At the time of this story I was in the Air Force stationed at Robins A.F.B. near Macon Ga. I got really lucky and was invited to join a hunting lease that had been in one family for over fifty years. The lease was in Laurens county about ten miles outside of Doublin. The scenario I described in my story is true and the only time I was ever lucky enough to witness such an event.
As the early morning sunlight slowly began to filter through the trees I could begin to see the details of the forest floor some twenty feet below as I sat perched high in a pine I had carefully selected during one of my many scouting trips. Everything seemed right that morning the wind,there was no moon the night before and there was that fall chill in the air. You know, that one that says THE RUT IS ON ! It had been unusually warm in Georgia that year and I was glad to finally feel comfortable in my camo gear .
In front of me a small grove of persimon trees formed a line in front of my stand and went out about seventyfive yards,although the far end was out of range as I was hunting with a bow the deer seemed to be feeding along it indiscriminatly. so I figured my chances were best to pick a spot at the down wind end of the trees.
As I slowly scanned the forest I picked up movement about ten yards past the far end of the persimmon thicket. I retrieved my binoculars from my pack and brought them into focus. A large doe was ambleing along plucking her favorite leaves and slowly making her way to the over ripe persimmons scattered under the trees. I watched her patiently make her way to the edge of the thicket and as she did she began to posture,she tucked her tail and began to quickly walk right to me,then she stopped and looked back and thats when I saw the tree shaking I watched as a small sapling was ravaged back and forth and knew it could only be one thing.
The big eight pointer began to close in but she didn't seem interested,she just kept her tail tucked and tried to stay away from the brute as he relentlesly persued her through the brush. The chase went on for several minutes but they both stayed out of range. Then suddenly the chase ended but it wasn't the doe that stopped,it was the buck! Off in the distance I heard a low soft grunt then the sound of breaking limbs and savaged brush. Then there was silence,that moment seemed to go on forever. The silence was broken by a loud snort weeze made by the eight pointer and I knew there was going to be a fight!
The eight pointer stood firm protecting his prize as the challenger moved in through the thick brush. then suddenly the deer broke through the tangle of limbs that had hid him. At that moment I knew every living thing in that forest could hear my heart race. The biggest buck I had ever seen just stepped out in front of me. Without hesitation the giant ten pointer,head lowered ,hackels up,lunged forward broadsiding the smaller eight pointer rolling him completly over! It was then I knew this was no sparring match! The buck quickly recovered and was barely on his feet before his dominator was on him again striking several unbelievably fast blows to his opponents neck and head leaving the lesser buck stunned and obviously intimidated. Defeated he attempted to retreat only to be pursued by the champion. After a short distance the big buck lost interest in his pursuit and returned to the doe now about eighty yards out and barely visible through the brush. It was only then that I realized that both bucks had passed less than twenty yards from my stand several times during the battle!
Since then I have lived and hunted in many other states. Now I'm out of the service and home to my old stomping grounds. I live in Dubuque Iowa a medium sized town on the Mississippi river. I was not able to hunt last fall except the few times I took my oldest daughter rabbit hunting But I'm looking forward to next season as you probably know Iowa is home to some monster bucks.
Andy Thomas