"Patience, Persistence, and Time in the Woods": Byam Nold's 2024 Maine buck

Since 2013 I have been hunting in and around this particular township in the NMW. I have watched it cycle from abundance of deer to devoid of large game. In 2021 the township was cut hard in a few areas. 2022 and 2023 were great years as the cuts were in recovery, the doe groups returned and the mature bucks fallowed suit. 

As many people know, the first few weeks of 2024 Maine rifle season were tough with dry ground conditions prevailing. After shooting a nice eight pointer in the New Hampshire muzzleloader season I made it back to the Northwoods in the later part of the first week of rifle season. 

The next two weeks were filled with plenty of deer sightings, and a few close encounters with some smaller bucks and one giant. I knew that I had homed in on an area of deer and only needed a little tracking snow to seal the deal on a mature buck. On the evening of the 22nd the region was finally granted some tracking snow in the lower elevations of the mountains.

The morning of the 23rd was a quick one. After sorting out a few tracks at daybreak, I worked my way through a cedar low land on the edge of a swale swamp toward the back corner of a remote cut. I heard what sounded like some crashing off to my left. Ahead I found a pair of running doe tracks. I waited a few minutes to see if anything was in persuit. After about 15 minutes, I followed the tracks backwards to where a buck had been pushing them around in the back corner of the cut. He obviously didn’t see what he wanted to, and struck off on his own. He continued every 50 to 60 yards to feed and pause and then return on his way. 

After crossing a river and up a bank into what was an old log landing, he stopped and fed for quite a while. It seemed like I had possibly wind-bumped him while I was crossing the river. He took four short bounds, stopped and looked back and then proceeded on down a skidder trail. At this point, I knew I was within minutes of getting a shot on this buck.

Another 65 yards down the skidder trail I saw that classic one foot step out of a J hook. I shouldered my gun and began to scan to see if I had already missed him, when he stepped across a small opening to my right as he was circling to lay down and look at his backtrack. A few quick shots and he was down. He had no idea I was even there. I had been blessed with a beautiful mature eight point northern Maine deer. I would’ve been happy if it was a four pointer, but I was speechless at the buck I was given an opportunity at. 

For me it’s less about the Deer and more about the experience. Patience, persistence, time in the woods, and knowing your landscape will kill you more deer than luck any day. Not to say that luck isn’t part of it too. Now patiently waiting for another tracking season in the North Maine Woods.

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