190-Inch Stick-n-String Slug
By Henry Ferguson

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Missing the first five days of the archery season was not my original plan! However, I spent the first few days of the season working in Asia, just knowing that someone was going to shoot one of the bucks I had been scouting. The anticipation was at an all-time high when I finally found myself waiting for the sun to rise on "My opening day".

Within a half hour, two of my target bucks were spotted feeding in the same herd. Ultimately they fed over the ridgeline and we were unable to relocate them. After grabbing a bite to eat and shooting some confirmation arrows back at camp, we headed back out. Years of scouting taught me that I needed to look in a deep rock filled canyon for bedded bucks.

We had just reached the point where we could see into the rock and I thought I saw a deer leg sticking out from behind a large rock. Once we got our spotting scopes out we realized that the leg was connected to a typical buck with a skyscraper of a rack. The stalk looked to be an easy one; it turned out to be anything but easy! Two hours on my hands and knees sneaking through crushed granite and raspberry bushes had me wishing for knee pads.

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As I stalked to the final two foot tall pine tree, I settled in for a sweaty 45 minute and 90 degree wait. He looked in the direction of my camo clad body several times. Each time, I would hook my release back in the loop and prepare for the shot. He finally dipped his head and started to rise. I was at full draw when he stood and released a solid arrow that took out his liver and one lung.

As I recovered him the following day, I realized that I had my work cut out for me. My truck was about a mile away and much like our dads walks to school, it was all up hill. It didn't matter; I smiled the whole way, knowing that I had just shot my best buck. He later scored 190 6/8" gross and 189 2/8" net.