Photos Courtesy of Kelly Ware
Kelly Ware hunted this deer for two seasons and finally ended the story with a well-placed shot.
Buck: 199⅝ inches (gross) /194 inches (net)
Date of Harvest: October 4, 2020
Location of Harvest: Iowa County, Wisconsin
Weapon of Harvest: Bow
Kelly Ware had three encounters with a phenomenal buck during the 2019 rut and hoped for better the next year. At that time, the deer was running with a large 10-pointer that Ware was following.
Fast forward about a year. During the 2020 deer season, Ware was fortunate enough to catch up to the 7½-year-old monarch of a Whitetail. That season, he only had one encounter though. Then it all came together on October 4, 2020, during the second hunt of the season. With four years of history in the area, Ware knew the property well. He was confident that if the deer hung around, he’d know how and where to pursue the big deer.
The hunt played out in some heavy timber. There were some crops to the south and a good number of apple trees dotted the landscape. His stand location overlooked the apple orchard and heavy bedding cover was to the rear. Crop fields stretched out to the left.
As Ware walked to the treestand, he cut across a field and spotted a doe along his entry route. He let her pass by then continued along his access path. Settled in for the afternoon hunt, he hoped for an encounter with the buck.
He started scanning his surroundings looking for signs of deer movement. About 30 minutes after climbing into the stand, he spotted a deer. It moved through the cover and after a few seconds, Ware could tell exactly what deer it was—the giant.
It walked slowly and eventually emerged underneath the apple trees. Then it started feeding. With the deer’s attention distracted, Ware prepared for the shot. He drew back, settled the pin, and took the 32-yard opportunity. The arrow struck the vitals and the buck spun around and ran due south.
“I could see the arrow sticking out,” Ware said. “I knew he was dead. I called my friend, Tyler Thomas. After I shot the deer, my neighbor came up to his treestand, which is about 50 yards from me.”
Ware got out of his treestand and let his friend know he was about to go look for the deer. They headed into the woods and found that the blood trail was easy to follow. The buck only went 75 yards before piling up. They recovered it in a ditch.
“This deer was special because in November of last year, my aunt passed away from cancer,” Ware says. “Her last words were that she’d be with me when I killed a monster the next year. So, it means a lot. I know she was with me the entire time.”
His Iowa County, Wisconsin, buck scored 199⅝inches (gross) and 194 inches (net).
Outdoor Lab: Big Buck Tactics
Several key factors emerge from the hunt for this buck. First, it took a couple of seasons to close the gap. This is a great example of how learning a buck over time can eventually help a hunter know how, when and where to hunt a target animal.
Also, the hunter chose a great entry route that allowed him to get to the stand undetected. He even spotted a doe along the path and allowed her to clear before continuing onward. This is important. If she had seen him, the doe could have run back into bedding cover and alerted the big deer, ultimately perhaps changing the outcome of that hunt.
Third, and perhaps just as important were the apple trees. Deer love a variety of food sources, and they go after the high-end food sources that are most limited. Often, this can be fruit trees like apple, peach, pear, persimmon and plum. The orchard seemed to be a defining factor in Ware’s successful hunt.
