The "No Shot" Buck- Illinois
Meegan and her Illinois buck.
Meegan gets the job done!
Hunter: Meegan Turnbeaugh
Cameraman: Lonnie Turnbeaugh
It was the second gun season in Illinois at Eagle Lakes Outfitters. It was a cold day in the upper 20’s as Lonnie and I headed into the woods. I was carrying my Pink and Black TC Pro-Hunter. Lonnie and I had high hopes tonight as the weather was cold and we were headed to a food plot which is where BIG BUCKS go to fill up from their non-stop activity during the rut.
We were headed to our shooting house but were stopped in our tracks as there were several deer surrounding the house. I glassed with my NIKON Monarchs and did not see any shooter bucks, so Lonnie and I decided to go ahead and move in slowly. As we did, the deer in the field moved out as slowly as we moved in. Thankfully, they were back in the food plot soon after we got set up. There was a ton of action in the field and several shooter bucks. It took me some time to decide which deer to try and take. Once decided, Lonnie and I got my Pink TC Pro-Hunter placed in the shooting window. This was going to be difficult because we only had a 2’ x 1’ window to get the camera and my muzzleloader through and set up properly.
Once ready, we looked out the shooting window and had to do a double take because there was another shooter buck in the field almost identical to the one I had chosen. We spent more time glassing just to be sure we were on the right buck and prepared for the shot. My buck started walking across the field and stopped right in front of a doe, so NO SHOT. He walked a little further right in the sun, which made huge sunspots on the camera lens, so again NO SHOT.
I was getting nervous and I could hear my own breathing and it was loud... my heart was beating through my chest, it was crazy. My buck started walking again and getting close to the wood line and wouldn’t you know it, he stopped right in front of another nice sized buck so again NO SHOT. I know this sounds unreal but we have proof on video. I thought I was going to hyperventilate, it was so intense... FINALLY, my buck moved out of the way of the other buck, and I held my NIKON Omega scope right where I needed to, took a deep breath, and squeezed the trigger. All I saw was a HUGE cloud of smoke from the Muzzle Loader. I felt I made a great shot, but I started doubting myself as I thought I bumped Lonnie when I made the shot… which makes sense because the gun kicked a little and I probably did bump him, but that would have been after I already got the shot off. So I went to look for sign... I walked to where I shot him and HOLY COW, there was sign immediately, beautiful, bright RED sign...WOO HOO...I made a perfect shot and my buck only went 50 yards, just into the wood line.
The best part about this hunt is it was Ted Sprague’s birthday, (Owner of Eagle Lakes Outfitters) and his wife Tina, brother-in-law John, and I all took deer that night. This was a very fun and amazing night and one I will never forget!