Steve Rutland – Alabama

Imperial Whitetail Clover has increased the number and size of the deer on my property North of Ft. Campbell, Kentucky. Also the number of deer trails into my property has doubled.

I watched the far wood line as the young bucks chased does around and sparred back and forth over them.  Just before dark all of the bucks in the field scattered.  I knew this would happen for one of two reasons. A predator (human or animal) will make the deer scatter, but the does didn’t leave.  The second was a large or dominant buck. This convinced me that the old man of the woods was probably making his presence felt. 

I peered back into the woods and noticed what I thought was a deer looking out. For a few minutes I kept talking myself out of believing that it could really be a deer that big.  Then the deer leaned his head over and back up.  I got to my feet as quickly as I could. I had been sitting there for hours watching and ranging the distance. I knew that it was 289 yards to my stand.

The pucker factor was pushing 10 plus at that point.  He got up and eased out into the edge of field to rough up the scrape the young bucks had been working.  He was standing broadside to me.  I leaned against a tree and squeezed out a round from my 7MM Mag.  The bullet hit under him and sprayed him with dirt.  He immediately flung his body around looking at the ground.  To my complete shock he did not run away.  He turned completely broadside once again and went back to working the scrape.   I chambered another round. I managed to pull the trigger and he dropped in his tracks.  So did I.

I had to sit there for a few minutes to let my brain and body adjust the chemical imbalance created from the previous few minutes.  After I was able to walk and think straight I went back to the truck and got the 4 wheeler and a buddy to go with me to pick the animal up.  As I approached the deer I just could not believe the body on this animal.  He was pushing 275lbs.  He was the largest deer I had ever seen in the woods.  I attribute this to genetics, wheat, corn, soybean fields and the Imperial Clover/No-Plow that I had planted. 

The best part of the whole experience was that I had my two best hunting buddies, Mike and Tony Rubel of Florida, were there with me.  My 12 year old son was there the following weekend to kill his first deer ever, just 45 yards from where I dropped my deer.  My 5 year old daughter asks me everyday when she will get to go hunting with me. I tell her this Christmas.  I look forward to her going out there with me and seeing the excitement in her eyes.