Smalltown Bucks

Never Give Up

Never Give Up

By Ray Thiel

It only takes a second for an entire season of frustration to turn amazing. The 2018 deer season in eastern Connecticut was slower than normal. After two years where gypsy moth caterpillars ate nearly all the leaves off the oak trees, they just didn’t produce acorns. Unfortunately, on property I have permission to hunt on in Griswold, acorns... READ MORE

Long Live Maxximus

Long Live Maxximus

By Carla Schartz

For 423 days, my husband Lance and I observed a whitetail buck we'd nicknamed Maxximus. Before our eyes, it transformed from a velvet-antlered buck with potential into a true Kansas giant. This beast of a buck had over 230 inches of massive bone atop its head and too many points to count. Lance and I are avid bowhunters and anticipated the epic ... READ MORE

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

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

Not a Monster, THE Monster

Not a Monster, THE Monster

By Sgt. G. A. Sinclair

New spot yields surprise wallhanger for West Virginian. Here is the story of my buck of a lifetime.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did LIVING IT! It would be nice to see this in the “Buckmasters” Magazine or at least in print someplace!! I had hardly seen any deer the first four days of the buck firearms season in West Virginia.... READ MORE

Lucky

Lucky

By Shawn Stephenson

Thank goodness for dogs that have more sense than their human companions. I had the great pleasure of hunting in Central Ohio during Halloween week in 2011. It was one of the best hunting experiences in my life, and I was able to call in several deer within bow range. I ended up shooting a nice 8-pointer that weighed over 250 pounds. Over the nex... READ MORE

Cactus Ugly

Cactus Ugly

By Mary Bostwick

When I climbed into my treestand in Screven County, Ga., on Nov. 17, 2012, I couldn’t have predicted my hunt would end by taking a buck with one of the most unusual set of antlers I’ve ever seen. I’d been sitting in my stand about 30 minutes when a young spike appeared. Ten minutes later, I saw what appeared to be a deer disappear... READ MORE

Madison’s Big Doe

Madison’s Big Doe

By Jeffery Rishel

As a father of five kids ranging from 8 to 23 years old, I’ve been introducing them to hunting after they turn 6 years old by taking them with me. Now, four of my kids all want to go hunting every year. September 22, 2013, was a special day when my daughter Madison took her first deer. We were in Washtenaw County in Saline, Mich. Our hunt sta... 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

If It Feels Right ...

If It Feels Right ...

By William Sawyer

Trust your instincts when you think you’ve made a great shot. During the 2014 archery season in Guilford County, North Carolina, I had found a large rub while putting out some corn. It looked like a great place to set up, but I didn’t want to hunt it until conditions were perfect. On the second Saturday of the season, I asked my wife to... READ MORE

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Copyright 2020 by Buckmasters, Ltd