Quality Management Pays Off

Brian was in the stand early that Monday afternoon.  For the last hour, he watched as a small buck and doe grazed in the field in front of him.  They were skittish, seeming to understand something was not quite right.  However, the wind was to Brian’s favor and try as they might, Brian’s scent would not be found in their direction.

Then, in just a matter of moments, the field was populated with another four bucks and one more doe.  Brian sensed his target would be showing himself soon.  After all, Brian had the ‘big one’ on camera at consistent times since he began scouting several months earlier.  But the story does not end here, nor begin here.

Brian Rhew with his 146 7/8 in 192 lb Orange County giant.

Brian first learned how to hunt deer when he was 8 or 9 years old.  His uncle, Jesse Lennon, ran a household of 13.  Uncle Jesse taught Brian how to hunt.  Hunting was a necessity for the Bladen County family as a means of survival.  The deer meat provided many meals for a family of that size.

About fifteen years ago Brian took up bowhunting.  He appreciated the technique and it provided a way to hunt a longer season.  Just six years ago his mindset changed.

By providing for his own family, the deer meat was not as much of a priority in his hunting excursions.  He became much more serious about bowhunting and his chance to come closer to the game he was pursuing.  He also began managing his land and game to allow for a healthier, stronger, more mature herd.

His management paid off.

The opening weekend of bow season in 2010, just three years after he began his plan, Brian connected on a mainframe 9 point whitetail measuring 123 inches.  Pope and Young record book takes entries at 125 inches and larger net score.  Just a couple of inches kept Brian’s efforts from making book.  But all was not lost.  In fact, everything was working out perfectly.

Opening weekend of bow season in 2011, Brian was again in pursuit.  Proper scouting and management techniques once again paid off.  Brian connected on a 10 pointer.  This one measured 138 inches, easily making it one of the bigger deer taken in North Carolina during the year by bow, and making Pope and Young record book.

Now, here in 2012, Brian was waiting.  Brian supplemented his herd with a mineral site throughout the year.  In June, Brian began putting out corn to offer another food source and establish a routine for the deer that grazed on his land.  His trail cameras showed a buck developing a huge crown.  Brian recognized the deer.  It was a nice 8 pointer the previous year.  He passed on it when he took his record book buck.

So Brian waited in his lock-on stand, five bucks and 2 doe were near him.  He knew the big one should be showing up soon as he did each day on the camera photos.  He anticipated a splendid opening day just a couple of days earlier, to the extent of having a friend there to film the hunt.  Unfortunately, two different storms passed through the area late in the day.   When lightning started flashing, the linesman for Piedmont Electric realized it was time to go.  The buck would have to wait for another day, but he would not wait for long.  This would be the day.

The monster stepped out and moved to the corn.  Brian drew his Mathews Z7 Extreme bow armed with a Rage 2 blade 100 grain mechanical broadhead at 5:12pm Monday, September 10th.  Just twenty one yards separated Brian from the trophy he had watched for over two years.  At over 300 feet per second, the twenty one yards was traversed quickly by the arrow as it hit its mark.

Brian Rhew paid tribute to the 192 pound Orange County buck shortly afterwards.  The mainframe 9 pointer with 3 sticker points measured 146 7/8 inches green (green means the score is not official yet as the rack is required to dry for 60 days before an official measurement can be taken).  Now Brian had a once-a-lifetime trophy and a freezer full of venison.  Uncle Jesse would have been proud.