Monster 200" Ohio Whitetail

Yesterday I talked to my friend Matt, you know Matt from Ohio, on his way out for his evening hunt. He owns Ohio Homes and Acres and specializes in selling hunting land. When he was out with me in January hunting javelina and mule deer, he injured his hand (see the post here). That injury masked a problem with his elbow that required surgery a couple months ago. Because of his elbow surgery, he could not hunt with a compound bow, his preferred method, so he picked up a crossbow.

He grew up hunting the urban/suburban areas near Columbus, OH, and has made it an art form. He told me that he was definitely hunting yesterday because the wind was "almost wrong for me and almost right for the deer." He has found over the years that that's the best time to kill big bucks. Oh, how right he is!

He had been watching a nice nine-point all year and elected to pass him a few times in hopes of shooting a monster. His dreams came true as a huge 18-point, nearly 200" buck, stepped in front of him. Matt kept his composure and made a great 27-yard shot with his Excaliber crossbow. Luckily, he also got some great photos on his Moultrie game camera.

Here is the text from Matt's email:

I have had a trying and turbulent year to say the least. I have had two surgeries with the last one repairing the Ulnar nerve in my elbow. It has also left me unable to shoot my compound bow for the rest of the season, which has been discouraging.

With the great help of my wife I have recovered enough to get out there! With the help of Jeff Baker and Steve Esker I was successful while out there!

Once Steve heard of me loosing function in my left hand and the surgery, he immediately called and offered his Excaliber crossbow to use. I have known him only a SHORT time (met in August). Who does this kind of thing? Hunter's are awesome; his brother Scott and friends were all there to help me celibrate tonight.

Jeff Baker and I have hunted together for 26 years +/-; he has been a great mentor and friend. He was killing big deer before it was popular! He immediately came and got me while still in a cast and drug me out to the woods to set up an elevated blind. It sits below the lock-on I intended to use before I learned of my fate this fall.

Seven weeks of trail cam pics with no giants, but we all knew one was here. Tonight I had a wind that was almost wrong for me and almost right for him, my favorite wind to hunt. With the next two days with wind just wrong I knew tonight was my night. After a parade of pedestrians and dogs the woods started to settle. A few minutes later this bruiser gave me a 27-yard shot that I gladly took. Everything played out perfectly and I am now knocking on the door of the 200 club!!

Exhausted, more later, thanks to all that helped!!

Congrats Matt!! Thanks for sharing it with me and letting me post it here...

Matt Sheterom's 18-point, 200" (est.) Ohio Whitetail

Gear Review: Lynch’s Fool-Proof Turkey Call

When I started hunting turkeys a couple years ago, I asked around for opinions on box calls. Since there are so many options from so many companies, I didn’t even know where to start. Without fail, the hunters I trust all suggested Lynch’s Fool-Proof Turkey Call.


The Lynch’s call came highly recommended.

Two guys in particular, Jay Scott from Arizona and Matt Sheterom from Ohio, have killed more birds, and guided or helped on more turkey hunts than they can count. They both play the call like a violin maestro and I’ve watched them use it to locate birds, and then sweetly coax them into shotgun range. It doesn’t matter whether I was hunting Merriam’s in Arizona or Easterns in Ohio, the birds reacted to their calling just the same. I am probably one of the worst turkey hunting friends ever: I shot the wrong bird with Matt, shooting the jake instead of the tom, and then with Jay I wasn’t patient enough to let a big strutting Merriam's tom get closer. I took the shot too soon and knocked the bird off his keester, but he jumped up and ran off.


The Lynch’s Fool-Proof Turkey Call works just as well in the pinyon-juniper forests of Arizona…


…as the hardwood forests of Ohio.

My turkey hunting and calling skills may be lacking, but with the confidence of a good call and the help of a couple turkey hunting gurus, I have managed to take a couple birds. I drew another tag here in Arizona (yes, we have to DRAW our turkeys tags here!) so I hope for the opportunity to outsmart another wily Merriam’s. As I prepare for this year’s hunt, you can bet I’ll be on the phone with both Jay and Matt, perfecting my cadence, rhythm, tone, and volume. There is nothing better for learning and perfecting your calls than letting a couple good callers critique you.


One helpful hint Jay gave me: use Lynch’s Super Chalk, but only apply it to the lid!


Arizona Merriam’s from the Fort Apache Indian Reservation.


Even though I shot the wrong bird, both Matt and I were proud of my first Eastern from Ohio!