Craig Sleeman Bow Buck 2000

By Craig Sleeman
(Fall 2000)

So there I was eating lunch and 11:00 am with my
father and brother, Dad had passed on a few bucks that
morning and Ethan had one by 8:15, a dandy to be
blunt. I was still deerless and itching to get back
in the action. So I hurried boys out of lunch mode
and back into the truck to catch the afternoon
excitement. I had hunted a ridge in the town of
Richmond on oppening day for the past four years and
had great luck on all occasions except for that
particular morning. I decided to follow Ethan's
orders since he had already been successful, and I had
reason to beleive that he was right about hunting in
the creek bottom since the deer had been pressured all
day long and used it as an escape from the drives. An
hour passed and I began wondering if I had made the
right decision about where I had placed my stand. It
wasn't until a voice came accross the radio, I did not
recognize it but heard a man say that the Deer were
all "Ahead of me" (refering to himself) and were
heading twords town. Since it was only the three of us
we didnt have anyone driving deer for us, but expected
pressure from surrounding areas. Just as I heard this
I concentrated on an area accross the creek that
seemed like a great place for any deer to use in order
to reach the bottom of the ridge. In an instant I
spotted the "Big Boy" and my heart began to race.
With the opportunity at hand, I let him come with in
35 yards since he had no clue that i was even near,
nor did he probably care. As he made his way through
some thick brush, he came to a stop in a clearing just
before the creeks edge. I raised my newly purchased
12ga. Mossburg 500 pump shot-gun and put the cross
hairs on his shoulder. WHAM, I had hit him perfectly
but had not dropped him and he began to run, not away
like I expected but right at me! I quickly raised and
tried to get him in my scope but had no luck finding
him since it happened so fast. I tucked the gun on my
hip and aimed, firing three more shots in his
direction.(finding out later I hit him all four times
I fired). It only took seconds for the deer to drop 7
yards from my bucket and 5 yards from where I had
poped out behind the tree. WOW! is all I could mutter
out on the radio as I called for my dad and brother.
They had herd the shooting echo up the valley and knew
I had connected! But had no clue how big he really
was. And so as they found there way to me I sat in
disbelief with a giant buck at my feet, for one thing
I noticed his massive spread and the towering tines.
But couldn't beleive it was me who actually harvested
such a Monster!


THE SLEEMAN MONSTER 2000 By Craig Sleeman (Fall 2000) So there I was eating lunch and 11:00 am with my father and brother, Dad had passed on a few bucks that morning and Ethan had one by 8:15, a dandy to be blunt. I was still deerless and itching to get back in the action. So I hurried boys out of lunch mode and back into the truck to catch the afternoon excitement. I had hunted a ridge in the town of Richmond on oppening day for the past four years and had great luck on all occasions except for that particular morning. I decided to follow Ethan's orders since he had already been successful, and I had reason to beleive that he was right about hunting in the creek bottom since the deer had been pressured all day long and used it as an escape from the drives. An hour passed and I began wondering if I had made the right decision about where I had placed my stand. It wasn't until a voice came accross the radio, I did not recognize it but heard a man say that the Deer were all "Ahead of me" (refering to himself) and were heading twords town. Since it was only the three of us we didnt have anyone driving deer for us, but expected pressure from surrounding areas. Just as I heard this I concentrated on an area accross the creek that seemed like a great place for any deer to use in order to reach the bottom of the ridge. In an instant I spotted the "Big Boy" and my heart began to race. With the opportunity at hand, I let him come with in 35 yards since he had no clue that i was even near, nor did he probably care. As he made his way through some thick brush, he came to a stop in a clearing just before the creeks edge. I raised my newly purchased 12ga. Mossburg 500 pump shot-gun and put the cross hairs on his shoulder. WHAM, I had hit him perfectly but had not dropped him and he began to run, not away like I expected but right at me! I quickly raised and tried to get him in my scope but had no luck finding him since it happened so fast. I tucked the gun on my hip and aimed, firing three more shots in his direction.(finding out later I hit him all four times I fired). It only took seconds for the deer to drop 7 yards from my bucket and 5 yards from where I had poped out behind the tree. WOW! is all I could mutter out on the radio as I called for my dad and brother. They had herd the shooting echo up the valley and knew I had connected! But had no clue how big he really was. And so as they found there way to me I sat in disbelief with a giant buck at my feet, for one thing I noticed his massive spread and the towering tines. But couldn't beleive it was me who actually harvested such a Monster!




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