By Brant Baker
Nov.15, 2010 (about 4:50)
I was able to release my arrow on this Iowa buck. Hands started shaken and heart racing as I watched him trot away 
draining him self leaving the doe standing there with her tongue hanging out breathing very hard, and me saying to my self (thank you god) (go down, go down) over and over tell he went over the ridge 40yds from me. my first trail cam shot of him was 2yrs ago. So I have been trying very carefully to get him with out moving him away, closer to other hunters. I have seen him hunting many times but out of range (60-200 yds) that is also why this year I shoot my 70lb bow all the time at 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70+ yds.
This year was no different than the last years, I sit letting doe after doe and buck after buck go bye untill the end of season , it is a war in my head trying not to shoot the 130-140+ 3 1/2yr olds and older bucks that just do not have the genes and are not going to get bigger than 145+class rack. Something changed when i seen that 170+ buck for the first time. My freezing fingers and toes and freezing wind was not so bad. The mind plays tricks you tell your self after hrs in the stand (go home I’m not going to see any thing today, its to windy, nothing is going to come bye after that banging sound) just to be overcome by (he is out here).
Well on monday 15th 2010 afternoon around 3:00 I had this feeling to get out there fast even though I don’t like risking getting in my stand that late.
40yds from my stand I moved a doe-20ft from me but what was strange is she went down in the creek and walked away 
never sending the tail alert or snort, so I moved in to my stand and started calling, grunts ,roars ,bleats and got my hand held video camera ready thinking ill just see something 70-100yrds out.
But then a nice 3-4 year old 130class walked by 40yds sniffing the air and staring at the woods,(I have this on video) I know he had that doe’s scent from when I was walking to my stand. I said god let a doe lead that big buck I’m looking for bye me and get a good shot at him. Not long after I see a doe coming for me at a fast trot , so I start to get the video cam and then turn back and their he is trailing her 10yds back I did one of those blink the eyes because I didn’t
beleave it was him.( I freaked) I seen her first at 45yds and I have a video cam in my hands. I’m thinking what I’m I doing ( my bow)!!!!! Set the cam on seat grabbed the bow drew back sight 3in from bottom of chest right behind the elbow grunting to slow him down but their was no chance, I could have screamed at him and he wouldn’t have left her so as he quarter away from me i let her go. Slicing though him like butter (2in rage) but he didn’t flinch and no blood, I’m thinking I know I got him and right in front of my eyes the color I was looking for started gushing as he turned back to me only it was a kidney shot not lungs and heart shot, trotting bye me leaving her and glided over the fence and started the staging drunk walk and me saying to myself thank you god thank you go down. All this in less then 20 seconds. I couldn’t get down yet because the doe was standing 10yds from me with her tongue hanging out breathing very hard and barely able to stand ( have video of this).
A few years back stalking a deer trail I seen a buck like this that was so exhausted he barely could walk and I was 10ft from him. Twice he layed down and tried to rest and then go again but couldn’t so I walked away from him with fear blazing from his eyes watching me leave. So after about 10min I started getting down because I had to see if my buck 
fell on the other side of the ridge but he didn’t and I backed out for 2hrs. And found him 2hrs later 50yds from that ridge.
I love bow huntin
