I'm not much of a gun hunter admittedly. I love my bow hunting. I got looking back and I have not hunted with a slug gun in over 15 years. Some muzzleloader from time to time, but I have been pretty much a bow only hunter for a long time. For some reason though last winter I got the urge to build a "Thumper". I'm an AR junkie and the 450 Bushmaster was intriguing to me.

Fast forward to Sunday morning. I have a good friend (Steve) from Ohio who comes over to hunt every year. In recent years it has been more about his boys than him. But Sunday morning, his son encouraged Steve to go hunt alone. I talked him into taking my Thumper. I told him where to go and what the deer would likely do. Sure enough an hour into the morning out steps a beautiful 9 pointer right where I said it would. Steve made the easy 40 yard shot and 20 yards later the buck fell on his face. I was guiding his son and we didn't have much luck, but he could not have been happier for Dad.

Steve and his 9 pointer with my Thumper.



For some silly reason last summer I put in for Pokagon. I totally forgot about it actually until talking to a friend who always hunts there. He did not get drawn for the first time in many years. Turns out ... I did ... LOL. I had no clue where to go and almost didn't go. He talked me into it and even gave me his GPS to hunt the spot that he always goes to. So last week I went in and locked my climber to the tree that he recommended. I got to the park crazy early and beat everyone in the gate. At about 7:45 this morning I saw a real nice 8 pointer who had somehow dodged the sea of orange (I could see 5 other guys in orange from my location). At 60 yards I stopped him and let the Thumper bark. 20 yards later the buck was on his face. About a half an hour after I shot him I had a small doe come in and actually sniff my buck. As she lifted her head from sniffing him I let the Thumper eat again. She went 15 yards. Pretty small doe but it is a reduction hunt and that is the goal. They were the only deer that I saw this morning. An awesome morning to be in the woods with the snow falling. I have to admit, it was kind of fun to let the big gun roar too.

My Pokagon buck and doe.

Congrats!

Awesome, congrats!

Thumper!, I like it. Great job!

Good going Derek! Congrats!

Nice park deer. h.h.

CONGRATS

Sa-weeeeet...... Nicely done D

That's a nice hunt at That park. Nice deer

Way too take em down Dec. Love the thumper... Congrats.

Sorry.... Congrats to your friend as well. Great story.

Congrats! nice bucks down!

spending time with friends in the outdoors and building a super gun just to deer hunt with...some of the best memories are not only the deer killed but of the experiences of the process...

A source has told me that my Pokagon buck was the largest deer (both in antler size and weight) taken in the park in two days of hunting. I'd rather be lucky than good.

Nice bucks love the Thumper cool gun

Very cool congrats fun to do a state park hunt for a change of pace

Very nice pics.....congrats

Congrats!