Since the middle of August of this year, I have been scouting my hunting camp and watching the deer that are present on our hunting club in Preston Township, Orson, Pa. During that time I was fortunate enough to observe what I thought was a nice ten point buck which always traveled with another nice 8 point buck with almost identical racks. I always watched them from a great distance so that I would not disturb their feeding and movement patterns.

The first day of the season came and I was anxious to get in the spot I had chosen to put my stand. There was only one problem. I have two boys who are picking up the interest in bow hunting and they both have become good archers while practicing with me. They are very important to me and I really want to see them both get a shot at a nice buck. So I gave them the privilege of hunting my spot on the first day and hoped that they might get a chance at a nice buck. They are still learning the techniques of hunting the whitetail during archery season and its still quite a challenge for them as it is still a challenge for myself. We spent the whole day out in our stands and I passed up five small bucks that day. The boys saw some bucks but didn't present close enough shots for them to take one.

The next week, we went together again during the afternoon when they were out of school and again passed up shots at smaller buck. On Thursday, the 7th, the boys couldn't go and I went alone. I got into my stand around 1:00PM and settled in for a long afternoon. I sat quietly for the first few hours and about 4:00PM I started doing something that some archers don't believe works this time of the season. I started rattling my rattle bag very lightly for a few minutes at a time and pausing for about 15 minutes in between and alternating with some grunt calls. I wanted to make it sound like two buck sparring but not fighting which many of them do this time of year.

By 4:30PM, the first buck came into view and straight across the field to see what the noise was. He was only a 5 point but he was very interested to see where the sparring and grunting sounds were coming from. Within minutes he was close enough for me to place a good shot if I wanted to take one. Five minutes later, six more small buck came out of the woods directly under my stand on the edge of the field. The biggest of the five was a 4 point and the others were spikes and a 3 point. Soon a couple of doe came out and followed by three more buck. And then they just kept coming and coming. By 5:30PM, there were 19 buck in front of me in the field and 7 doe including the nice 8 point buck that had been hanging with the buck I really wanted. When the 8 point came out, I pulled back my bow to take what I thought might be my only chance at a nice buck this year and then I had second thoughts and decided to wait for the bigger of the 2 of them. I gently let my bow back to its undrawn position and waited.

Soon I heard some movement in the woods behind me and I turned to look. My eyes focused on the thick brush where I heard the noise coming from and there was a deer. At first I couldn't make out what it was but as he moved through the brush, I soon saw the rack of the buck I had been waiting for. There was one problem, he was too far away and going in the wrong direction for me to get a shot. So I put my grunt call in my mouth and gave three soft grunts, he turned his head immediately in my direction and put his nose straight up in the air as if he was scanning the area with his nose. Then he turned his whole body and started coming towards me. Finally he got close enough for me to take a shot if I could get him into an opening for one. He got about 30 yards from me and stopped, put his nose straight up in the air again as he checked the air for scent. His body was still hidden in the thick brush and he turned towards the field and started out towards the other deer that were in front of me. He was going at an angle that would put him to far up in the field for me to get a shot at him, so I looked for an opening to place a shot before it was too late.

He came to a spot that was open enough for me to get a clear shot only at his neck. I didn't waste any time, I pulled back my bow and placed my sight on his neck where I thought would be a main artery and let my arrow go. The arrow hit his neck and passed right through the point that I had aimed. He immediately bolted straight out of the woods and up across the field. By the time he got to the middle of the field, he was losing his balance and before he reached the other side, he collapsed and never got up again. I normally wait before getting out of my stand and tracking a deer, but I knew that this buck was not getting up again and I couldn't hold back my excitement anymore. I hurried down the tree with my stand and took my bow and hurried across the field to where this big trophy was laying. When I got to him, sure enough he was dead and I then got to see just how magnificent this buck really was.

The 10 point buck that I had been watching all this time was actually a 12 point. This is by far the largest buck that I have ever gotten with a rifle or a bow. The spread is 20" wide and the longest tines were almost 9" high off the main beams. Each year in archery season, I see at least one big buck of this stature but never seemed to be able to get close enough to these elusive animals. Finally I have found a way and with a little luck, was able to harvest the trophy of a lifetime. Two years ago I also harvested a very nice black bear at this same hunting club which was my first bear also. So even if I never harvest another animal in my lifetime, I feel that my hunting years have been complete and successful. Well that's my story, good luck and safe hunting to all this hunting season. Now I have to get out and help my boys get a chance at that nice 8 point.

Sincerely,
Donald W. George

Aligator - Raymond Kelly - Courtesy of Muzzy Products Inc.

Antelope - Sharon (Oneida Eagle Staff Shooter) and Tim Pagel
Antelope - Karen Hendricks
Antelope - Chuck Harling

Bear - Jeff Batula - Courtesy of Muzzy Products Inc.
Bear - Craig Halverson - Wade, Maine
Bear - Sharon Pagel Oneida Eagle Staff Shooter
Bear - Nathan Jones
Bear - Nathan Jones
Bear - Nathan Jones

Mule Deer- Dr. Gary Shinn (Oneida Eagle Staff Shooter)

Blacktail Deer - Tim Todd
Blacktail Deer - Lonnie Triplett
Blacktail Deer - Ted Rainville

Russian Boar - BowCountry.com Road Crew
Russian Boar - Alex McCombie Jr.
Russian Boar - Mike McCombie
Russian Boar - Oneida Eagle Day @ Thunder Hills
Boar - K. Rodnek - Courtesy of Muzzy Products Inc.
Boar - Joe Giaminelli
Boar - Jason Behrens

Caribou - Dean Hamilton, Oneida Eagle Staff Shooter
Caribou - Brian Higgins

Elk - Greg Lee
Elk - Nathan Jones
Elk - Larry Fischer
Elk - Frank Morminello

Bow Fishing - A 5'4" Alligator Gar shot by Steve Moody
Bow Fishing - Luke Swenson and Steve Moody - a 6' 10" Alligator Gar almost 200lbs
Bow Fishing - Jeremy Peets 39.96 lb. Carp, Massena NY.
Bow Fishing - Mark Szabo, 45.45 lb Carp NY, 1994 Winner of St. Lawrence Archers Northeastern Bowfishing Championship
Bow Fishing - Chris Sauers, 45.30 lb Carp - Elma NY, 1990 Winner of St. Lawrence Archers Northeastern Bowfishing Championship
Bow Fishing - John Natchers, 45.56 lb Carp - LesCedre Quebec, 1997 Winner of St. Lawrence Archers Northeastern Bowfishing Championship
Bow Fishing - Oliver La Pradd - 45.34 lb Carp, 1998 Winner of St. Lawrence Archers Northeastern Bowfishing Championship
Bow Fishing - Chet lochman, Rush NY
Bow Fishing - Gary Harris, 46.85 lb Carp - Alexandria Ontario, 1995 Winner of St. Lawrence Archers Northeastern Bowfishing Championship
Bow Fishing - Tim Sether and Guy Cunningham - Bowfishing World Record Gator Gar 231 lbs. 7oz.
Bow Fishing - Chris Cass, President, B.A.A. with a 45.9 lb Big Mouth Buffalo.
Bow Fishing - Whopping 3500 pounds of buffs.
Bow Fishing - 230 pounds, Ronnie & Scott
Bow Fishing - My son, Matthew (9 yrs old) shoots his first fish; a carp.
Bow Fishing - 200 pounder Eric and Ron Collier took at Choke Canyon
Bow Fishing - Tony Summerlin with a 130# Alligator gar
Bow Fishing - Chad Kennemer 185 # Lake Amistad
Bow Fishing - Bob & Dave Weaver 25 pound Buffalo, Stillhouse Hollow Lake
Bow Fishing - Gator - gar from Banks of the Trinity River (Sam & Steve)
Bow Fishing - Eric Rios - Gator Gar 6 foot 8 1/2 inches, 185lbs
Bow Fishing - Jeff and Jim Vickers at Decatur
Bow Fishing - Wes Reed and his 7' 6" - 156.4 lb Alligator gar.
Bow Fishing - Shelby Cass, of Janesville, WI with a carp
Bow Fishing - 110# ray shot by John Halleyburton & Paul Pemberton.
Bow Fishing - Guntersville, AL - 55 pound Catfish
Bow Fishing - Mike Paulcheck - 125# and was 6ft 4 1/2in long.
Bow Fishing - Val Meirndorf - Gold Carp - 28lb, 14 oz.
Bow Fishing - Glen Bagnuolo-rays shot at Chincoteque Bay
Bow Fishing - Frankie Leath-white amur at Decatur
Bow Fishing - Loren McFadden from Michigan-gar at Decatur
Bow Fishing - Robin Parks
Bow Fishing - Robin Parks
Bow Fishing - Tara Bertalan with her huge Gator.
Bow Fishing - Jay Campbell, N.C. State Record
Bow Fishing - Ty Smith

Moose - Stanley Scruggs

Ram - M.R. James

Turkey - Fred Eichler - Courtesy of Muzzy Products Inc.
Turkey - Ron Barnett - Courtesy of Muzzy Products Inc.
Turkey - Mike McCombie
Turkey - Dennis Ballweg
Turkey - Thomas Hoppock

Whitetail Deer - Randy Devnis - Courtesy of Muzzy Products Inc.
Whitetail Deer - Gary Johnston - Courtesy of Muzzy Products Inc.
Whitetail Deer - Rod White - Courtesy of Muzzy Products Inc.
Whitetail Deer - Brian Mosler - Courtesy of Muzzy Products Inc.
Whitetail Deer - Rod White - Courtesy of Muzzy Products Inc.
Whitetail Deer - Donald W. George - 12 pt. Whitetail
Whitetail Deer - Shane Jones - Courtesy of Muzzy Products Inc.
Whitetail Deer - Blane Lopez - Courtesy of Muzzy Products Inc.
Whitetail Deer - Kevin Cliver
Whitetail Deer - Ken Cliver
Whitetail Deer - Trevor Loomis
Whitetail Deer - Al Coon, Oneida Eagle Factory Rep.
Whitetail Deer - Lance Sullentrop
Whitetail Deer - Rick Klein, Senior Staff Advisor Oneida Eagle
Whitetail Deer - George Bolender (Oneida Eagle Staff Shooter)
Whitetail Deer - Lewis Clanton Jr.
Whitetail Deer - John Wilcox, Oneida Eagle Staff Shooter NYS
Whitetail Deer - Becky Campbell N.C. Lady Bowhunter Of The Year.
Whitetail Deer - Troy Mcclain
Whitetail Deer - Paul Kamenar (Onedia Eagle Staff Shooter)
Whitetail Deer - Steve Shaffer And Son Austin Age 2
Whitetail Deer - Byron Welch & Don Kidney
Whitetail Deer - Steff Stefanovich
Whitetail Deer - Jason Behrens
Whitetail Deer - Tim Perry
Whitetail Deer - Fred March
Whitetail Deer - Tim_orton
Whitetail Deer - Nathan Jones
Whitetail Deer - Rob Saling