Hunter: Carol Graham
Animal: 137" Velvet 10 Point
Location: North Dakota
Weapon: PSE X-Force

Anxious to start our season early and get away from the summer push, to get everything done before fall, we go on a North Dakota whitetail bow hunt every year. Last year we hunted this same area and Joe killed a beautiful 162 inch 5½ yr old. I had an encounter with a nice 140ish buck but just couldn’t put it together.

We arrived 2 days before the opener braving 93 degree weather and seeing deer but nothing I really wanted to shoot. Joe and I hunted mornings and then spent the day putting up trail cameras and stands then hunting the evening sits. We had quite the collection of shooter bucks by day 6 on trail cameras. The morning of the 7th day was a chilly 45 degrees and the perfect wind to hunt the stand where we had the most photos of shooter bucks. Saw several does and a nice 8pt that eluded us.

After getting snorted by a doe we figured the morning hunt was over. 10 minutes later a nice velvet 10 pt was headed our way. Once he got into range I came to full draw, too early of course, and held waiting for him to take 2 more steps to clear a branch. As he stepped forward I released sending a Rage broadhead into his chest. After 80 yds he stumbled and went down. What a great start to this season with my biggest bow kill to date. -Carol