Redemption – Stolen Trailcams and Shooter Bucks

It was just one of those days. Work was long, stress was piling up and I just needed something good to happen. As I pulled into my driveway, I decided that checking my new trailcam was just the pick-me-up I needed. I had set my brand new Bushnell Trophy cam on the edge of my property, overlooking a neighboring soybean field that has been flooded with deer. Almost everytime I drive by, I’d peer to the back of the field with my binocs and see young bucks and does scattered across the greenery. I knew that if I was going to get a picture of a shooter on this property, this is where it would be.

I had been patiently biding my time before checking my cam, as I had wanted it to sit out at least two weeks, but my anticipation was overwhelming and I raced out to see what my camera had in store for me. Well as I came around the corner and looked at the tree I had strapped my camera to, my stomach dropped and shock set in. My camera was gone.

To say I was pissed would be an understatement. I was livid, disappointed and just plain down in the dumps. What is wrong with people these days. Where is the mutual respect between hunters?

Needless to say, I really needed something good to happen, and thats exactly what happened on Saturday. First, that morning, a friend and I attended several great seminars at Cabelas during their archery classic event. I bought some new binoculars and a few new tree-stands. But what I was most excited for, was that we were traveling down that evening to visit another property I have permission to hunt. I had hung a trail camera down here two weeks before, and I prayed that my camera would still be there.

Well luck was with me this time, as my camera was still where I had placed it and it was working just as it should! All my stress from the night before disappeared as I cycled through several pictures of the first shooter buck I’ve gotten on trailcam. This nice tall buck looks to be a 10 pointer when it is all said and done, and I think he’ll be a 130 class buck. Check out the buck I’ve dubbed Lefty, as he sports a real short right brow tine, but a nice long one on his left.

Not only did I see this buck on camera, but 20 minutes later as we left the property, I saw a second shooter buck right across the street on a neighboring property. This buck is even better than Lefty!

In a matter of 24 hours I went from the lowest of lows, to the highest of highs. And I suppose that shouldn’t be a surprise, thats just how deer hunting and the year round pursuit of whitetails goes. I lost a trailcam, but I finally set eyes on targets for the fall, and that will be plenty good news to keep me going. Hopefully I’ll have more sightings of these big boys in the months to come and if all goes according to plan, I’ll have my hands on one of these beautiful racks.

Related posts:

1. Trailcam Troubles
2. Monster Indiana Bucks
3. Trail Cameras for Whitetails