JIM CRUMLEY'S BIG DEER

Crumley Takes A Shot At A Monster Buck

EDITOR'S NOTE: Jim Crumley, founder of Trebark camouflage in Roanoke, Virginia, talks about his hunt at Heartland Outfitters in Illinois where he took a monster buck.

QUESTION: Jimmy, what happened on your hunt for the big buck?
CRUMLEY: While in the stand, I dropped my binoculars on the ground. I decided to leave them there. When I got everything situated and started pulling my bow up the tree, I heard a deer get up out of its bed about 75 yards to my left over this little lip. Evidently, the wind was making enough noise that the deer didn't pay any attention to the noise I made getting in the tree stand.

I still couldn't see the deer, but it walked up to the edge of the field, stopped, stood there for about five minutes, turned around and went right back to where it had started. I knew the deer didn't leave because I could hear it walking in the leaves. About 10 or 15 minutes later, it repeated the same routine. This time, I caught an outline of the body. And after a few moments, the deer did it a third time. By then there was enough light that I could see antlers above his ears. After the third time, I felt sure it was the buck I had seen previously. I could see his right side and a whole bunch of antlers. He turned and walked back again where I couldn't see him.

QUESTION: Was he laying down every time?
CRUMLEY: No. He was walking back and just standing there. Then, I saw a small buck chasing a doe out in the field. He chased her away from me to the other side of the field. And then, shortly after that, I spotted another doe coming out of the middle of the field. She came right to the spot where that buck had been. Then I heard some walking movement in the leave -- a deer coming out of that lip. Sure enough a doe topped up 30 yards to my left and started walking this trail 10 yards in front of my tree stand. Then the buck came up 20 yards or so behind her. That was when I first got a real good look at him.

QUESTION: What did you think when you saw him?
CRUMLEY: It was one of those "Oh my God!" bucks as James say. When I finally got a good look at him, it took my breath away.

QUESTION: Then what happened?
CRUMLEY: I got ready. The doe kept moving across this little trail in front of the stand. The buck decided instead of coming up the trail in front of me to go through the briars on the side of the trail. When he cleared a branch that was in the way of my shooting, he stretched his neck out and started plodding through those briars toward the doe. I grunted to him, but I don't think he heard it. I was already at full draw when he cleared that branch. I figured he wasn't going to stop. So, I pulled in front of his chest and let go, although I didn't like to shoot at a walking deer.

To learn more about Trebark camouflage, call 1-800-843-2266 or visit www.trebark.com. For more information about Heartland Lodge, write RR #1 Box 8A Nebo, IL 62355, call 1-800-717-4868, or visit www.heartlandlodge.com.

TOMORROW: HIT OR MISS?