The very next day the tractor had broke or something. Really cant remember those details. But I took off work since it was already 3:30ish. Grabbed my scent lok and put that on over my clothes and grabbed the pro hunter. I walked across the field to my stand on a marshy bottom overlooking a fresh cut cutover. I was in the stand for no longer than 30mins and I caught movement 70 yards out across the cutover coming over a ridge. Nice buck! I put the binos up and it was the wide 7pt i had trail cam pics up all summer. He's a good one, but not ready yet. Had I not taken boxer the day before I may have shot so its hard to say. He was nervous and kept looking back. Next here comes "catcher" whom was ready for a fight! His head was turned downward and ears cocked back. I didnt need the binos to know it was him. I grabbed the ML'er and tried to steady for a shot. No rest and 70 yards isnt a easy shot when you know its a buck you have been looking for. Somehow, I calmed and fired the shot. The smoke cleared and the wide 7pt was still there. Did I miss???? I couldnt see catcher and had no clue what happened since grass was 2-3ft tall in the direction he could have went. Well, if I had missed it was no point staying in the stand and if I had hit him he had to be down since I didnt see him run. I got down and walked in the direction of the shot. No blood.... Doubt aways sets in during this point. The shoot felt so good I had to have hit him. I circled back and BLOOD!! Golden red blood with pieces of black blood in it. This is normally a heart shot. I followed the trail for 40 yards and it was getting better and better. He headed right into the tall grass in the cutover. Then I about tripped over him since I was looking ahead. Catcher was down!!! Not the biggest buck in the world, but a different buck! His big baseball mitt mass on the one side was different from anything I had taken. He's pictured on the left in photos
boy was the year getting good... but it wasnt over yet. I had my sights on a wide 28inch 150-60class buck, but he was taken the following week. Time to let him go... So I focused on 2 other deer I had pics off. One was a wide 6 with crab claws and a split G2. He was named crabby patty. Well one afternoon in Decemeber I was hunting a ridge flat which always had deer roaming through it. I had probably passed 8-10 decent bucks that season crossing through it. Its my all day spot and a spot I just love to sit in. I kept hearing some beagles way off in the distance. No one was hunting but some dogs must have gotten out of their pens. I didnt pay them much mind since they were way off. No even close enough to effect my hunt. Well as the day went on the beagles started back up again but closer. Then i heard a twig snap and heard something running. Soon enough a doe came running out of the thicket. I had the scope on the 20g H&R slug gun turned down to 3-4x just for a running shot if I had to take one. I knew about every tree in my shooting lanes since the area is so well known by me since ive hunting it since I was 6. I had the gun ready just in case a buck happened to be behind her. Sure enough, I hear a snap and here comes a buck. A nice buck... Something told me as soon as I saw him it was crabby patty. He was a shooter and I had one tag left. He ran by 12 yards from my stand and I had the crosshairs slightly forward on his shoulder. Boom... he was still running... wait... wait... he flips over and falls 25 yards from me. He was down! He is pictured up top in the photo
My worse year ever had ended up being my best! You just never know when luck can change for you. Usually its on those unexpected last minute hunts!
my wife took some pics today since I wanted a photo of all 3 together... so enjoy the photos and thanks for reading
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