Another buck, what a year! Two states!

Flintlock1776 · #1 01-17-2009, 10:11 AM

At 3PM I was sitting in a chair behind some thick brush with the hill rising up behind me. I had opted not to climb that old wooden stand. I had cleared a little shooting lane in front of me as it was very thick at the ground level around me. Out in the green field in the middle to my left was a small stand of evergreens running from my 6 O’clock to 10 O’clock. As I sat there I wondered if I should have taken a chance with the ladder stand or maybe try another site. From my little spot on the ground I realized it was a tight view for sure. Even though I had my doubts I decided to stay where I was. It kept nagging me for a bit but I finally decided to stay committed to the spot for better or worse.

After some time, I saw movement in front of me! One doe came out then another and then more! Finally I had 5 does out at my 12 O’clock at 3:45PM. They started to walk right towards me. Oh, no! They will step on me the way they are coming! They hit the Code Blue Standing Estrous Scent I had laid out in a straight line between my 9 O’clock and 3 O’clock and stopped!

I noticed the doe to my left stopped feeding and was at alert looking almost into the setting sun. What is going on? Then the doe next to her started to stare at the same spot. Very carefully and slowly, I looked to my left. I caught a glimpse of antlers! He was walking through that stand of evergreens. I hoped he would be big enough to shoot.

I figured his pace and placed my scope at to where I figured he would pop out. There he was! I quickly counted the antlers. Yep, he was a shooter!

Just as I placed the cross hairs of my Leupold 3x9x50mm scope on him he turned his head to look at me while still at broadsides. It was an amazing pose I will always carry in my memory. I let the Remington 700SS 30.06 bark with my Hornady Custom 165grain SST interlock bullet. He dropped right there! I was amazed, or lucky, or fortunate but just like the 6 pointer I got with a bow this year and with all the deer I have taken in the past a various ranges, gun or bow, the deer drop right there. Maybe someone up there thinks I am not a good tracker. Whatever, I was happy this buck dropped right there. I got up and could tell right away this was my best buck ever!

I donated the meat to a needy family in town but I did keep the antlers so I can mount it on an antler plaque.