GRAHAM HELWIG, 40 – PENNSYLVANIA
SADDLE GEAR: Phantom Saddle
This was my first season saddle hunting, and it’s my favorite way to hunt now. I first saw him in mid-October walking out of the woods. Hunting the Laurel Highlands mountains in SW PA. He was on the edge of a power line on public land and I nearly killed him on a spot and stalk hunt, but he slipped away into the thick brush.
I came back two days later, with my saddle, and had another encounter but he came into 80 yards and doubled back on a doe trail. Now I knew exactly where he was coming out. These are big woods, and he could literally be anywhere. I moved right in with my saddle, and two hunts later, I shot him at 15 yards on Nov 1 at 7:45am. He came in after I tried a doe bleat. I didn’t make the best shot because I had buck fever pretty bad. I had two of my best friends to help me track him, and I would not have recovered him without them. My personal best. I’m so pumped! Thanks Tethrd.