OK Brian HOdge 2018Today’s guest blog from Brian out in Southeast Oklahoma:

This buck first showed up on my game cameras October 21st. Didn’t know him and had never seen him before. Then he was on camera again the morning of October 29 at 6:00 a.m. I hunted that evening and saw some younger bucks and does but no mature bucks. One young buck was pushing does around and grunting and roaring, so I knew they were rutting in the area. When I slipped out I left most of my equipment in the tree so I could slip in as quietly as possible the next morning.

The wind was iffy the morning of October 30th. It was warm but I had that feeling that I needed to be there. Shortly after daylight I heard him coming through the timber behind me and got ready. The buck popped out into the field at 10 yards. He caught my wind and started to leave fast. He got behind some cedars and I thought he was gone. Luckily he stayed on the edge of the field and stopped to look back one last time.

He was quartering away hard, but I made the shot and he only ran about 70 yards before going down. I was self-filming the hunt, and in my panic I didn’t hit the record button! I was bummed I didn’t get the shot on film but I didn’t let it get me down because he’s a great buck and it was a great hunt.

I was thankful and blessed to have the opportunity to hunt and take this buck. He’s my best blackpowder buck to date and my second best buck overall.– Brian Hodge, Caddo, Oklahoma.