BRIAN GODFREY’S TENNESSEE BUCK

It was still fairly warm in October when Brian Godfrey climbed into his stand overlooking a greenfield for an afternoon hunt. Though it was weeks before the rut in western Tennessee, he still chose to use The Freshman deer decoy to pique any buck’s attention that had plans to skirt the food plot rather than enter to feed. The field had been planted in brassicas, clover, buckwheat, and corn that had been strip cut.

The plot was surrounded by native grasses that hadn’t been touched for years and serve as a great bedding area for deer. Beyond that there were woods on every side, providing the herd with the ultimate sense of security for feeding and bedding. Brian had placed his lock-on stand in an island of trees located directly in the middle of the plot and on instinct, decided to stake The Freshman at a 45-degree angle to his right, 38 yards out and facing his stand. Some might wonder why he’d place the decoy so far away, and that is a good question.

Brian had the wind directly in his face. He expected any deer that entered the plot to come from his left and didn’t want it circling behind where it may have caught his scent. Instead, he hoped a buck would come straight in to confront the inferior-looking decoy. As most of us know, when bucks are acting aggressively toward each other, they are going to approach head on, ready for a fight.

At 5:00, Brian caught movement in the woods just across the field. At first glance he knew it was a deer, but couldn’t tell much else. He could only see its legs and rear end. When the deer slightly emerged from the tree line, he knew right away it was a buck the landowner had been seeing in previous weeks. Though he was a borderline shooter, Brian decided he would take him if the opportunity presented itself being such a warm, early season hunt.

“He came on out into the field and would posture up, staring dead at the decoy,” Brian said. “Then, he’d just go into full alert mode for about two or three minutes, posture up again, full alert again. This must have gone on for 10 minutes.”

To see if he could get the buck to finally commit, Brian slowly reached down to his pack to retrieve his snort wheeze call. He hadn’t been looking down for maybe five or six seconds, and when he looked back up the deer was again on full alert, looking just beyond Brian’s stand. Suddenly, he blew and ran. But it wasn’t Brian’s movement or the deer decoy that caused the buck to beat it.

“I didn’t even have time to utter a word of frustration. Before I knew what was going on, this big boy was making a beeline to The Freshman. He never checked up. I made a noise with my mouth to stop him at 16 yards. Who knows what he would have done to the decoy, but I didn’t want him to get too close and the smell not be right. The Wasp Drone went through his heart, out his left shoulder and the arrow stuck 10 inches into the dirt.”

The buck didn’t run more than 60 yards. And had it not been for The Freshman, Brian may have not ever seen him.

Even though its rigid posture shows aggression, The Freshman was built with the small body and rack of a young deer. Many of the dominant bucks are using this time of the year to start establishing territory over the inferiors. Don’t hesitate to stake The Freshman near your stand during any phase of the rut.