"The DUDE" is DONE!!!

[slimngrizzly]

This story begins a few years ago when the buck Ive come to call “The Dude” began showing up at my mineral sites. He was a regular around my place so I tried to get as many pictures as possible to track his growth every step of the way. Im sure he was around as a 1 ½ but nothing that jumped out at being out of the ordinary. At 2 ½ he seemed to be on every camera pull. He was growing nicely into a unique split-G3 buck with exceptional mass for his age. I posted photos of his progression that a few of you followed along with. http://www.hotspotoutdoors.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/2871470/1

He was given the “free pass” for the season, unless of course my wife got a chance at him, but she understands the rewards of letting young bucks walk and didn’t think he should die either. We left our 70 acres free of pressure for the season to serve as a refuge for “the Dude’ and his big buddy “Allbrows”, along with any other little guys looking for a safe place to hide. It seemed to work! We had pictures of him in daylight during the gun season and he survived.

This past winter I found both of his sheds. The pieces of the puzzle were coming together, now it was just a waiting game to see what he would turn into in 2012.

It took until late June to get a picture of him. He looked good. A lot like I had hoped, he had put on much mass but appeared to be only a 5x4 instead of a 5x6 like the year before. He was putting the energy into a bladed 4 point side with an upturned beam! Although hes young yet, hes one of the larger deer around and I would not have the self-discipline to pass one that nice in MN, not yet anyway!

As the year went on he continued to pack on the inches but was a bit more reclusive than the previous year, as one would expect. The early season and pre-rut, seemed to come and go like the weather. Work offered little time to hunt, and we witnessed very few deer sightings and no good buck sightings. But still our hopes were high as Allbrows and The Dude were still on camera regularly, just always in the middle of night.

Finally it was slug season. Jo, my wife, and I headed to the stand. She had a 20 gauge and I had the bino’s. 10 minutes into shooting light we had 4 does run by. A bit later I was listening and I thought I heard a buck. Jo said they were all does that came by. I focused through the brush 60 yards east with my binoculars and said, “Get ready! Its The Dude and hes coming towards us!” Long story short, MY WIFE SAYS… I get too excited, I move too much, I talk too much, I fart too much, my coat is too noisy, and blah blah blah theres a bunch of other stuff wrong with me... but I guess she still loves me... so... I’ll just say, our setup was not well planned and it just didn’t work out. He sensed something wrong, caught movement, something, he decided to turn and trot away! Sorry honey! He was too big for your first one anyways….!

Which brings us to November 18… a beautiful Sunday morning. My expectations were low. It was unseasonably warm with a moderate south wind and I was running so behind getting to my stand, I opted for plan B and sat in a closer one. Not a squirrel or tweety bird was out, just nothing. Then about 8:00 I was going to text a friend to see if he was out when I caught movement to the west. Bino’s up… it’s a doe… and theres another deer with her. It must be a buck. It’s The Dude! My first thought was… “my wife is gonna beat me, if I shoot this deer”, but I decided that was a chance I was willing to take!

He followed the doe until she bedded down 150+ yards away. I figured he’d nudge her up again. I grabbed my phone to send a text that I was looking at Dude when… crash, grunt, crash! Here they came!

They came to about 40 yards but the shot was marginal. I opted to wait thinking she would bring him out to a small clover patch at 25 yards. A few minutes passed as he stood grunting for 10-30 seconds at a time… it was entertaining just to watch and listen. Finally she moved forward but he kept her at 40 yards to the south in the brush. It looked as if they were going to slip by! Just then I heard a grunt to my right. It was a nice 125” 10 point heading in to steal the doe! Mr. Dude wasn’t going to have any of that so he charged and grunted and chased the smaller buck off. He then turned to head back to the doe when I grunted and stopped him at 25 yards in a wide open shooting lane. I guess I was nervous about the unpredictable movements of a buck chasing a doe… especially with another buck nearby. I put my pin on center mass and quickly released! The arrow struck way far back! He hunched and looked at the other buck and slugged towards the doe. He stood in the brush then slowly walked off. I sent one more arrow at 50 yards hoping to hit anything but hit some brush and deflected.

I was sick. I felt horrible about causing possibly a slow death to a respected animal I’ve come to know so well. I got down and quietly got out. I knew the shot was fatal and I wanted to give him plenty of time. Ive read too many horror stories about guys finding “good blood” and going after them, only to bump them and never recover. I went home and then to church! At 2:00, after 6 hours, my team and I assembled and got on the blood trail. It was pretty good for about 150 yards and then an empty bed full of blood. More blood walking away…. Then my great friend Randy pats me on the back and says look at that wall of tines! WAY TO GO MAN!! YOU GOT HIM! THE DUDE IS DONE!

Get a cell phone pic!

He died only 50 yards from a trail. We got him gutted and got him home and spent the rest of the evening having a few beers and taking pictures! It was the moment we all wait for each year!

The Dude was one of the smallest bodied bucks I have ever taken, but his antlers grossed just over 140”. He’s my best MN archery buck to date! I’m very happy and thankful! I thank the good Lord for the opportunity to hunt him and for putting him down relatively quickly despite my terrible shot!

I’d also like to end by saying thanks to all the “regulars” on this site for chiming into posts, putting up pictures and keeping the blood flowing. I don’t know any of you guys personally but I can certainly say that I find all your successes inspiring! Any support that helps us climb back into that stand just one more time, when were feeling beat, is much needed support! Perhaps that “one time” was THIS TIME for me!

Good luck to all and thanks for coming along!

-Slim-

[InTheNorthwoods]

Great photos - and good story - BUT GREAT PHOTOS, did I mention that?

Thanks for sharing your success.

[DonBo]

WTG Slim. Great deer. Great photos!

[mrklean]

great job

[Andrew Erickson]

nice! congrats

[Jeff13]

Nice pics, that's a really nice deer and story also.

[nonteepical]

Awesome job Swiffy! did you finally retire that old tattered carhart jacket?

[sticknstring]

Long live The Dude! Awesome story - congrats! Outstanding pics as well. Hopefully the wife wasn't too upset and I agree - way too big for her first!

[slimngrizzly]

Awesome job Swiffy! did you finally retire that old tattered carhart jacket?

Hey now!!! Dont be revealin' my true identity!!! The CARHARTT will never die! I just change into my "pretty clothes" for the pictures!

[DaveT]

Nicely done, Slim.

[leech~~]

Oh Slim, that's like pulling "Big Walter" out of the pond! The pond will never be the same without the "Dude"! Aaah

[Powerstroke]

Way to go. I'm glad you were able to recover your buck. He is a dandy and having such an awesome backstory is even better.

[slimngrizzly]

Oh Slim, that's like pulling "Big Walter" out of the pond! The pond will never be the same without the "Dude"! Aaah

You know its funny you say that... but you are exactly right! I think a lot of people would role their eyes if I expressed how emotional it truly is to me. Its so much different to shoot a deer that you get to see and be around all the time right in your own back yard. Ive told people this was like putting my dog down! And "Allbrows" was killed on gun opener... that was like someone shot my dog!! There is most certainly something "missing" when I look out my window now! But I know these are deer... not dogs. And I love hunting them and eating them... and I sure do respect the heck out of them!

Next year there will be a new "Big Walter" in the pond, that I know! But The Dude and Allbrows will always be a chapter in my book!

You will be missed boys!!! Thanks for the memories!

[rkhinrichs]

im tearing up!!!

[rkhinrichs]

a A+ story!

[tengy]

AWESOME! Doesn't get any better than that.

[PropsterII]

Very nice. So was he 5 1/2 when you shot him? I was confused by a couple parts of your chronology - you said "a few years ago" when you referred to him showing up as a 2 1/2 but then it seemed when you were talking about 2012 you said "although he's young yet". Either way a great buck, congratulations!

[certified jumbo]

perfect story. perfect pictures. perfect ending. congrats!! cj

[tritonman]

I'm glad the "Pretty clothes" is an In-fisherman jacket! Way to go Slim! I can't wait to see THE DUDE!

[eyeguy 54]

sweet!

[leech~~]

You know its funny you say that... but you are exactly right! I think a lot of people would role their eyes if I expressed how emotional it truly is to me.

I know what you mean about getting attached to a nice one. I had seen this one last year but could not get a shot at him and had him on my trail cam this year. I waited for him all rifle season because I knew where he crossed a swamp and literally had seen 24 other deer during the season 10 of them I could have shot but they were all small bucks and Does but I waited it out for the big guy! I don't feel to bad as I have two on the wall already and I got a nice Doe from one of my buddies for meat this year. But man I put in some time waiting for this boy!

[matchset]

I was so excited to get that text...The dude is done! Great season buddy! it was a trying one for us all, and I gotta agree with you that the encouragement of others really helps out!

Great pics and great story! it's pretty cool to follow a deer with pics, and video and then harvest him!

[archerystud]

Slim, great story and I love those sunset pics. Congrats!

[PackerBacker12]

Awesome story! awesome deer!

[Bear55]

Congrats Slim, love the DUDE'S MASS.