Kiley Harpster

Harvest Story: After trying to observe a different deer, even 2 days prior to the start of the season to see if he was even still alive, I decided that deer had probably fallen victim to EHD. So shifting farms to this deer on the 3rd day of the season, he presented himself, then tucked back into the timber for that evening. With the wind being pretty shifty the next night, I decided to just go back to the tree I saw him from, in hopes that maybe he would work down to me this time. He popped out on the opposite side of the field from where I THOUGHT he was bedding, walked straight across the field into the brush he had disappeared into the night before. With the storm rolling in, and thinking he wouldn’t be back out, I opted to sneak out a little early. As I was just about ready to take that first step down off of my platform, I looked up for one final glance…pow, there he was. So nervously getting ALL of my things back on the tree, and off of my back (backpack, bow, tree tether, arrow back on the bow) I got settled in. I watched him and another younger buck work in, I ranged the other buck as he was the first into my opening. When this old dude stood where the other had, he got got. The last two years prior, he had broken off a tine while still in velvet… but not this year. As a bonus, he grew even bigger. A 6.5 year old brute, will give me some more September memories doing what I love! September > anytime else! 🦌🏹