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The Path To Killing Bucks

By Alli ArmstrongJune 17, 20131 Comment

LAST UPDATED: May 1st, 2015

A few days ago, as I was riding my four wheeler down a bush-hogged path in a grassy field, I thought back to this past fall. This particular field, especially this path, has been one that’s quite deadly for the deer that frequently like to travel it. I have taken two of my best bucks and some tasty does from the stand in the edge of this field.
My mom, Susan, shot her second buck with a bow out of this stand last fall. She got out of school that afternoon (she works as a high school math teacher) and hurried home so that she and my dad could go hunting together.  Mom was the one hunting and Dad was going to film her hunt. Dad made the decision not to go to the stand the usual way but to take a different route because he just had a feeling the deer might be moving a different way.

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The author’s mother, Susan, took this great buck during one of the most exciting hunts of her life. Before launching her fateful arrow, she was forced to watch the buck chasing a doe all around her stand.

They had just climbed up in the stand and before Dad could even put the camera arm on the treestand Mom heard a deer grunting. They both looked for the deer and just couldn’t see it for all the tall grass and brushy weeds throughout the field. Finally, after what seemed like forever, they saw the weeds moving and antlers began to shine through the weeds. The buck was a sight to behold and they were relieved to see what the deer looked like. This buck was definitely a shooter!

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Monitoring deer throughout the summer months with trail cameras really helps Alli and her family keep tabs on the deer in the area, which makes for more exciting rut hunting. (Editor’s note: the buck on the right is the buck that Susan eventually shot with her bow.)

He was chasing a doe along with two smaller bucks that shared his interest. The doe hung around the treestand and was in shooting range for most of the time. However, every time the biggest buck would come within shooting range the two smaller bucks would get too close for comfort for him. As a result, he would turn around and chase the two bucks off again and again. This was an entertaining show for Mom and Dad to watch but after waiting so long on the buck to offer a shot they wondered if he would ever come within range before dark.

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The author and her little sister, Adriana, admire the buck that Alli took out of the same stand her mother scored from.

Unfortunately, when he finally did get within range there were some tree limbs in the way. The doe finally started moving right out into the opening of the bush hogged path and they knew the buck should be right behind her. With the camera rolling right over Mom’s shoulder the buck steps into view about 25 yards away. The buck looks away to check the other two bucks one more time and this gave Mom the opportunity to draw her bow. He turned back and Mom released her arrow! On the video you can see the “Nockturnal” lit arrow hit him right behind the shoulder with a complete pass through. The deer wheeled and ran while Mom exploded with excitement.

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The Armstrong ladies, Adriana, Susan, and Alli, all pose with their bucks taken from the same field.

It was great that my Dad got the hunt on video because it was good to see Mom that happy over the awesome buck that she had just taken with her bow. She had a great day because she got to do two of the things she loves to do which are teach math and kill a great buck! Dad has already bush-hogged that path again this spring.  I can’t wait for fall and to see what moves through there this year.

Alli Armstrong
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