This is one of the wildest hunts we've seen in a while.
One of the things we love about hunting is just how unpredictable it can get. Even the best-laid plans don't always come to fruition the way we had hoped. Some of the most exciting hunts we've ever had involved ones where things took a crazy turn for better or for worse.
Let's face it, the crazy hunts are the ones that make the best stories. The ones that are re-told around the fire at hunting camp for years after the fact. Josh Tatum has just one such story from this past season. The only difference is, he caught the whole thing on video. He arrows a Kansas giant with a HUGE droptine.
Unfortunately, the shot is not as perfect as he would have liked. It leads to the wildest recovery you'll ever see. It involves a spot and stalk, tracking dogs and a cold plunge into an icy pond.
We saw some spectacular hunting videos come from the 2020 season, but this one wins out as our favorite so far. This video makes us better appreciate what a tough animal the whitetail deer is. We cannot believe he hit both of that buck's lungs and it stayed alive for as long as it did. Josh's first shot wasn't an ideal placement, but we expected it would still kill the buck. However, the next day that deer was still alive and kicking. That took some serious scrambling to get into position for a shot on that buck as he entered the pond.
Fortunately, that second shot did the job on finishing this deer off and it expired in the pond. He probably lucked out that pond was there to slow the animal down. It likely would have kept running and he never would have gotten a second shot otherwise.
This is one of those hunts that we would have a hard time believing the story on had we not just witnessed the whole thing play out on video. Congrats on an awesome buck Josh and an even wilder story to go with it!
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For more outdoor content from Travis Smola, be sure to follow him on Twitter and check out his Geocaching and Outdoors with Travis YouTube channels.
NEXT: HUNTER DOWNS A BIG BUCK THEN A BIGGER ONE APPEARS TO ATTACK HIS RIVAL
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