease had come over me. It’s weird to explain. Now is the time. I squeeze knowing a simple jerk of the trigger could throw off a 75 yard shot. Boom........ quiet overcomes everything. I hear a crash through the clear-cut. Catcher was gone but the 7pt was still there. I could see the ground and catcher hadn’t dropped in his tracks. Now I wonder if I missed. I reload and scan the area with my binos and nothing is there but the 7pt still. Its tall grass and laps of trees so I cant see. Its still light now so I decide to climb down and at least look for blood. I get to the spot and the 7pt is still there. I’m within 20 yards of this guy and perfect sight. He finally trots off. I start to scan the area where I think he was on the shot. Nothing. Its thick grass so I can find tracks. Its started to get dark so I make my mind up to walk a straight line 30 yards across where I know he was. I see BLOOD!!!! Dark Red blood. Its good blood and ALOT of it. I start to follow and its getting better and better. I can tell its coming from the mouth and sides at this point. Now I am getting nervous and starting to shake. I may have my dream buck now! Then I see the bright white belly and GOLDEN antlers up ahead. When I got my hands on this deer I simply had to set beside him and not say a word. In a way I paid my respects to this animal. I had history with him and that began to overtake me. Catcher had grown into a brute buck. His small frame body and scars showed he was a fighter. He had become my biggest buck in sheer mass. 9 months of work, trail cameras; hanging stands, looking at maps, planning, and etc had come together on this one perfect day. I had my dream in my hands finally.
