This week's Archers Alley "Catch of the Week" comes to us from Aron Shofner, of Lacon!

 

From Aron: "So I had not been seeing any deer while hunting on my days off. I had been feeling some light sickness and with the wind this morning not being a good direction for the places I hunt decided to skip the morning hunt when my alarm went off at 5:00 AM. Leaving for Kansas in the morning added further complications to the situation. As I lay in bed and my wife leaves for work I get a text from my sister/neighbor stating that “THE” buck was in her back yard again and chasing a smaller buck off. I get up and look out my side window and can see the smaller buck and see him lay down. I call my sister and she tells me that the last she seen the bigger buck he had laid down too. As we were talking on the phone he moved to confirm that he was still there but camouflaged in the weeds. She gives me the basic information of where he is and I make a plan. A quick confirmation of the wind tells me that I need to circle my property and come up from the back in order to stay down wind of this caliber of deer. I circle and get into a position of where I think I should see where the deer is. After a lot of scanning I see antlers in the weeds. The deer is facing away from me and and my yard is fairly clear of leaves so I continue my slow stalk. I eventually get within 20 yards and figure that I cannot close the distance any more undetected. I kneel onto one knee and can see antlers and brown. I figure that I can wait until he stands up and get a shot. There is a lot of brush but if the right condition happens I can get a shot. I wait and wait. His head starts moving around as I ready for a shot. He calms and does not stand. Emotion starts to take over as my body starts shaking. I have to mentally talk myself down and convince myself that this saga is far from over and anything can happen. I regather my composure and continue to wait. It seems like forever as I set there and message certain people that I have stalked within 20 yards of this deer. After what seemed like forever his head starts moving a lot as I ready for a potential shot. He stands up and his vitals were in a small hole that I had picked out while kneeling there. I shoot and feel like my aim is true as he whirls and runs off. I quickly stand up and watch as I swear that I see his antlers over the weeds stop and start swaying and eventually fall to the side. I set there in amazement as this just doesn’t happen with a deer of this caliber. With trembling hands I quickly text some of my contacts that I had been texting while awaiting the deer to stand. My recent good friend and hunting neighbor asked if he could come and assist with recovery. I awaited Chandler Durbin to arrive before attempting any recovery. Upon his arrival I showed where I was and then where the deer was laying. From the apparent bed I look to where I last seen the deer and can instantly see antlers. I emphatically point them out to Chandler as we approach the deer that had only went 40 yards from the shot before expiring. What an amazing happening and deer. It is not the typical story of chasing a certain animal from trail cam pics but a story of an amazing stalk on an amazing animal. I am honored to have been blessed to be given this opportunity and this great buck."

 

Aron joins us this weekend to share the story of his backyard buck!

 

Submit your own pic & story for our Archers Alley "Catch of the Week!"