Smalltown Bucks

A Trip to the Bone Yard

A Trip to the Bone Yard

By Krissy Jean Zimmer

You never forget your first archery buck, even if it happens after you’re a veteran hunter. There aren't a lot of “firsts” when you get to be my age and have been hunting for years, so harvesting my first buck with a bow this past season was extra special. I've been shooting bows for more than 20 years, and during that time I have... READ MORE

Daddy, You Shoot It!

Daddy, You Shoot It!

By Dale Sampson

Heat of the moment was a little too much for first-time deer hunter ... but not for her dad. The season started with little excitement. Although a big coyote came by early, I didn’t see anything with antlers. That was okay since I was more looking forward to my daughter Kaitlin’s first whitetail hunting experience later that evening. A... READ MORE

In the Nick of Time

In the Nick of Time

By Jayden Steinkamp, age 11

Napping in the stand is okay, but shooting a big buck is better. It was midseason in Indiana in 2013, and the wind wasn’t blowing hard. We had gone hunting in the morning and saw one doe. We were hunting at my grandpa’s, and there are some big deer there. He doesn’t like us to shoot does, so we passed. When it got 2:50 p.m. that... READ MORE

His and Hers

His and Hers

By Stacy Vaccaro

Food plot stand exceeds expectations and maybe saves a relationship. One beautiful, sunny afternoon in October 2018 in Coloma, Wisc., I made the decision to sneak out of work a little early for some stand time. My boyfriend, Wally, and I had worked hard on a nice food plot that produced daytime pictures of several decent bucks. No sooner had I deci... READ MORE

Thanks for the Memories

Thanks for the Memories

By Christina L. Krause

I got my first buck on Dec. 12, 2009, and I remember it like it was yesterday. I was sitting in my treestand, waiting impatiently to see the woods wake up around me. A few groups of deer ran by in the distance, and I hoped they would go by my husband, Mike, and my daughter, Michaela. After that, it was pretty slow. By 8:35 I started to get a lit... READ MORE

Back to Basics

Back to Basics

By Christopher Kunkel

Michigan bowhunter can’t resist the call to return to archery’s roots. My archery journey started about 18 years ago. Like most new archers, I was introduced to bowhunting through other archers, in my case it was coworkers. My first bow was a used Browning compound with 60 percent letoff. The draw length was 3 inches longer than it sh... READ MORE

Worth the Wait

Worth the Wait

By John Mitchell

It took a few years, but when Micah got his first deer, it was a good one. I started taking Micah to the dove lease when he was 7, and he started deer hunting with me when he was 9. Micah has developed a love for hunting and being in the woods. Even so, it felt like he would never get his first deer. It seemed like no matter what, something always ... READ MORE

Station Me in Ohio!

Station Me in Ohio!

By Ryan Scialabba

I'm 29 years old and am currently serving in the United States Coast Guard. The service has kept me moving around for the past five years. Because I have been hunting since I was 10 years old and I’m a big advocate for archery and bowhunting, I was excited when my orders came for a move to Ohio. I relocated there on October 15, 2013, and ha... READ MORE

Big Ten in the Buckeye State

Big Ten in the Buckeye State

By Jon Miller

After watching a big 10-pointer for two seasons, I finally got my shot at it on the evening of October 25, 2013. I discovered this buck on my trail camera last year on my family’s 200-acre farm in Licking County, Ohio. After capturing several photos, my cousin and I estimated the buck would push 140 inches. I knew if I ever saw this buck un... READ MORE

Dagwoods Anyone?

Dagwoods Anyone?

By Andrew Marley

How a rabbit hunter fills a freezer in just five seconds. Spoiler alert! This story does not have any antlers involved, but it is interesting nonetheless. Fortunately, it doesn’t end with a big bowl of tag soup, either. Opening day of Kentucky’s gun season finally arrived, and I headed to the woods, excited about what might be under t... READ MORE

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Copyright 2020 by Buckmasters, Ltd