5 min read
He Passed Two Mature Bucks. Then His Target Walked In.
A 60-yard strip of Arkansas timber turned into a parade of mature bucks, but Derek Curtis kept waiting for the one he had patterned since June.
The buck, the why, and the gear
Sponsored by
He Passed Two Mature Bucks. Then Curly Brow Walked In.
Some opening mornings are quiet. Derek Curtis had mature bucks taking turns walking through a narrow strip of Arkansas timber while the buck he really wanted was still somewhere behind them.
Curtis had been watching the big 9-point he called Curly Brow since June. He knew the deer was using a patch of woods only about 60 yards wide, hung his stand well ahead of season, slipped in long before daylight, and then had to make the harder decision: keep passing good bucks until his target finally showed. Let’s dive in.
The Buck
𐂂
Arkansas whitetail · Early archery · Target buck · September 2, 2026
60
YARD WOODS
7
YARD SHOT
~160
ROUGH SCORE
In June, a friend tipped Curtis off about a big buck hanging near a relative’s place. The country did not look like classic giant-buck habitat: open pasture cut by a thin strip of woods. Curtis put out a cellular camera anyway, and Curly Brow showed up the first evening. Over the following weeks the buck kept moving in and out of that little grove throughout the day.
The setup looked simple because the timber was only about 60 yards wide. Curtis could sit near the middle and cover the trails, but getting there without alerting deer was the real problem. He hung the stand well ahead of time, arrived around 3:30 a.m. on opening morning, and was settled before daylight. Once the woods started moving, a big 8-point appeared. Curtis let him walk. Then a mature 6-point came through. He passed that buck too.
Curly Brow was right behind the 6-point. Curtis drew as the bucks moved toward him, and the target came almost directly underneath the stand. His broadhead covered only 7 yards before passing through the buck’s chest. Curtis heard a crash after the deer disappeared into thick brush, then found him about 50 yards into the cover and used a second arrow when the buck still had his head up. The heavy-framed 9-point rough-scored just under 160 inches.
𐂂 Field Fact
The story’s just-under-160-inch number is a rough score. It gives useful context for the rack, but it is not presented as an official record-book measurement.
The Woodsman’s Edge
𐂂
When the cover is only 60 yards wide, access matters more than stand range.
Curtis already knew where the deer wanted to be. The hunt came down to getting into that tiny piece of cover cleanly and staying disciplined when other mature bucks gave him chances first.
𐂂 Solve the entry before you pick the tree. In a small woodlot, one bad approach can put your scent or noise across the whole place. Hang the stand early, know the wind you need, and give yourself enough time to be settled before deer start moving.
𐂂 Decide what you will pass before the hunt starts. Curtis let a big 8-point and a mature 6-point walk because he was hunting one deer. That decision is much easier at the truck than it is with a good buck standing inside bow range.
𐂂 Keep close shots boring. Seven yards from an elevated stand creates a steep angle and very little time to fix a mistake. Stay connected to your safety system, wait for a clear ethical angle, and execute the same shot routine you use in practice.
The Camo Gap You Notice Too Late
Most camo setups look fine at home. The weak spots show up when the wind changes, the temperature drops, or the sit runs longer than planned.
Kings Camo builds hunting apparel and layering systems for different seasons and pursuits. If your fall setup needs a refresh, this is a good place to look before opening day.
Kings Camo builds hunting apparel and layering systems for different seasons and pursuits. If your fall setup needs a refresh, this is a good place to look before opening day.
The Field Call
𐂂
Would You Take The Shot?
7 yards. Your target buck is nearly under the stand, but the angle is steeper than anything you have practiced.
He is calm and unaware, and you are clipped in and steady. A few more steps should open the angle, but right now you are looking almost straight down through his chest.
What’s your move?
Tap your call to compare your move with the close-range hunt that inspired it.
Gear Bench
𐂂
Hunter Safety System Reflective Lifeline
$39.99
Dale’s note: Curtis was in his tree well before sunrise, and that is exactly when a lifeline belongs in the setup. The HSS Reflective Lifeline is designed to keep you attached from the ground to the stand and back down again, accommodates stands up to 30 feet, and includes a Recon carabiner plus a sound-dampening Cowbell cover. A close-range buck is exciting. The climb should not be. Put the safety system in place before opening morning and stay connected every time your feet leave the ground.
The Last Word
𐂂
Curly Brow did not fall because Curtis found a complicated trick. He learned where the buck wanted to be, made his setup before the pressure arrived, and protected his access on opening morning.
The harder part happened once the hunt started. A big 8-point walked through. Then a mature 6-point. Curtis had already decided which deer he was there to hunt, so he kept waiting. When Curly Brow followed and closed to 7 yards, the decision had already been made.
Target-buck hunting works better when your standards, access plan, and shot limits are settled before the woods start testing them.
The harder part happened once the hunt started. A big 8-point walked through. Then a mature 6-point. Curtis had already decided which deer he was there to hunt, so he kept waiting. When Curly Brow followed and closed to 7 yards, the decision had already been made.
Target-buck hunting works better when your standards, access plan, and shot limits are settled before the woods start testing them.
Have you ever passed a good buck because you knew the deer you really wanted was close? Reply and tell me.
Decide what you’re hunting before the woods decide for you.
Dale Richey
Big Buck Journal
Some links in this newsletter are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, Big Buck Journal may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Member discussion