An October Cold Front and Afternoon Full Moon

I got a chance to sit down and talk with Chris Yancy, a local bow hunter, about this big buck he was able to harvest back in October. He gave me a play by play and advice on what it took to get a shot on this wall hanger.

“I knew with a cold front coming through in mid October and a rising moon in the afternoon that coincided with normal feeding times it was a day I needed to be in the woods. I had the perfect wind so I eased into this spot to hunt for the first time this year. I checked a cam on a scrape with high anticipation but to my surprise I only had 16 pictures. The best picture on this game camera was of a 2 year old 8 point. I was discouraged by this but I kept in mind that the weather and timing were perfect to see a buck. I quietly climbed up into my stand around 2:30pm and I set for a while enjoying the weather. About 5:30pm I had three doe come from west to east eating acorns. At about 6:00pm I was watching to the north and I knew it was about time that if I was gonna see one it was fixin’ to happen. I looked up and saw a 16” wide 2 year old 8 point. He started feeding right directly under my tree. As I set watching him, he looked backwards and I followed his gaze to see a good rack coming! In anticipation I went ahead and grabbed my bow so I would be ready if it was a shooter. He kept feeding closer to my position and he followed the same path as the young 8 pointer from earlier. This buck got under me and he looked to be a 3 year old 17-18” wide nine point. I hung my bow up and continued to watch them feed on acorns. Those two young bucks fed under me for another 2-3 minutes when both of them looked up and back behind them. I turned to follow their gaze and I saw this big boy feeding my way! I stood up, got everything ready to execute the shot and he fed right under my tree. I came to full draw as he got about ten yards from my tree and I let it fly. I watched my arrow pass through him and he jumped up, stopped, walked 20 yards and I watched him expire! Moral of the story is just because you don’t have trail cam pics doesn’t mean the big bucks are not there. I have never seen this deer on a trail camera picture and if I would have went by my trail cam pics, I wouldn’t even of hunted. Also anytime you have a cold front in October and also a rising afternoon moon you better be in the woods a huntin’!”