A first-time bowhunter packing his HuntStand Hunting app. A couple of rutty bucks and a doe. When they all come together in early November, magic happens.
Iowa’s Chad Richter picked a good year to begin his bowhunting career. Yes, you read that correctly; the fall of 2018 was Richter’s very first as a bowhunter, and he made it count. Did he ever. Richter, you might have guessed, is the smiling gent pictured above; for his steady nerves (and wise use of the HuntStand app), he is the Week 11 winner in our Big Buck ALERT contest that scores him an ALPS OutdoorZ Bino Harness X with Vital X rangefinder pocket; the weekly win also makes him eligible for our Grand Prize Drawing: A choice of either a sweet new binocular, OR a cutting-edge riflescope, from hunting optics specialist Leupold (contest details below).
Here is Richter’s amazing rut-time success story:
“The fall of 2018 was my first as a bowhunter; I had actually started hunting in October, about two weeks before the Big Moment,” Richter wrote. “I have two treestands, both of which are situated on a tract of private land, at the edge of a cornfield.
“From the start of my hunting in October, the HuntStand Hunting app helped me choose which of the stands was the best choice to sit each day; the ScentCone feature was a huge help in choosing my stand the morning of November 5, when it showed, accurately, that the wind would be out of the southwest.
“That morning I watched a doe walk out of the woods about 7 a.m.; not long after followed a nice 8-point buck. Immediately I stood up in my stand and grabbed my bow, as I had decided the buck was a definite ‘shooter.’ As I watched and prepared to shoot the 8-point, which was about 40 yards from me on the edge of the cornfield, suddenly a very large-bodied buck appeared out of nowhere on a deer trail in front of my stand!
“At this point I was just 15 feet above the larger buck, which suddenly turned and ran out into the cornfield and stopped broadside at just 20 yards. At the shot I could see I hit him in the chest/lungs; he ran about 30 more yards and dropped right there in the cornfield! Needless to say, it was my best bowhunt ever! I’m hooked for life!
“Thank you HuntStand for your most-useful app; rest assured I will use it every year, and every day I go hunting!”
To enter the HuntStand 2018 Big Buck ALERT contest, simply send us a few clear, high-res. digital photos (three to five) of your 2018 buck along with a brief story of your hunt that explains how the HuntStand app played a part.
Be sure to tell us if your buck was known to you or a newcomer, then describe the area where your stand sits, or where the encounter took place, as well as the fateful day’s wind and weather conditions, and of course, the blow-by-blow account of the exciting action as it unfolded. Include your full name, age, successful hunt date and state, weapon used, and also be sure to include your mailing address. Your e-mail subject line should read: Big Buck Alert! Send your photo(s) and requested info to: [email protected]
Team ScoutLook will choose 12 weekly winners that we will share with the extensive HuntStand community; EACH weekly winner will receive BOTH the Bino Harness X (valued at $49.99) AND Vital X rangefinder pocket (valued at $19.99) from ALPS OutdoorZ (see above).
In addition, at the end of the 12 weeks, all weekly winners will be placed in a drawing for our Grand Prize. The Winner will GET THEIR CHOICE of a Leupold BX-2 Tioga HD 8X42 binocular (shown above, a $389.99 value) OR a Leupold VX-Freedom 3-9×40 CDS riflescope (see below), a $389.99 value. 
Still hunting the late season? Good luck out there from all of us here at Team HuntStand, and let us know when (and how) you score!
