Matthew Mateyak's Blog: 12/11/2006 - Dad's Muzzleloader 11 Pointer and Mount Complete! (Pics)

12/11/2006 - Dad's Muzzleloader 11 Pointer and Mount Complete!

Here's the story I wrote up when Dad shot this buck back on 12/11/2006:

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Unbelievable season for Dad...he does it AGAIN. This time he scores on an unbelievable 11 pointer from the same stand location he shot his doe earlier this year with the muzzleloader and the same one I shot my 8 pointer last year! I am still in awe with this deer, great buck for these woods.

I can't tell you how much it means to me for my Dad to get this deer, this is what it's all about. I said in the beginning of the year, all I wanted to see was my Dad get a shot at a nice rack this year and man did he come through! As lackluster of a season as this has been, seemingly an eternity of frustration trying to figure these bucks out and waiting days, weeks, months for just ONE glimpse, nevermind a shot...and then it all comes together in mere seconds, the moment of truth where the emotional rollercoaster of hunting takes you for that ride you've waited all season for...one where you decide where it takes you...to the top of the mountain or deep into the valley below. Fortunately for both of us, our shots were true as I took my biggest buck to date in Ohio with the bow, and today my Dad takes his biggest buck ever. I can't even describe the feelings, the excitement, the pride, the accomplishment...and as miserable as I've thought this season has been at times, I have to say today has made it my best season ever!

I have to thank my buddy Steve for helping me set up the ladder stand for my Dad and also my buddy Don for helping drag this buck out today since I was caught in work in Philly and couldn't get there quick enough! I'm very fortunate to have some great friends, so thank you!

The story starts just yesterday when I had rebaited this stand location and checked the trailcam to see what kind of activity was in the area during shotgun week. The entire season, this spot has had some regular doe activity, but absolutely NO racks...some small bucks but nothing to get excited about. Then, as it turns out, this same buck was on the trailcam on Monday evening (6-day firearm opener) but never reappeared. So Sunday, we rebaited heavier than normal and I had hoped it would bring a number of does in, even at night...such that they would create enough commotion to bring a curious buck in to check them out, and possible bed down with the does that night in the area and follow them in that next afternoon as they came to feed. Well I can't say for certain that is what happened that night, but I can say that this bad boy followed a doe right in around 2:20PM that afternoon offering Dad a beautiful 30 yard broadside shot. He put the crosshairs on and squeezed off the shot, the buck dropped in his tracks and the rest is history! Man what a feeling!

Here's a couple BEFORE pics of the buck from the trailcam. Sorry about the quality, this was a hacked IR conversion with an existing cam casing, so there is some flash bleed on the top right...obviously the pics aren't the best, but you can see it is the same buck. Note the split G2 on his right beam.

And here's an AFTER shot with Dad and the buck!

Man, what an awesome day...my first day back at work...and I race home to soak in the great day my Dad had afield!

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And on Friday, my dad picked up the mount from Carl at All-Game Taxidermy.
Carl did an excellent job, as always!
I snapped a few pics today before heading home from PA.

Here's a few of the shots...

Dad with his buck...