200 LB
17 Point BUCK
What a special day for a 17 year old young man from Bergen,
NY. This is a day that will be burned into his memory forever.
I don't believe I have met this young man, but his dad was in
Creekwood back in 2007. I hunted the road he lives on 40
years ago when my friend Don Day had a home there. As the
story is told by his dad Jeff Maurer, this wasn't a buck Jake
lucked into, it was a buck he figured out and harvested. Not a
easy task with a deer with some age on him. If Jake had not
done it right he never would have taken it. I have never met
Jake, but I bet he majors in minor things and covers all the
small details. I would love to shake your hand some day Jake.
By the way Jake, your deer is more than a NYS Big Buck Club
Buck (120"+), it is definitely Pope & Young (125"+), and will
probably be in the running for the # 1 2011 archery harvested
buck. Don't let this put pressure on you in the future. You have
already proved yourself as a hunter and a man.
The article below the picture was copied out of the Batavia
paper, and was written by his father, Jeff.
Teenage Bergen Bow Hunter takes down a 17 Point BUCK!
From Jake's father, Jeff Maurer:
My 17-year-old son, Jake Hunter Maurer, took this 17 pointer on opening day of this years archery season, Saturday October 15, 2011.
He was hunting alone on the evening of the first day of this year's bow season and though the weather was not ideal, a little windy and cool, this buck meandered through and was the only deer that he saw that afternoon. It presented 1 20-yard shot and Jake was able to make a successful one.
He found his arrow and returned home for an hour then went back out with his friend and father to track it. It had only traveled about 80 yards where they found out just how big he really was. With 17 scoreable points, it may have to be recorded as a non-typical due to the abnormal points on the antlers. But it appears to be big enough for the NYS record book, whether it is recorded as a typical or non-typical.
Jake photographed this same buck with a trail camera a few weeks before season and figured out his travel habits between his bedding area and feeding areas. He found a tree to put a stand in and went there the first day even though other hunters may have stayed out of the woods due to the high winds and cold rain. We took it to a local taxidermist to be mounted and look forward to several meals from all the meat as it weighed about 200 pounds.
LIFE IS GOOD !