Travis Bertrand's (Drhorsepower) semi-live hunt in Arizona

[Travis Bertrand]

Thanks for kind words! I'm heading back out to look for some red fletchings.

 

[Ozz08]

Great job buddy!

Best Live Hunt yet.

I agree. Great live hunt! We had ups, downs, suspense, mom coming to the rescue(definitely sets it apart from other live hunts), and finally triumph! You busted your but and it paid off. Good work.

 

[River Rat]

Travis you did a great job with the live hunt, Thanks for taking the time to keep us posted .
Enjoyed all the pics. Congrats on a great buck !

 

[bbrown]

Hell Ya! Congrats and thanks for taking us along.

 

[Ryan Avery]

Nice work Travis! Was that a Rokslide wrapped arrow that you sent through him?

 

[SkinnyPete]

Woot woot! Way to go man!!!

 

[BigSurArcher]

Great work Travis. Your persistence has been real impressive. Can't wait to see more pics!

 

[Travis Bertrand]

Hey hey hey!!! It's not over yet! I still have a javelina tag fellas. I have two days to try and fill it.

I am heading out to dinner. I will post the story tonight.

 

[bowuntr]

Very cool... congratulations... Ed F

 

[cali_hornhunter]

Yes!!!!!! Congratulations great job Travis can't wait to hear the story

 

[OBP]

Congrats Travis, you definitely put your time in for this one. Beautiful buck.

 

[Travis Bertrand]

The day started out going to the spot that I have seen javelina and deer considering Thursday is the last day of javelina season. My local friend and I hiked up to the top of the mountain and started glassing. We glassed for an hour and a half and didnt even see a bird flying. I joked with him about my new binos that I'm taking them back, I thought if I had them there would be a 180" buck under every cactus. We decided to head over where I have seen the most deer on the trip. We were heading there and we both thought about the buck that we saw( the biggest one I have seen here) and both agreed it is on the way so lets stop to see if he is back in his kingdom. We pull off the main road, took the short drive up the dirt road and short hike to our glassing spot. I set up the 15s and immediately put it on the little bowl up there. Nothing.... So I glass around some more and BAM. There he was with his posse of honeys on other side of main road on the move over back to his spot!!! My friend jumps up and says" those 15s sure suck don't they? I'm going to head up that hill to get eyes on them while you drive over to main road" I agreed that was best plan. I hauled butt over there and as I was pulling in the area, I saw him off the road on private side 100 yards. I slowly kept driving, made contact up the hill. We waited a minute and came up with a game plan to put me in the wash and try ambushing them, if nothing else I would be closer to the hill and hike up there for a stalk after they bed down. I creeped down the wash a couple hundred yards. . I nocked an arrow. And they appeared through a small opening. First a doe. I ranged her 56 yards. Next he pops through but didnt present a shot because he was moving too fast through small opening. All I could see is a white butt behind cactus. A doe looked at me and a whole bunch of bad thoughts ran through my mind. Oh crap I'm busted. I slowly move a little more to the left in the shade and the first doe I seen appeared in the opening again. I ranged her again shaking so bad I had to do it twice. I quickly recognized I need to get calm cool and collected. I saw him start to work back that way, crouched a little to try and avoid some branches that were low hanging. ( I had a small window and I didn't think an arrow would clear at that distance) he was slowly moving and I settled my 60 yard pin on him and let one fly! I could have sworn my arrow hit that branch and deflected to the right. I thought, I would go retrieve my arrow and try to relocate them. My friend gets on the radio and said, "you got him man!" I replied," no I missed, my arrow was deflected". I got cut off with the transmission of "HE'S DOWN!!" I again told him my arrow was deflected and I missed by 5 feet! " hold on! Let me put in the binoculars" I heard. I waited reluctantly for a minute or so then heard," good job brother! He's down"! I was jumping up and down with excitement.

He went 100 yards or so, I was jacked but still in denial! He made his way down the mountain. Took slme photos -and decided to gut him and throw him in the truck considering we were 120 yards from the road at the farthest! I haven't gutted and animal since I was 13, I've always done the gutless method since I haven't killed anything this close to the road and I really dislike dragging. I forgot how to gut something... I felt like a tool! I got it done though and dragging this deer was not like dragging a Nevada Muley. He is half as small of a body. Pretty easy drag.

We both put minimal effort to retrieve my arrow considering we were close to the road and in open sight. We didnt want people to see us and tried getting out of there as quickly as possible.

We get him back to his house and get him skinned. I have to say I have alot of respect for these southern Arizona animals. They eat cactus to survive and I couldn't believe how much cactus was in his hide, huge pieces, buried deep in his hide

We had some screaming hamburgers and I went back to kill site to see if I can retrieve my arrow. My wife, kids, and mother were just down the road at a historical site and saw my truck, stopped to help. Like usual, my wife looks for 2 minutes and found it. It was broken in half and couldn't find the other half.

I'm on cloud 9. I have hunted hard almost everyday since the 4th. This is the biggest buck I have seen the whole trip and I was lucky enough to squeak an arrow in him. This was also my first bow kill! He didn't have ground shrinkage, after looking at him for four days I thought he would be around 160 and I think that is what he will come out to be. His eye guards are in my opinion, one of the best features on him. They are almost 3.5" with a contractors tape measure! I am very blessed with my family for being so supportive and I the most rewarding part of the trip is making lifelong friendships with a local family. They have helped me out tremendously and for that, I am forever thankful.

I took a few photos with my phone which is what I posted but we took some better photos on my big camera and I will get those loaded up soon.

I think I am going to drop him off I Tucson at a taxidermist so I don't have to worry about him on the way home, we plan on stopping by the Grand Canyon and a few other stops. Thanks fr all of your support as well, it has made this alot more fun( and interesting) I will be spending tomorrow afternoon looking for pigs and the next day which is last day of season so you haven't seen the last of me!


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[cali_hornhunter]

Awesome story congrats on the buck again good luck with the javelinas!!!

 

[Travis Bertrand]

Awesome story congrats on the buck again good luck with the javelinas!!!

Thanks man!

 

[Slim Jim]

I am so stoked for you Travis! I can imagine the high you're experiencing right now. Such an accomplishment with a bow. I can't wait to get my first buck with a bow. Once again congrats!

 

[realunlucky]

Beautiful buck

 

[jballa34]

Awesome buck! Very fun to read every night, kinda sad it's over now! haha

Thanks for taking us along.

 

[Travis Bertrand]

On my way to Tucson. My mom says she has two spots open for the adoption but she will make the decision after Mother's Day. She can be persuaded. For the right price, I will give you her weaknesses!

 

[Hardstalk]

P.m me her address please! I just so happen to have an opening for an extra mother!

 

[JNDEER]

Awesome job on the brute of a buck!

Where did you end up hitting him?