"Hunter By Heart, Bowhunter By Choice," by Cameron McQuillen

Cameron Knocks Down A Great Buck Back When The Kaibab Was OTC!

 2006 was the begining of my junior year of high school. Its was another year closer to graduating, and another year i couldnt wait to be in the Kaibab deer woods. With high hopes and an overdose of anticipation, the hunt was finaly here.

It was a thursday morning when i was up at 3am anticipating the chill of the fresh air and the smells of pine, aspen, and deer huntin. The only hard part was makin it through the 8am to 3pm school day before I left for kaibab. Yep I had to be to school at 8am and was up at 3am because i was so anxious, I just had an awesome feeling about this up coming hunt. Well the school day ended not soon enough but it ended and i was on my way to the great Kaibab by 3:30pm.

After the long 9 hour drive and a few pit stops in between, we had finaly made it. it was now about 1:30am friday morning. we decided to just park the trailer get a couple hours of well needed rest before hiitin the woods.well 3am roled around in what seemed like minutes. Scramblin to get on some warm camo before i froze was an accomplishment in itself.

The first morning i set out with high hopes and that gut feeling and anticipation of not knowing what your gonna see but you just know its gona be good. well that sounds so much better then what realy happend. About a 25 minute drive on the four wheeler in what seemed like 12 degree weather was made easier with the site of 3 deer crossin the road infront of me. Like i said hopes where high and anticipation strong.

After reaching the hunting spot and goin all morning and the only deer i saw where the 3 on the quad ride into the area, it was a bit of a bummer but with 8 more evenings and 9 more nights to hunt, it was just getting started.

That afternoon i walked down this canyon not knowing what to expect but it looked amazing. I mean if you where gonna see a monster buck this was NOT gonna be the spot. It was just far to perfect of an area with far to perfect cover and to say the least it was just to perfect. But thats bowhunting. I couldnt not pass this spot up. So I came back down with a tree stand and set it up where these 3 runs came together. And man where they beat with track. The stand set up was still tot his day one of my favorites, perfect tree and was so comfortable. Well after hangnin the stand i left that area to hunt another and was gonna come back in the morning.

Well the next morning came and as the night before was not succesful i was off to the stand i hung the afternoon before. As the sun peeked over the trees i already had deer infront of me. They where there when i first got into my stand before sun up and hung out till the sun came up. All morning deer where comin through and it was amazing adrenalin, deer, and bow in hand.

It was about an hour after shooting light and i saw a big rack moving through the woods. It was coming off the ridge infront of me and headin straight for my stand. This was it i thought and the adrenalin kicked in. The buck walked out at 30 yards and was a big big forked horn. I had never seen such a big little buck before so i drew back and let that arrow fly. A loud crack rang out as the arrow connected, the only problem was it wasnt with the buck. I hit this little branch, i mean little it was no bigger then my arrow shift but i nailed it. long story short the buck ran off and that was the last deer i saw for 6 days.

It was now friday night, returning back to camp cold and hungry. I had one more full day to hunt as sunday evening we where headin home. well after dinner and a bit frustrated i tried to piece together a game plan for the morning. A buddy of mine told me about this tank he had sat for a couple days and a little forkhorn kept comin in to it. Being the end of my hunt i was gonna take anything so he let me sit his stand. 3am up and ready to go.

I got to the stand a little later then what i wanted to. As i was putting on my safety harness i caught an outline of a deer about 200 yards away staring at me. I could make out a set of antlers and let me tell you my heart sunk as the deer was lookin right at me. He eventualy turned and walked back into the tree line and i hurried to get set.

Maybe oh, 20 minutes after that whole thing happend I heard a loud crack off to my left. Not knowin what to think i just sat there hopin for somethin good. well what happend next i will never forget. It happend so fast and just like its supposed to. Out stepped this buck 30 yards on the burm i had my stand on. He stood there survaying the tank for about 2 minutes and started walking directly towards me. at about 20 yards he turned broadside and i was ready. At full draw and a mule deer buck 20 yards infront of me talk about excitment. I let that arrow fly and the buck didnt even flinch. he ran to the bottom of the burm and turned and looked at me. I saw the arrow hit right behind the shoulder i could see the arrow in the ground all 3 red vanes, my vanes where 2 green and a white. The buck walked back up onto the burm at 40 yards, i didnt know what to think. He then walked up the hill and faded into the timber.

I sat in my stand replaying the shot over and over and to this day still replay it. But after about 10 minutes i couldnt take it i had to see my arrow. I climbed down and found my arrow. Iv takin quite a few animals with my bow but let me tell you, i have never seen an arrow that covered with blood. knowing the shot was good i whent and got my grandfather who helped me trail the buck. After about an hour of waitin and tellin the story we where on the blood trail. It was about 200 yards and very little blood before i saw antlers. I had no idea how big the deer was, how many points or anything all i knew was he was a he. so when i got my hands on him and saw he was a nice 3X3 i was well i realy cant explain how i felt no words can or ever will.

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