Bullwinkle was elusive throughout 2022
Back in 2021, I was watching two good bucks in Orangeburg County, SC. They both walked out one August evening and I took the biggest one. The other, Bullwinkle, took off and never looked back. I have thought about him everyday since.
2022, I saw him a handful of times on camera, but never in the daylight. Hunted all year, didn’t squeeze the trigger one time. I had plenty of chances on good deer but if you’ve ever hunted a particular buck, you know what I mean. By the end of that season, I had a feeling someone else may have ended the story of Bullwinkle.
2023, got a few good looking bucks hanging around. Aug 17, he showed back up, more beautiful than I could have imagined. Shared the pictures with Tamara, she said “you’ll get him on the 20th” (special day to us) & I’ll be damned if that isn’t when it happened.
He came out with 3 other bucks, 2 of which could easily find their way on someone’s wall. It was the type of hunt you dream of, he presented me with the most textbook broadside target, had plenty of camera light, & best of all, didn’t have to track him.
Truth be told, my least favorite part of hunting is pulling the trigger. Soon as I do that, the chase ends. Constantly thinking about an animal & waking up to check cameras as fast as you can hoping to see him really develops a strange relationship that only a few understand. Some call it obsession, I call it love.
My favorite part about the harvest? The overwhelming feeling of gratitude. To not only have the opportunity to hunt deer on private property, but to have the time, health, & freedom to do so is absolutely priceless. Blessings on blessings
8/20/2023 @ 8:07pm
18.5” spread
119 lbs (according to processors scale)
–Andy Till
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