Letting a 160" Walk
Seems crazy doesn't it? For most of us, a 160" whitetail is a buck of a lifetime. Then to do it with a bow, that's even more incredible. In 2013, Final Descent Outdoors pro staffer Adam Nicholas was hunting northwest Kansas with Homerun Outfitters. We have had lots of success with Homerun Outfitters in the past. After a slow start to the week, as it happens so many times, overnight everything changed for Adam on Halloween night.
Adam was perched 20ft up in a cottonwood over a creek (in northwest Kansas trees are a rarity and when you find one, it's a cottonwood). A great buck steps out down stream and begins making a scrape and a rub. This buck is a poster child for Kansas bruisers. Long main beams, tall tines, and a big body. He didn't have a lot of mass but you can't let a buck like this walk...right? Adam begins to evaluate the buck and though he has impressive head gear he doesn't think he is more than 3 1/2 and not yet mature.
Filming this great buck Adam's estimation of the buck is confirmed, at least on being mature. An old warrior begins to step out across the creek. He looks like an old gladiator coming in for yet another battle. Ears laid back, posturing the bigger racked buck. First thing you notice is this buck has great mass and like many great warriors he is broken up. His G2 on his right side is gone from a previous run in with a buck it would seem.
Adam is anticipating a fight between these two bucks. However, no fight occurs. The bigger racked buck wants nothing to do with the old bruiser and quietly leaves his scrape and moves on. The older buck goes to the new scrape and covers it with his scent solidifying himself as the dominate of the two bucks.
A few minutes later Adam is able to arrow that big Kansas bruiser at 54yds. So the moral of the story is this. Not everyone has the privilege to hunt Kansas, or Ohio, or Kentucky, or another state known for producing giants. Not everyone is A TV show host shooting big bucks across the country for a living. In fact, most guys are weekend warriors. They work hard so they can play hard. With limited time in the field, it's hard to let those bucks grow, I get it. So the trophy is in the eye of the beholder. We encourage hunters to let young bucks grow but we don't want to ever put anyone down for taking a deer, this is suppose to be fun.
Watch Adam Choose The Mature Buck!
As a faith based program so many lessons can be drawn from this this hunt, but what sticks out most to me spiritually speaking is my desire to seek maturity. I would rather have a tree with deep roots than broad branches. Colossians 2:7 says "Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness." It's easy to choose broad branches in life. They look impressive many times but maturity should be our desire in the woods and in life.