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Keith Grubbs age 44 of Chesapeake Virginia is a true "bow only" deer hunter, and he has found a spot alongside some of the finest bow killed bucks in the Virginia state record books with this super buck that he harvested 10/9/13 in Albemarle County.
With multiple hunting properties at his disposal Grubbs chose to start the Virginia bow season on a piece of property in Buckingham County. He had set his sights on a buck he named Curley. Grubbs had been watching this 8 pnt, 120 plus class buck throughout the summer and had dedicated the first week of bow season to harvesting him.
His plan was to hunt Curley in the evening because he had the buck patterned from bed to feed. On the evening of the opening day Grubbs spotted Curley at last light and the buck came within 25 yards, but never presented a quality shot. Grubbs resumed his hunt for Curley on Monday evening and at 6:45pm the buck appeared again and Keith took care of business.
Since his goal of taking this buck had been completed, Grubbs returned home to spend some family time. He caped this buck out and put him in the freezer with intentions to have the buck mounted in the case the remaining season didn't bring a bigger buck. Although he had taken the buck he was initially after there was one buck that remained planted firmly in his big buck memory bank. It was a super buck that he had spotted several years ago on a 4000 acre hunt club that Grubbs is a member of in Albermarle County.
After returning home he noticed that the weather forecast as well as the predominant wind was going to be perfect to hunt the super buck on Wednesday in Albemarle County. Wednesday morning found Grubbs on the road headed west, he arrived at the property around 1:30pm and promptly checked his trail camera's. These trail cams were not used to get picks of the super buck but instead to eliminate area's that he wasn't traveling, in other words to verify what this hunter knew about this super buck. Over the last few years Grubbs had noticed a series of rubs that he believed led right to the bucks bedroom. After looking at the pics his beliefs were confirmed, there were no pics of the super buck.
As I mentioned before Keith had spotted the giant once in 2011 and never hunted him during the 2012-2013 season because the wind was never favorable. Keith did see the super buck this past summer through binoculars at a distance so he knew the buck still existed.
While talking to Keith it became very apparent to me that this man hunt's on a much different level than most hunters. Keith studies and plans meticulously for the bucks that he hunts. He always pays great attention to the wind direction and studies buck sign such as rub lines and how those signs lead to the buck's bedroom as well as to feeding areas. Keith purposely hunted Curley in the evening only because he knew the buck's patterns from bed to feed and harvested him accordingly. The plan for the super buck was very similar excluding not having many encounters with the buck over the past 3 years and no trail cam pics.
THE HUNT
Grubbs plan was to hunt along the rub lines that the buck had created over the past few years, on the fringe of it's bedroom and take him as he headed to feed in a soybean field later that evening.
At 3:30pm on his approach to where he wanted t0 hang his lock on stand he jumped a doe who walked off calmly without spooking too bad. This doe ultimately led to the super buck's demise because his initial plan was to travel a little further before taking a stand. Grubbs, cautious because of what had taken place decided to hang the stand right where he was without going any further. Using screw in steps and a lineman's belt for safety he climbed 23 feet up a tree and anchored in. Little did Grubbs know that the buck of a lifetime lay only some 50 yards away. After pulling his bow up to the stand and knocking an arrow, he settled in for what he hoped to be a memorable evening.
Grubbs continued to keep an eye on where he thought the buck might come from. At 6:30pm the monster stood up within 50 yards of where his stand was, stretched a little while nibbling on some under growth and moved confidently toward the soybean field, right down the rub line that Grubbs planned on. The super buck came within 25 yards broadside and Grubbs drew his Hoyt Trykon bow and let his fixed blade broadhead arrow fly. The arrow made a double lung pass through just above the heart, the buck ran a short distance and Grubbs heard what he thought was the buck crashing.
It was almost at that same moment that a steady rain began falling, so without delay he got down from his stand and pursued the animal. Grubbs would generally wait it out longer but he was afraid the blood trail would be non-existent due to the weather.
The giant had only traveled some 30yards and when Grubbs came upon the beast in the rain and witnessed it's massiveness he began to bawl. The years, hours, hard work and dreams came rushing in and the emotions overwhelmed this stoic hunter.
Right before I got off the phone with Keith he told me he felt somewhat deflated. He said "Where do I go from here now that I have killed such a great buck".
I reminded Keith that even though his game of chess had ended in checkmate on this giant, his methodical hunting style would surely continue to payoff in the future!
**Since I wrote this story in October we now know the official Pope & Young score of this buck is 162 1/8 and a non typical gross score of 170 6/8. Although the buck has over 170 inches of antler it's abnormal points ended up serving a heavy penalty. The buck was also found to be 6 1/2 years old. Nonetheless it's a true epic Virginia bow kill and it stands as Star City Whitetails 2013-14 Buck Of The Year! **
Keith also managed to take another great Va bow buck in November of 2013 (pictured below). The Pope & Young score on this one netted 162 1/8.
Keith's super buck has made itself known to hunter's around the country appearing in the July 2014 edition of NAW-North American Whitetail. I just received my signed copy from Keith and I am honored to have had the chance to report on this great story last fall!
What a year, what a hunter...Great work Keith!
Keith Grubbs age 44 of Chesapeake Virginia is a true "bow only" deer hunter, and he has found a spot alongside some of the finest bow killed bucks in the Virginia state record books with this super buck that he harvested 10/9/13 in Albemarle County.
With multiple hunting properties at his disposal Grubbs chose to start the Virginia bow season on a piece of property in Buckingham County. He had set his sights on a buck he named Curley. Grubbs had been watching this 8 pnt, 120 plus class buck throughout the summer and had dedicated the first week of bow season to harvesting him.
His plan was to hunt Curley in the evening because he had the buck patterned from bed to feed. On the evening of the opening day Grubbs spotted Curley at last light and the buck came within 25 yards, but never presented a quality shot. Grubbs resumed his hunt for Curley on Monday evening and at 6:45pm the buck appeared again and Keith took care of business.
Since his goal of taking this buck had been completed, Grubbs returned home to spend some family time. He caped this buck out and put him in the freezer with intentions to have the buck mounted in the case the remaining season didn't bring a bigger buck. Although he had taken the buck he was initially after there was one buck that remained planted firmly in his big buck memory bank. It was a super buck that he had spotted several years ago on a 4000 acre hunt club that Grubbs is a member of in Albermarle County.
After returning home he noticed that the weather forecast as well as the predominant wind was going to be perfect to hunt the super buck on Wednesday in Albemarle County. Wednesday morning found Grubbs on the road headed west, he arrived at the property around 1:30pm and promptly checked his trail camera's. These trail cams were not used to get picks of the super buck but instead to eliminate area's that he wasn't traveling, in other words to verify what this hunter knew about this super buck. Over the last few years Grubbs had noticed a series of rubs that he believed led right to the bucks bedroom. After looking at the pics his beliefs were confirmed, there were no pics of the super buck.
As I mentioned before Keith had spotted the giant once in 2011 and never hunted him during the 2012-2013 season because the wind was never favorable. Keith did see the super buck this past summer through binoculars at a distance so he knew the buck still existed.
While talking to Keith it became very apparent to me that this man hunt's on a much different level than most hunters. Keith studies and plans meticulously for the bucks that he hunts. He always pays great attention to the wind direction and studies buck sign such as rub lines and how those signs lead to the buck's bedroom as well as to feeding areas. Keith purposely hunted Curley in the evening only because he knew the buck's patterns from bed to feed and harvested him accordingly. The plan for the super buck was very similar excluding not having many encounters with the buck over the past 3 years and no trail cam pics.
THE HUNT
Grubbs plan was to hunt along the rub lines that the buck had created over the past few years, on the fringe of it's bedroom and take him as he headed to feed in a soybean field later that evening.
At 3:30pm on his approach to where he wanted t0 hang his lock on stand he jumped a doe who walked off calmly without spooking too bad. This doe ultimately led to the super buck's demise because his initial plan was to travel a little further before taking a stand. Grubbs, cautious because of what had taken place decided to hang the stand right where he was without going any further. Using screw in steps and a lineman's belt for safety he climbed 23 feet up a tree and anchored in. Little did Grubbs know that the buck of a lifetime lay only some 50 yards away. After pulling his bow up to the stand and knocking an arrow, he settled in for what he hoped to be a memorable evening.
Grubbs continued to keep an eye on where he thought the buck might come from. At 6:30pm the monster stood up within 50 yards of where his stand was, stretched a little while nibbling on some under growth and moved confidently toward the soybean field, right down the rub line that Grubbs planned on. The super buck came within 25 yards broadside and Grubbs drew his Hoyt Trykon bow and let his fixed blade broadhead arrow fly. The arrow made a double lung pass through just above the heart, the buck ran a short distance and Grubbs heard what he thought was the buck crashing.
It was almost at that same moment that a steady rain began falling, so without delay he got down from his stand and pursued the animal. Grubbs would generally wait it out longer but he was afraid the blood trail would be non-existent due to the weather.
The giant had only traveled some 30yards and when Grubbs came upon the beast in the rain and witnessed it's massiveness he began to bawl. The years, hours, hard work and dreams came rushing in and the emotions overwhelmed this stoic hunter.
Right before I got off the phone with Keith he told me he felt somewhat deflated. He said "Where do I go from here now that I have killed such a great buck".
I reminded Keith that even though his game of chess had ended in checkmate on this giant, his methodical hunting style would surely continue to payoff in the future!
**Since I wrote this story in October we now know the official Pope & Young score of this buck is 162 1/8 and a non typical gross score of 170 6/8. Although the buck has over 170 inches of antler it's abnormal points ended up serving a heavy penalty. The buck was also found to be 6 1/2 years old. Nonetheless it's a true epic Virginia bow kill and it stands as Star City Whitetails 2013-14 Buck Of The Year! **
Keith also managed to take another great Va bow buck in November of 2013 (pictured below). The Pope & Young score on this one netted 162 1/8.
Keith's super buck has made itself known to hunter's around the country appearing in the July 2014 edition of NAW-North American Whitetail. I just received my signed copy from Keith and I am honored to have had the chance to report on this great story last fall!
What a year, what a hunter...Great work Keith!
