I've got trail camera pictures of this buck.  I tried to ambush this guy from a ground blind above a pond but a couple of nosy does kept that from happening.  They would bust me every evening.   I could hear this buck approaching before dark and holding up in the woods until it was too dark to shoot.  This afternoon I got my leaf blower out and cleared the trail to a stand I have below the pond in the wooded valley.  I've found that raking or blowing the trail clean doesn't disrupt the deer too much.  It makes them curious sometimes.  I made it into the stand very quietly this evening.  I saw those same two does and they circled me right at the edge of my comfort zone.  I had tension on the string twice but the shot never felt right.  I decided to hold off in hopes of catching a buck slipping through.  I had a 1.5 year old buck come in at the same time as the does.  He paid zero attention to them.  I was pretty excited to see my first buck of the season.  They finally moved out and shortly before dark I heard movement and saw a good sized body crest the hill and head my way.  He was on a trail that crossed a dry creek bed 20 yards from me.  I stood up and got into position.  I saw it was a nice buck and I didn't pay any attention to the rack.  I focused on finding a spot behind the shoulder.  He stopped in the creek bed quartering away.  I don't remember drawing or shooting.  I heard the arrow hit  and thought it might be a little high and back.  Because of the angle he and I were both at it was an excellent shot.  He ran towards the pond and stopped after 30 yards.  There was a big tree in front of me and I couldn't see him.  I nocked another arrow and leaned around the tree.  I could hear him gurgling and getting wobbly.  He staggered towards me and before I could get another shot lined up he crashed down 25 yards from my tree.  I was super excited.  I spent many days this past spring clearing the brush around the pond to make it easier for them to access.  I have been seeing a lot more activity around it since then.  I'm glad my hard work paid off.  

This is my largest traditional buck.  I think it's either a big 2.5 or small 3.5 year old buck.  I'll get a better guess when I check the tooth wear.  I'm leaning towards a small 3.5 based on the body.  He had a lot of fat on him.  It was more yellow than what we normally see.  His neck was starting to swell but it wasn't full blown yet.  He did not stink like a rutting buck.  I like to kill them early in the season before they get smelly and wore down from the rut.

I used a 56# Yellowstone Custom Longbow made by Rich Wormington.  I got a complete pass through with an Easton Axis traditional arrow and a Cliff Zwickey 2 blade broadhead.  

I'm working two jobs now and my hunting time has been cut in half or more.  I was worried about getting enough time in a stand to cross paths with a buck.  Now I can relax and try to get a couple more does.  That old one that keeps busting me is going to screw up one of these days.