My best Bow Buck....

[ray koziatek]

Well had a unexpected trip to the farm in Indiana,my friend and myself,did well... Of course I could come up with the story if anyone wants to hear it....If 4 in wernt broke off the main beam it should go 156 before deductions ,,,if ya added every point (legal one 14) it woulda broke 160,,,just not the mass this year but the locals seen to think the drought has some effect to the horns . The pedicals look like they coulda supported more antler so maybe their is something to it.

1 G2 was 12.5 another 12 in ..I just slapped numbers as i measured at the farm ,I'll break out the cable and straight edge for good score,my arrows are only 28 In so the width ant super ,But hey when ya got a perfect 42 yd shot ya cant pass it up when bow hunting .. Now if i had a gun i mighta beat this one.....hopefull my friends will get the bigboy with the firesticks..

Sorry had to use tripod so i couldnt get good pics..

[ray koziatek]

hmm

The eye to nose was 8.5 in maybe close to 9 kinda foggy after 10 drive base of neck 37 in mid-34 in just under chin 27in... mine dressed over 225 and my friends wasnt too far behind felt like 400 after 200 yd drag...

[FX]

Very nice Ray! Two fine bucks there! Congrats on your personal best! Now, enough about the score, get on with the story tellin

Shawn

[ Post made via BlackBerry ]

[ray koziatek]

omganothershortfatone= or bald eagle ..is too tired tonight keyboard keeps moving thnx

[crumcake1223]

great job ray

[W.W.IV.]

Yen's dig good Ray. Nice Bucks.

[muskybob]

I thought I"d never say this to a guy, but "nice rack"

[Big Dave]

Can't you gorrila glue the broken pieces back on????? Well Done Ray, nice rack!!!! Canned venison sandwichs for the boat next summer

[JR]

Way to go Ray

[Huntin' Trout]

Nice job Ray - never underestimate the millions of uses for a quality wooden baseball bat

[GAMBLER]

Congrats on the PB buck Ray

[Legacy]

[Gator]

Beautiful animals, Ray

[ray koziatek]

Every day on the farm could be a story in its self. Day one I had my first shooter (my friends buck) at 5 ft from my tree behind me ,but due to branches all i could do was watch him check his rub line and move on,followed by a beauty of a 140 8 pt 15 min later..(PS I did not set this stand position) Arrgh . But after a 10 hr drive and less than 1 hr in the "hunt' iVE LEARNED NEVER TO TAKE THE FIRST 150.

I digress, the rest of day one and 2 were sit and observe days...Day 3 was slow till 9;30 when the farmer who works the land shows up with his 10,000 lb fertalizer wagon and 8 wheel tractor . Well when he got close to the woods just 500 yds north of me , all i could see was a wall of deer materalize out of the 3ft tall weeds and woodlot next to it........The good news was I saw the 170 plus I missed last year(another story)....the bad , it was 100 yds and running to the "big woods" along with several smashers...

We'll I had seen enuf observing , and made my decision to back out and move to the stand 200 yds south "Deans " Stand (Dean passed in 1996) .

But knowing what I know about smart old deer I forced myself to sit lookin at a empty field till after 3 in the afternoon...Ive watched Big bucks stand like a statue for over 1 hr when on alert and the best hunter in the world ant gonna get in gun range ,let alone bow range..

I slid into Deans stand and did my ranging of every opening i might get a shot out to 50 yds...Maybe 430 I hear a grunt then a G_R_U_N_T.....as 2 deer were chasin doe just outa sight 80 yds in front of me...at 70 yds i see a brown body moving my way and figure the doe gave them the slip ,now im at 110% ready at 50 yds she grew a 150 in rack when It cleared the final branches blocking its rack.

I have never seen a buck look more dishearted as he began his circle for his lost love. At 1 yd from my shooting lane and i give him his lost love "baaa" (works for sheep too).....He stops perfect at 41 42 yds looks my way on the ground ,1/2 sec later he looks up and sees a bear in a tree (me buffy hunting) ,,,He goes from "were are you honey" to Drill Instructer on deck" stance in the next 1/2 sec.

thats when i let it fly.

I could see the shot went 2 in left of my aim and 2 in high .. For the next 5 min I reflect and think of My friend """"DON"""

who passed in 2011 and soak in the view of the woods as seen from Deans Eyes many years ago...

I sneek the 40 yds as i know the Big Boy is less than 200 yds from me in that brush and my friend still had a empty tag..

The impact area had more blood than a slug hit but a high hit and no pass through left leaf and ground trackin my only option for the next 40 yds..I find my 3rd spect of blood ,and im 2nd guessing my shot. 5 more yds another spect its starting (blood trail).

Then In front of me less than 5 yds their is a monster racked buck , I knew it was a shooter from the stand but I never ponder on the rack before the shot...

I actually thought it wasnt my deer because of no blood and large rack and less than 50 yd run after shot. when i rolled it over to confirm my "hopes" a loud suckin sound and bucket of blood and finally my shot placement closed the Hunt..

When gutting later, I got both lungs (top rear) liver,and main artery below spine ...

As i put my "traditional Green grass" in the dead deers moulth so its "spirit will have food to eat" (traditional Indian Belief) , I Know my only task left is to get my Friend's son on a nice buck so we can go home ........

For you guys who think because your in prime hunting country hunting is easy ,It ant .....I sat for 10 hrs this day for a 3 to 8 sec window of opertunity and 1 to 2 sec. to aim hold and release my shot ......

""""Thank You Don""""

Ray K.

[Capt Vince Pierleoni]

Great story, great deer!

[Gill-T]

Nice Buck Ray.

[seasquirrel]

Way to go Ray. A giant!

[fishshack]

Holy cow!!! Awesome buck. Way to go Ray.

[skipper19]

Ray, great BIG buck my friend!...love yer story...and thanks fer takin that monster outta the gauntlet of goofy bucks on the Indiana highways so I didn't grill him on the KW at 65. Congrates on yer personal best! Outstanding shot at 42 yards!

Mark

[ Post made via Android ]

[on the lam]

Congrats Ray!! WTG

[ Post made via Android ]

[Hookedup]

Great buck ray! I'm glad you got to go out west. Sean

[ Post made via Android ]

[Gene Shenk]

Congrats on a great hunt and a great deer Ray!!!

[Tank]

Great Buck Ray! Tank

[33canuck]

Great bucks bud, congrats!

[Mortigan]