John Franks' story about the 18 pt Non-typical with a bow.

The 2008 Deer Season marks the 23rd year that I have been hunting.  During these years I have had the good fortune of harvesting many nice Whitetail Bucks, the majority being taken with a bow.
 About seven years ago I decided to start passing on a lot of year-and-a-half old bucks, I wanted to shoot bigger and never did.
For the past four years or so, I have seen a lot of nice bucks while bow hunting but never could get a close enough shot, all the while choosing to pass on some smaller deer..."Frustration" was an understatement. During this time, I had always took my vacation from my job the week or so before the firearm opener. I would hunt from dawn until dark, in hopes of hitting the rut, and did experience great results. Just no success in filling my tags. Last year was incredible, 21 bucks the first four days.. Twelve  of which were different bucks...I referred to it as "watching Primos on television!" I had 4 bucks that definitely would go over 120 inches. The biggest probably 150 to 180. It is very hard to judge. It is only a guess, you just know that they were huge!

This year it all came together, a joint effort this time, a lot of people to thank. On 11/12/08, I took a 10 pt typical in the morning. On the afternoon of 11/13/08, I had the awesome experience of having the moment that all bow hunters dream of...
Charging in towards my stand...it was a warm fall day, winds out of the south about 10-15 mph and clear/sunny skies. Not very ideal! Maybe that is why at 4:15 p.m. this18 pt Non-typical was coming from the North, down the center of a large picked soy-bean field.
My stand was facing south about 5 yards into a thick woods, just north of a creek.  This is where the 10 pt came from the morning before. The large non-typical got spooked. Not sure why, because he hadn't quite reached where my scent may have been. The buck started running, and I mean running... black muck flying!  He darted one way then the other.  About 120 yards out he committed, "he is going to cross the creek to my south on an angle to the southeast. He will be about 20 yards. I have to stop him!" No time to grab my call around my neck.  In the woods he came.  Crossed the creek.  Just before 20 yards, I made a bleat call with my mouth.  He kept going...25 yards...same thing...I had to yell...my only hope...boy did he stop!  And I was already there.  Just raised the sight and touched the release.  As he swung his head back my way, the arrow had just passed through...about 30 yards out.  Stopped right in the hole that I had to shoot through.  He went about 150-180 yards...he was so revved up...perfect shot too. This all happened within a 20 second time frame...ran off......gone.
What just happened??? Wait a minute...it just finally happened!  Man, what a blessed feeling...finding the deer, already expired, and
grabbing a hold of those Antlers!

Never will forget it, never.

I've seen bigger, not many, but this one was big enough.
Thanks to my wife Amy, my father Virg and the property owner...this took a team effort.
To all you bow hunters out there, hang in there, keep to your game plan, do not ever give up,
Stay positive, do your homework and be in the woods as much as you can. Your day is coming....
I truly believe that now.

Sincerely,
John Franks
Paw Paw, MI.

177 7/8NT