Hunter: Joe Gizdic
Animal: 150 1/8" Whitetail
Location: Illinois
Weapon: PSE Dream Season GX

Bucks had been moving really well here in Illinois at Tall Tines Outfitters, Inc., at least until the downpours set in. We had 2 days of solid rain and I knew that when the weather broke the bucks would move again. I have several friends hunting the same general areas and we were all seeing great bucks. The night prior to harvesting this deer,the rain finally let up and I sat in an observation stand to watch one of our standing beans/Biologic Trophy Oats/Maximum food plots and do a little doe management. I actually climbed into another stand but decided it was too thick to see most of the food plot so I backed off to the observation stand. I am glad I did, because 3 bucks walked right under the first stand I was in. I didn't have a cameraman with me because of the rain.

The first 2 bucks were solid mature animals, a 150" 10 pt and 150" 8 pt. They fed and sparred in the food plot for several minutes before becoming very tense. A third and larger buck (160+" 10 pt) stepped from the timber. All 3 sparred and fed until dark and I snuck out. Man I wish I would have brought a camera out with me.

Irregardless, I knew one of us would be in the original stand the next evening.

We got into stand plenty early and the weather was perfect. No rain, some wind, overcast skies. We saw a few does and turkeys at the end of the plot but no bucks for the first few hours. Then I looked down and there one of the bucks was coming out of the timber to the food plot at 22 yds. We got ready and took the shot. I really wasn't sure which of the 3 bucks he was but I knew he was a shooter. He was quartered away and the Rage hit him right behind the ribs on the near side and broke his offside shoulder. We headed back to camp to review the footage and headed out to track a little later. Sure enough, he only made it about 80yds total and was laying 30 yds behind the stand.

A beautiful 150" 10 pt with 26" main beams is always a good way to start the season. Lots of tags and lots of hunting to do yet will keep us busy.

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