Last year I just was not in the game for our traditional Shotgun .
We started on the weekend before getting my Sister in law and brother orientated to some of the new stand locations and also some last minute checking of trail cameras . Nothing gets the hopes up like a picture or two of a possible buck .
We started the Monday morning with wind and rain .
![Thumbdown :thumbdown:](./images/smilies/icon_thumbdown.gif)
We started Tuesday morning to even more rain and wind . Because we had endured the previous day we called it a day before it even began .
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
Wednesday morning I decided to go into the nasty thick cedar swamp thinking maybe just maybe they might be taking refuge in there . Well at about 8 I heard what sounded like a grunt . I turned to see a battle scarred buck going through at about 40 yards . After my shot I watched him go maybe 20-30 yards . Of course in the wrong direction away from the vehicles .
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
![Image](http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o124/Doemaster_bucket/Fall2018/Fall%202018%20006_zpsvvgja3d3.jpg)
![Image](http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o124/Doemaster_bucket/Fall2018/Fall%202018%20156_zpsldrznvp7.jpg)
![Image](http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o124/Doemaster_bucket/Fall2018/Fall%202018%20151_zpsumxvmpnr.jpg)
After strapping him to the cart we were ready to start our journey .
![Image](http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o124/Doemaster_bucket/Fall2018/Fall%202018%20148_zpsduxfvhye.jpg)
![Image](http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o124/Doemaster_bucket/Fall2018/Fall%202018%20011_zpshbupcp8s.jpg)
Once we got to slightly more open area my sister in law did some pulling of the redneck grocery cart .
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
![Image](http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o124/Doemaster_bucket/Fall2018/Fall%202018%20015_zps5ckq25hl.jpg)
We got it back to my brother place and took our customary shot .
![Image](http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o124/Doemaster_bucket/Fall2018/Fall%202018%20083_zpsf3zrarvg.jpg)
Then the work began getting him hung and skinned . On a side note my nephew is getting pretty good at this .
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
![Image](http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o124/Doemaster_bucket/Fall2018/Fall%202018%20018_zpsjxl4zylj.jpg)
![Image](http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o124/Doemaster_bucket/Fall2018/Fall%202018%20027_zpssjkf4jpr.jpg)
Friday we were greeted to snow to make the landscape a winter wonderland .
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
![Image](http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o124/Doemaster_bucket/Fall2018/hunting%202018%20006_zpsylxas6fs.jpg)
Now to the best day of the whole week . My nephew has endured 10 long years of not getting a deer . He was there for his Grandfather getting the 2 largest deer of his life . His mother getting a deer the first year hunting . Countless deer he has helped haul out for his Dad and myself .
Saturday morning started out the same as every other day . Wind !!!
So I decided to not even carry this day but to go with John and take him into the dark hole called the cedar swamp . Only two people knew how to get into this spot . And one of them is no longer here .
We started our slow trek in when we heard a deer screaming in the wind to communicate with the other deer on the other side of some blowdowns . It was 10 minutes before legal so we stopped and waited .
About 2 minutes before I said we would slowly advance toward the blowdowns and get through them .
At legal I informed him to load but very slow and quiet .
That is when I spotted a deer not but 15 yards from us .
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
With me hiding behind a 6-8 inch cedar and the deer behind a small dead tree . The standoff began !!!
Two agonizing minutes later he stepped into a spot for John at 12 yards .
After the shot he ran away about 30 yards and we heard him crash . ( we thought)
After some handshakes and a hug we waited and waited . 20 minutes is forever it seems .
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
After a short track we found him .
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
![Image](http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o124/Doemaster_bucket/Fall2018/Fall%202018%20040_zpsdbdm19xr.jpg)
Now for the pictures finally of him .
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
![Image](http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o124/Doemaster_bucket/Fall2018/Fall%202018%20047_zps6eb71qvo.jpg)
![Image](http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o124/Doemaster_bucket/Fall2018/Fall%202018%20175_zpsax2uoels.jpg)
![Image](http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o124/Doemaster_bucket/Fall2018/Fall%202018%20166_zpss5trcjyh.jpg)
Now to get it out .
![Image](http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o124/Doemaster_bucket/Fall2018/Fall%202018%20037_zpsbse1kg9a.jpg)
![Image](http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o124/Doemaster_bucket/Fall2018/Fall%202018%20064_zps1wqvngd7.jpg)
![Image](http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o124/Doemaster_bucket/Fall2018/Fall%202018%20067_zpshog8ugqo.jpg)
Back to the house for the picture/toast .
![Image](http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o124/Doemaster_bucket/Fall2018/Fall%202018%20103_zpszlk75eaq.jpg)
We spent the rest of Saturday and part of Sunday butchering .
![Image](http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o124/Doemaster_bucket/Fall2018/Fall%202018%20069_zpsjqbsq2tr.jpg)
I think you would be hard pressed to remove the smiles from all our faces that he finally got the monkey off his back .
A fantastic family Shotgun hunt once again .
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)