I had glassed the buck twice in august and once later in September entering the block of timber from a large grassy field. I stayed out, didn't go in to hang cameras or anything. I had the info I needed. Opening day of bow it rained all day so I stayed out. Rain stopped for the second day, I scouted my way in from the south east because the wind was out of the north west which was also bringing in some colder temps. I sat a spot with two intersecting runs that also had a rub line until about 1pm with zero action. Everything in me was saying move closer to the spot you saw he entering. Got down at 1pm. Went over a tall finger of terrain and in the bottom found 4 large fresh scrapes and two rubs, I was 70 yards from where I had glassed him going into the timber. This was the spot, he was going to come to freshen these scrapes up from the previous days rain, just when would it be. At about six 6pm I had a seven point and a six point come in from the north and I didn't see them until they were right on top of me, literally right under me at my tree, couldn't grab my bow….. then I heard leaves and dirt being aggressively scraped and I swivel my head slowly to one of the scrapes and there is a way bigger buck working the scrape and a licking branch. He is so involved in what he is doing I just take the chance of spooking the two below me to get my bow in my hand. It works, one runs off when I move but the bigger buck didn't care, he kept working the scrape. He decides to walk over to another scrape which gave me a clear window to shoot, 18 yard shot. I draw back, take aim and shoot him on a slow walk. I didn't want to stop him thinking the other buck that was still under would spook if I made a noise. The bigger buck kicked and ran off. I hear a crash almost immediately and then the death kicking of a tree he crashed by. Heart shot, he went 35 yards and he expired quickly. No track job needed. Clean, ethical harvest which is why I shoot my bow all year round in multiple scenarios.
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