Turn Around, Sit Down: The Buck That Came When I Was Walking Out

Turn Around, Sit Down: The Buck That Came When I Was Walking Out

I’d packed up. Bow un-nocked. Pack clipped. But something made me stop. That pause changed my season. Always give it one more minute. That might be the minute.

🌄 The Sit That Was Over

It was late November in southern Illinois. A cold, quiet morning with nothing moving. I’d sat six hours without a single deer sighting. At 11:02 a.m., I climbed down.

I pulled my arrow. Packed my seat. Stood in the trail thinking about lunch.

That’s when I heard it.

Not crashing. Not charging. Just steady walking in leaves. Coming from the thick bedding cover I’d been watching all morning.

🦌 The Buck That Didn’t Know He Was Late

I froze mid-step. Slowly knelt down into a squat at the base of the tree I’d just climbed out of. My bow was clipped to my pack. Release stashed in my pocket.

I heard a grunt.

Then he stepped out—a tall, wide-framed 10-point, nose to the ground, cruising slow, unaware.

I inched my release back on. Quietly clipped an arrow. Drew while kneeling, awkward and shaky, heart hammering like a drum.

23 yards. Quartering slightly.

The arrow buried behind his shoulder. He kicked, bounded twice, and collapsed in sight.

🎙️ “You don’t have to be in a tree to be in the hunt.”

🧠 What That Moment Taught Me

✔️ Never rush your exit
Midday movement is real—especially in the late rut.

✔️ Pack quietly, always
My gear was stashed softly, allowing me to move fast and silent.

✔️ Trust your sixth sense
Something told me to pause. That instinct was the hunt’s turning point.

✔️ Prepare for the unexpected
Unclipped release. Arrow un-nocked. I still made it count—because I stayed calm.

✔️ You’re still hunting until you reach the truck
The best shot of the season came after the sit was “over.”

🧰 Gear That Helped Make the Shot Happen

The hunt isn’t over when you unclip your tether. It’s over when you’re back in the truck, boots off. This buck reminded me that deer don’t work on our timeline—and neither do great stories.

🎙️ “Always give it one more minute. That might be the minute.”

📍Filed under: Hunting Stories & Reports
🕯️ Difficulty Level: Unexpected, Unprepared, Unforgettable
🏹 Result: 10-Point Buck, 23-Yard Ground Shot
🌲 Location: Southern Illinois Bedding Trail