"You've got mail," my computer sang out six days before I headed to Kansas for the early muzzleloader season. I'd been waiting on this email and quickly clicked it open. I had sent two Moultrie digital game cameras to David Henning, who operates Kansas Monsters Guide and Outfitters, and the email contained images of a buck that I'd have a chance at during my hunt. The emailed image showed a buck with a towering G2 more than 12 inches long and was the only point out of velvet, a characteristic so notable that I nicknamed him "G2."
On the first morning of the hunt, my cameraman and I watched five deer, and that afternoon saw nine more, but no G2. With the wind switching over to the northwest, the next day provided the perfect opportunity to hunt G2. That evening we heard the sound of barbed wire being plucked like a banjo string and knew G2 was on his way. Unfortunately, dusk had arrived and there was not enough light to video. We watched G2 pass without a clue we were there.
We slipped out the following morning and glassed the nearby alfalfa field. Sure enough, there was G2 slipping back into the woods toward his bedding area. We eased in and picked up our Moultrie game camera and headed back to the lodge to view the pictures on the television. I nearly spit coffee across the living room when the second picture came up of a 6x6 typical I nicknamed Booner. With shreds of velvet hanging from his crown, Booner paused for several different camera angles before leaving the stage. This was my last chance at this magnificent buck. The weather and wind were perfect to prompt early movement and my spirits were high.
Deer began moving earlier and I felt like it was going to happen. I was glassing the sanctuary across the dirt road and gasped at a tall, wide rack heading our way. The cameraman quickly framed him and began recording. The buck lumbered over two fences, crossed the narrow road and was walking through waist high CRP grass heading our way. When he was a little more than 50 yards from us, I grunted with my mouth and sent the projectile on its way. The buck hunched and sped toward some nearby timber.
After gathering our thoughts and letting our heart rates return to nearly normal, we climbed down to find the buck. My guide, who had been sitting down the road glassing a different alfalfa field had heard the shot and quietly rolled up. We waived him in and started following the blood trail. G2 lay just inside the timber. Even though the buck weighed 240 pounds, the rack still looked impressive in comparison. The rack has a nearly 23 inch outside spread and eight points, and green scored him at 147 1/2. What a buck!
About the Author, James Stovall
James Stovall is your typical whitetail addict that lives and breathes whitetails 24/7 and for 365 days. He harvested the Florida State Record Whitetail scoring 212" gross and netting 206 0/8 in 1999 on the first day of archery season. James started bow hunting at the age of 12 yrs old and has been hooked on the sport of hunting ever since. In James' free time he speaks at tradeshows and hunting events about his passion and skill for the sport. He is also in the process of filming hunts for several upcoming television shows. James still keeps his day job as a firefighter/EMT for the Lakeland Fire Department. James is blessed with a wonderful wife and son and is truly living the whitetail dream!