EYE TO EYE

It was a Friday afternoon when a guy named Mel headed out to a familiar farm for a bow-hunt. Although he had a few tree stands on the property, he decided on a whim to take a different approach. Deer had been pounding one of the farms soybeans fields, and he knew a brushy spot that would provide concealment and offer a good view of the afternoon action. Best of all, the wind was blowing across the field and toward a nearby woodlot - perfect for this setup.

Within a few hours, a deer stepped from the woods and headed into the field. It was about 300 yards away, but even at that distance Mel knew it was a huge buck. Long story short: The Buck worked towards Mels ambush spot, and Mel killed cleanly with a well-placed, 20-yard shot from his 72-pound recurve.

Although that hunt took place in 1965, Mel Johnson proved a point: A bow-hunter doesnt need to climb a tree to kill a whitetail.

And by the way, Johnsons back is still No.1 in the Pope