> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://big-buck-journal.ghost.io/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # He Let Down At Full Draw. Then Megatron Stepped Out - URL: https://big-buck-journal.ghost.io/he-let-down-at-full-draw-then-megatron-stepped-out/ - Published: 2026-09-15T14:51:24.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-15T14:51:24.000Z - Author: Dale Richey Zavier Gillespie passed several shootable bucks, let down at full draw when Megatron stopped behind a tree, then got one more chance at the Tennessee giant. ![Big Buck Journal](https://beehiiv-images-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/asset/file/bda7b12e-9dc4-4b8e-b592-b9edddcfc7d1/BBJ_Logo2-removebg-preview.png?t=1780529087) The buck, the why, and the gear He Let Down At Full Draw. Then Megatron Stepped Out. Zavier Gillespie spent most of 2025 chasing a unique Tennessee 6-point that was eventually killed by a vehicle. The deer that kept appearing on an adjacent property barely had his attention then. A year later, that heavy-framed buck became the one he wanted most. Cell cameras gave Zavier a 4 a.m. and 7 p.m. pattern, but the opener still demanded restraint. He stayed out when too many deer were in the area, passed bucks he would normally shoot, and eventually had to let his bow down with Megatron standing behind a tree. One step later, the vitals opened. Let’s dive in. The Buck 𐂂 Tennessee whitetail · Early archery · Target buck · September 12, 2026 5½ YEARS OLD 10 POINT MID-160s ROUGH SCORE In 2025, Gillespie was focused on a huge 6-point and only occasionally saw photos of another 4½-year-old buck nearby. After the 6-point was killed by a vehicle, the other deer returned in 2026 with the same heavy frame. When the buck disappeared from the original spot in July, Zavier eventually spotted him on another tract he could hunt and moved cameras in to learn the new pattern. Over the next few weeks, cell cameras showed the buck arriving around 4 a.m. and again near 7 p.m. On opening morning Zavier woke before 4, but deer were already covering the area, so he decided not to push in. Later, after helping a friend recover another deer, he returned for the afternoon sit and was immediately surrounded by bucks he normally would have been happy to shoot. He passed them all and waited for Megatron. At 6:30 p.m., branches started breaking and every deer looked the same direction. Megatron entered bristled up, pushed four other bucks away one by one, and moved toward the mineral site. Zavier drew, but the buck stopped behind a tree. Rather than force the shot, he let down. When Megatron finally stepped forward and exposed his vitals, Zavier drew again and sent the arrow. The blood trail was spotty, so after a short search he backed out. A group found the buck the next morning, though coyotes had reached it first. The wide 10-point was estimated at 5½ years old and in the mid-160s. 𐂂 Field Fact The mid-160s figure in the story is a rough measurement, not an official record-book score. The article reports Megatron as a 5½-year-old wide 10-point. [Read the Full Story ](https://www.northamericanwhitetail.com/editorial/breaking-news-bucks-zavier-gillespie/559451?ref=big-buck-journal.ghost.io) ![](https://beehiiv-images-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/asset/file/a7a470a3-132d-4efe-bde3-ac4375901c2f/Big_Buck_Journal__18_.png?t=1780524494) The Woodsman’s Edge 𐂂 A target-buck hunt is often won by the shots you refuse to force. Zavier’s hunt kept asking him to wait. He stayed out when the entry was crowded, passed several bucks inside range, let down when the target stopped behind cover, and backed out when the blood trail gave him little confidence. 𐂂 Protect the pattern before you protect the schedule. Zavier was awake at 3:45 a.m. and wanted to hunt, but deer were already all over the area. Walking in just because it was opening day could have educated the whole group before daylight. 𐂂 Decide what your target means before other bucks show up. Zavier had several deer in front of him that he would normally shoot, but he had already chosen Megatron. That decision is easier before the sit than it is with a good buck under the tree. 𐂂 Let down when the shot is not there. Holding at full draw behind cover can turn patience into panic. If the vitals are blocked, reset, breathe, and wait for a clean angle. After the shot, treat a weak trail the same way: mark the last sign, reassess, and avoid pushing blindly. Fall Promo | Brand Partnership with Big Buck Journal [ ![Big Buck Journal fall newsletter sponsorship opportunity](https://beehiiv-images-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/asset/file/f6b87d9d-f232-46b9-b946-94d493ec33c5/BBB_LINKEDIN__16_.png?t=1789169347) ](mailto:hello@positano.media?subject=Big%20Buck%20Journal%20Brand%20Partnership) Be Part of the Outdoor Conversation Big Buck Journal shares the hunting stories, field insights, gear, and outdoor experiences worth a closer look. If your brand serves hunters and outdoor enthusiasts, this is a smart place to be seen. [ Hit Us a Reply → ](mailto:hello@positano.media?subject=Big%20Buck%20Journal%20Brand%20Partnership) **Email us at** [hello@positano.media ](mailto:hello@positano.media?subject=Big%20Buck%20Journal%20Brand%20Partnership) ![](https://beehiiv-images-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/asset/file/a7a470a3-132d-4efe-bde3-ac4375901c2f/Big_Buck_Journal__18_.png?t=1780524494) The Field Call 𐂂 Would You Take The Shot? 24 yards. Target buck. You are at full draw, but one tree blocks the entire vital area. The buck is calm and has not spotted you. Your arms are starting to shake, and you do not know whether he will step forward or turn away. There is no clean path for the arrow right now. What’s your move? [Let Down And Wait ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/6e/8c6e93d4-78db-4e2a-9e0f-2b8581640c45/content/images/2026/09/bbj-8.png?ref=big-buck-journal.ghost.io) [Hold At Full Draw ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/6e/8c6e93d4-78db-4e2a-9e0f-2b8581640c45/content/images/2026/09/bbj-8.png?ref=big-buck-journal.ghost.io) [Shift Around The Tree ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/6e/8c6e93d4-78db-4e2a-9e0f-2b8581640c45/content/images/2026/09/bbj-8.png?ref=big-buck-journal.ghost.io) Tap your call to compare your move with the decision Zavier made when Megatron stopped behind cover. ![](https://beehiiv-images-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/asset/file/a7a470a3-132d-4efe-bde3-ac4375901c2f/Big_Buck_Journal__18_.png?t=1780524494) Gear Bench 𐂂 ![Bushnell TRKR 400L Flashlight](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/6e/8c6e93d4-78db-4e2a-9e0f-2b8581640c45/content/images/2026/09/image-2.png) Kill Shot 500 lb. Folding Game Cart $34.99 *Dale’s note:* Megatron left a spotty blood trail, and that is exactly when a compact tracking light earns a permanent place in the pack. The Bushnell TRKR 400L gives you white, red, and TRKR modes in an aircraft-grade aluminum body, with up to 400 lumens and IPX4 weather resistance. I like that it runs on included batteries and is small enough to carry without thinking about it. A light does not tell you when to push a trail or when to back out, but once you decide it is time to track, seeing the next drop matters. [Check the Gear ](https://www.academy.com/p/bushnell-trkr-400l-flashlight?ref=big-buck-journal.ghost.io) ![](https://beehiiv-images-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/asset/file/a7a470a3-132d-4efe-bde3-ac4375901c2f/Big_Buck_Journal__18_.png?t=1780524494) The Last Word 𐂂 Megatron did not give Zavier one clean, simple decision. The hunt was a stack of smaller ones. He chose not to force an opening-morning entry when deer were already in the area. He passed bucks he would normally shoot. He let his bow down when a tree covered the vitals. Then, after a spotty trail, he stopped searching instead of turning uncertainty into pressure. The overnight wait had a cost when coyotes found the deer first, but that does not make the earlier decisions wrong. It shows why recovery choices are never automatic. Early-season target hunting rewards hunters who can stay disciplined when the woods keep offering almost-good-enough options. What is harder for you on a target buck: staying out when the entry is wrong, passing another good deer, or letting down when the shot is blocked? Reply and tell me. Almost good enough is where mistakes start. ![Dale Richey headshot](https://beehiiv-images-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/asset/file/6d6f9854-bed6-4fa7-a9a2-aa4ab9e4b9ea/BBJ-AuthorHeadshot__2_.png?t=1780581127) Dale Richey Big Buck Journal Some links in this newsletter are affiliate links. 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