I finally got a nice buck at my family farm in Oklahoma. Been hunting there almost 20 years and haven't seen many, and had even fewer chances to take one.

Last season had a buck come in at thirty yards and my shot went high after clipping a branch. I watched him run off for 200 yards with my arrow 1" below the top of his back. I was crushed. I felt terrible for wounding a deer (albeit not fatally), I felt like a fool for not seeing the branch and I was pissed I still couldn't connect on a good buck. It's been haunting me for a year. If is have only hit 4 inches lower...

Back in my favorite stand this morning I had just settled in. Did a drag for about 250 yards and 3 scent bombs along that line about 40 yards southwest of me. Wind was swirling and coming out of the east/northeast. Not good for this stand...I was texting my best friend just talking about how bad the hunting had been lately. The weather was finally right, etc. look up and this guy is sniffing the ground along the route of my dragline. He was about 25 yards away and had his head buried in the ground. Last year I made the mistake of moving too fast and letting the other buck see me. He made his way slowly from my left to right (south to north) and kept looking my way. He went behind a tree very briefly and I stood and drew. He looked at me and I squatted slightly to get below some branches and let the arrow go. I saw my arrow go in about 2/3 of the way up and right behind his shoulder and I knew it was a good shot. He wheeled and went straight through the trees and blackberries and back up the hill. I waited about 15 minutes and got down. I walked around the trees and brush and up the hill hoping he'd at least ran through that. Found him right on the hill of the big field and near the trail.







I was amazed he acted just like the deer I hit last year. Came from the same direction. Same rack shape (shorter but with more mass this year). I noticed he had a scar right where i shot the deer last year.



Looks like I finally got him 1 year later.

Great buck. Cool story.
Guess you gotta name him the "Second Chance Buck."

Probably grew a few inches wider, and heavier, hopefully he passed his genes on to a few more.

Does the area DNR rep age them for you? Curious how old he is.

Great story and photos too, Congratulations on getting "Boomerang" this time around!

No. I'll ask the taxidermist tomorrow. I am stoked I got a chance at him again.

Thanks y'all!

Great deer and awesome story.
Congrats.

In my state they would cut a tooth out, and age it...I think by wear. That was when they had in person registering. I think now you can cut a tooth out and send it in and they will age it.

Interesting. I'll look to see if they have that. Since they went to online checking, I've never talked to anyone about a deer I've killed.

Congrats great buck!

Petro, Your deer is a 6 1/2 maybe 7 year old deer, open his mouth and look at lower teeth and you will see heavy wear, almost to the gum line. Rio7

Good going Petro, hell of a nice buck, I'm sitting here sulking and typing in my asat camo, so much fog here this morning I couldn't see the end of the porch slab, and that's with the damn porch lights on.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

Thanks guys! I asked the taxidermist and they said 7-8 years old.

Gunner, where are you at? I know OKC was clear this am, at least my buddy said it was nice and pretty this am.

Great buck and story...

One year later, congrats!

nice buck

So much to say, I'll see if I can PM you.

But congrats on a mature old buck on a second chance. We don't all get those second chances.

Great deer. Congratulations.

Hey Petro, my farm is in S.E. Leflore Co in the mountains.

Thanks everyone.

Gunner, I like that area. Been driving through there a lot to do field work in and near Fort Smith. I have a good friend from Wister/Poteau. Very pretty area.

Petro, what part of the state are you hunting? I'm south of OKC about 70 miles.

Near Luther. About 16 miles east of Edmond. I used to hunt near Erin Springs with a buddy, but you're probably a bit further south?

Nice buck Petro.

I live in Edmond but the property is on Rush Creek, south of Erin Springs.

Hell of a OK deer and a great story. Congratulations.

That's where I'm from. My grandmother and sister live there and I stay with them when I come in. My family used to own the SW quarter of 33rd and I-35. That was the best place to bow hunt.

What a great buck! Congrats!

Nice, congratulations.

That is a great buck!

Thanks y'all! Got a call from the processor. He weighed 190 field dressed. I don't know what that puts him on the hoof, but I go about 6'1" and 190# and he made me feel small. It took 10 minutes for me to lift him in the back of the truck.

Thanks Buddy, maybe we can split some kindling around a real fire one of these days.

That is too cool. Congrats on a fine buck!

Great job! fine buck!

That would be a pleasure.

Very cool story!