(Charleston) — Most bow hunters go a lifetime without the opportunity to kill a record book buck. Bobby Warner of Charleston recently did it three times in the course of two weeks.
"I had a pretty good stretch,” said Warner on West Virginia Outdoors. "In 12 days I killed three Pope and Young animals."
Warner, a Charleston attorney, accomplished the amazing feat even before the West Virginia archery season opened. The amazing run began in the famed Milk River region of Montana. Warner and a dozen or so buddies splurged on a trip west to take in some of the country’s best whitetail deer hunting.
"It’s an amazing place, there’s just a lot of deer. There aren’t a lot of big deer, but there are lots of numbers," said Warner. "I would encourage anybody if you get the chance to hunt the Milk River region."
Despite his claim of a lack of "big" deer in the Milk River basin, Warner managed to find one. It was one of three whitetails his party of 13 claimed during the trip.
"It was a nice ten-point with three stickers and a good representative of a trophy in the Milk River region,” explained Warner. "He actually came into some light rattling. The bucks were feeling frisky and sparring a little bit."
Warner also had an antelope tag and three days later was able to cash that in as well.
"First time ever using a decoy where the antelopes in the rut actually come in and challenge it,” said Warner. "Probably one of the most exciting hunts I’ve ever had. The thing came flying in. I actually missed a long shot at it. It didn’t know what happened and came into within 30-yards. I had to grab another arrow real quick and fortunately made a great shot on him. It was just awesome to have something come running into you."
Warner wasn’t resting on the laurels of two record book kills. A couple of weeks later he headed to his southeastern Ohio farm to watch the Mountaineer game on TV for part of the day–and the rest to sit in a tree stand.
"A buck I’d been chasing for two or three years, first night in the stand of they year (came in)." said Warner. "It was the biggest bodied deer I’d ever killed."
The Ohio buck, with its ten-point rack, weighed 242-pounds. Warner says the buck was eating in the oak mast but also working a nearby food plot.
"It was a great way to start the season, that’s for sure,” said Warner.
Warner is no stranger to killing big bucks. He’s noted among friends for his ability to pattern and hunt trophy whitetails. During 1998 he may have turned in his best season ever with three Pope and Young entries with his bow and a fourth massive buck killed with a muzzleloader. However, 2008 is just getting started.
Warner credits his success to time spent in the woods. He spends the entire year looking for shed antlers and pattering deer with his young son Jackson. He admits however with all of his scouting, he’s also blessed with considerable luck.