He Borrowed A Bow. Ten Minutes Before Dark, A 197-Class Buck Stepped Out
The buck, the why, and the gear
He Borrowed A Bow. Ten Minutes Before Dark, A 197-Class Buck Stepped Out.
Colby Claussen had watched the same South Dakota whitetail grow for several years. A week before his Nov. 3 hunt, he finally saw the buck from his treestand, working scrapes along the edge of standing corn. The problem was distance. The deer stayed nearly 70 yards away, far beyond the shot Colby wanted with the bow he had borrowed from a friend.
So he changed the setup. Colby bought an enclosed ground blind and moved roughly 30 yards off the trail the buck had used. A week later, with rain falling and winds running 20 to 30 mph, he climbed inside and waited. The giant finally appeared with about 10 minutes of shooting light left. But seeing him was only the beginning. Let’s dive in.
The Buck
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South Dakota · Bowhunting · First archery buck · November 3, 2026
197 7/8
SCORE
30
YARD SHOT
10 MIN
LIGHT LEFT
Colby first knew the deer as a solid 10-pointer several years earlier. Trail cameras let him watch the buck mature, but the closest real opportunity came the week before this hunt. From his treestand he watched the deer work a trail along a field edge near standing corn, but it stayed around 70 yards away.
Instead of waiting for the buck to magically close that distance, Colby changed his position. He bought an enclosed blind and placed it about 30 yards off the trail. On Nov. 3, mist and drizzle rolled across central South Dakota while the wind pushed between 20 and 30 mph. The blind gave him enough protection to stay through the afternoon.
With only about 10 minutes of shooting light remaining, the buck finally stepped out and began working a scrape at 30 yards. Brush still covered the shot, so Colby waited instead of forcing an arrow through it. The deer continued down the trail and eventually entered a clear opening broadside. Colby’s arrow passed through both lungs, clipped the heart, and exited. He waited 30 minutes before tracking and found the buck roughly 60 yards away.
𐂂 Field Fact
One measurement put the non-typical rack at 198 1/8 inches, while another scorer came up with 197 7/8. The buck carried a 21.25-inch inside spread and was estimated at 5½ to 6½ years old.
The Woodsman’s Edge
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Ten minutes left does not make a bad shot better.
Colby finally had the biggest buck he had ever hunted standing at 30 yards. The clock was almost gone. He still waited for the right opening.
𐂂 Move the setup when the deer teaches you something. Colby saw exactly where the buck wanted to travel, then moved from the treestand to a blind that covered that route instead of hoping the deer would come closer next time.
𐂂 Do not shoot through a problem. Brush between you and the vitals is still brush whether you have four hours of daylight or four minutes. Wait for the clean lane.
𐂂 Stay disciplined after the arrow too. Colby had a strong hit and plenty of blood, but he still gave the deer 30 minutes before following the trail.
Stay Ready When November Turns Rough
Mist, rain, and 20-to-30 mph wind did not keep Colby home. November sits rarely give you perfect conditions, which is why I want hunting layers that stay comfortable when the forecast goes sideways. Kings Camo has practical options for keeping the weather from becoming the reason you climb down early.
The Field Call
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Would You Take The Shot?
Your biggest target buck finally steps out at 30 yards with only about 10 minutes of shooting light left.
He is close, but brush still covers the shot. The buck is calmly moving down the trail toward another opening.
What’s your move?
Tap your call to see why Dale would rather lose the light than force an arrow through brush.
Gear Bench
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G5 Megameat 3 Blade Broadhead
$71.95
Dale’s note: Colby’s arrow was tipped with a G5 Megameat, and his shot passed through both lungs, clipped the heart, and exited the buck. The three-blade mechanical head opens to a 2-inch cutting diameter, uses a SnapLock collar to keep the blades secure during flight, and has replaceable blades and collars. Gear does not replace shot placement, but when the clean window finally opens, I want the rest of the setup ready to do its job.
The Last Word
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Colby had plenty of reasons to rush.
He was hunting with a borrowed bow. The biggest buck he had ever chased finally stood 30 yards away. The weather had been ugly all afternoon, and legal light was almost gone.
Then the deer stepped out behind brush.
Colby waited.
The buck kept walking and eventually gave him the broadside opening he needed. That patience turned his first archery buck into a 197-class whitetail.
Sometimes the hardest part of the shot is refusing the first one.
He was hunting with a borrowed bow. The biggest buck he had ever chased finally stood 30 yards away. The weather had been ugly all afternoon, and legal light was almost gone.
Then the deer stepped out behind brush.
Colby waited.
The buck kept walking and eventually gave him the broadside opening he needed. That patience turned his first archery buck into a 197-class whitetail.
Sometimes the hardest part of the shot is refusing the first one.
If your biggest buck finally appeared with only minutes of light left but brush covered the shot, would you wait or take your chances? Reply and tell me.
Wait for the window.
Dale Richey
Big Buck Journal
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