Bad Luck Buck

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Let’s face it; there are times in life when everything just seems to go wrong and it can feel like you’re walking around with a black cloud hanging over your head. We’ve all hit periods of bad luck, but sometimes you can really turn things around by simply staying the course and refusing to throw in the towel. It also doesn’t hurt to have a good friend to lean on when life throws you a curve or punches you in the gut. Just ask bowhunter Keith Thompson about how close friends and some time in a treestand can get you through a rough period. It can also help when you go out and stick an arrow through a 190-class bruiser with pop-can-thick bases. I think all of us on the BBZ would agree that wrapping your hands around a massive-racked buck is probably the best way to cope with a run of bad luck.

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Like most of us, Thompson lives to be in the woods chasing whitetails, but his job severely limits the time he can spend in the stand. For the past three years, he hunted extremely hard for a trophy to hang on the wall. It takes a lot of discipline and patience to go that long without punching a buck tag and Thompson began to wonder if his three-year drought would ever end. Finally, he was able to shoot a really nice buck, but unfortunately the blood trail went cold and the deer was never recovered. Weeks later Thompson was invited by a good friend to bowhunt a farm in Kentucky, which helped lift his spirits after losing such a nice buck. He carefully planned the trip and began checking off the key gear he would need to pack for his hunt. Thompson was definitely overdue for a break and some good luck, but things took a turn for the worse when his brand new Hoyt Alpha Max bow was stolen just before his departure.

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When Thompson’s good friend heard the terrible news he decided to intervene and give his hunting buddy a blank check to purchase a brand new bow for the trip. Things were finally starting to look up and just maybe the buck Thompson had been waiting on for three seasons would finally show up on this hunt. With a positive outlook and high hopes, the bowhunter climbed into his friend’s favorite treestand for an evening hunt. It wasn’t long before a slick-headed doe eased into view and began nervously walking toward the eager hunter.

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Suddenly one of the biggest bucks Thompson had ever encountered stepped out of the shadows and hit the doe’s trail. One steady motion brought the bow hunter to full draw and a single arrow completely erased the bad luck that had accumulated over the past few years. The giant double brow-tined buck would score close to 190 and it’s a hunt that Thompson will never forget. My hat goes off to Thompson’s friend and the kindness he showed to his hunting buddy.

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The world needs more selfless acts and people like that who choose to make a difference. Post a comment and let me know how many of you have a friend that would buy you a brand new bow and let you sit in their favorite treestand during the rut. –Travis Faulkner

Bad Luck Buck

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