By Brad Heimes

-- I had taken the whole week off work to hunt, going out every morning and every evening. I saw a few deer, but nothing that really presented an opportunity.

When Friday rolled around, I decided I should stay at home and get some chores done, but I was up early and back in the woods on Saturday. I saw a spike and a fox and was getting pretty discouraged.

Needing some kind of change, I moved my stand up the ridge to a place where I could see down the other side. I found a good tree to climb, put out some buck pee and got set up.

Next I got out my grunt call and blew on it four times, scanning the woods for movement. I looked one way, turned to look the other, and when I turned back again, there was a buck trotting up the hill and closing fast.

I stood up and turned just as the buck came to a halt at 30 yards. I didn’t waste any time, putting my pin on the vitals and touching the release.

The buck jumped at the shot, turned and then walked away! I sat in disbelief as he calmly walked farther and farther away. Finally, at about 100 yards, the buck lay down.

At that point I still didn’t know if I even hit the buck, so I decided to get down and look for my arrow. I found it right away, and it was covered in blood. That was all I needed to see, so I just sat down and waited. The buck never got up again, and I claimed a public-land trophy that anyone would be proud to tag.

My Wisconsin buck green scored 182 inches, has 13 points and a 21 1/2-inch spread. Even on public land, you can get the buck you always dream of!

Brad Heimes
Waupaca, Wis.