PETE DENNEY'S BRUSHY HILL TROPHY BOWHUNTING RANCH

Pete Jr. - Big 8-point - 2019

Congratulations to our 11 year-old son, Pete Jr. on harvesting his first TRUE trophy buck - a buck he literally hunted (with Nick) up until the very last hour of the last day of the season! Our ranch manager, Nick Anderson, found this buck very early in the season and he and Pete began hunting for it. Even though they saw him nearly every day they hunted throughout October and November, this smart old buck would stay way out in a big, open winter wheat field. He knew he couldn't be touched out there. Doggedly, Pete would sit weekend after weekend with Nick, passing one buck after another, in the hopes of getting this big mature 8-point. Finally, in late November a different 8-point that Nick determined was a good cull stepped into range. Pete let fly with his PSE crossbow and harvested his first real buck. That buck really pumped Pete up - he wanted "the big 8-point!" Unfortunately, things at the ranch really got busy in early December and Nick didn't have much free time to take Pete hunting. THEN, the buck disappeared! First one week, then another. Two weeks turned into four and by the time they had time to really get back to hunting the big 8 was still missing in action. Nick was sure that one of the neighbors had shot the deer and began looking for another mature deer for Pete Jr to take. Unfortunately, finding one that was hanging out in an area that hadn’t already been reserved by one of our hunters proved difficult. Very day he was out glassing, looking for the right deer, to no avail. On Sunday morning Nick asked Pete if he wanted to just go to their favorite stand and hunt the very last evening of the season, even though he hadn’t seen anything they were looking for. Without much thought Pete said, “Sure!” There were deer already out on the oats when they climbed into the popup and settled in on a major travel route, where deer like to enter the field. It wasn’t long before they had about 8 deer - doe and young bucks - feeding in front of there; but no shooters. Then, suddenly, the big 8 they hadn’t seen in SO long stepped out and headed straight for the deer feeding in Petes shooting lane! On a string he came in. Our little sharpshooter made a great shot and that big buck took a big leap and headed for the nearest brush line. Nick said he could see in his binoculars that the hit was perfect but the buck made it the 40 yards to the tree line and disappeared from view. Confident they would find the deer, Nick held Pete back for about 20 minutes to give it a little time; and the two texted us with the good news. The buck only made it 10 yards into the trees before piling up. So, it wasn’t long before the picture taking started! Congratulations Pete! We’re all so proud of you!