Well I have to tell the story. This is all but after he's down because during the adrenaline is the only time I can't remember due to aftershock shakes!
I was pretty mad as I drove in to park as I could see it was about to break day. I'd planned on being in the stand well before even a hint of daybreak showed. So from the truck I walked and with each step I debated 1) go to the ladder stand because I'm late and that will be quieter and quicker to disturb less or 2) Climb up in the climber on the back of the property while making noise and possibly scare something off as the break of day arises. I had literally already started walking towards the right deciding to get in the ladder, but my left foot reared back and my body followed right to the climber. I tightened the foot straps on the platform a little more than they had been and it was a little more quiet so that was good. I think I forgot to mention that it was pretty dang cold out there this morning :rofl: So I get set up, primer in the muzzle loader and imagine every shadow I see is a deer as the sun starts to awaken the woods. It was pretty quiet for the next hour until the squirrels had their first serving of crack filled cuts and then the woods were alive. I don't know about y'all but sometimes when I use a grunt call, the only thing I can think of is "Is this gonna scare the deer over the hill away?". So I don't use it a whole lot, but have been practicing short low tone grunts and since rut activity is up I add a bleat or two in between 6 or 7 short grunts. I did this about 3 times in sets of 20 seconds each. After that, the old me said "Hey, you've probably scared every deer for a mile so shut up and wait!" So 5 or so minutes later I hear CHH CHH CHH CHH right behind me and assume it's the squirrel that's been up in my tree for half an hour or so. Nope! I turn left slowly just to whisper a cuss word at the squirrel and 3 yards behind my stand walks out this buck. I about crapped my pants I was so surprised even though I've had deer appear out of nowhere before but not in spitting distance from me. The climber is bow stand so no gun rail, which meant the ML was in my hands already. As I raise it up to my shoulder I watch this buck, head straight up, ears forward, and slow forceful steps and it hits me. He came in to find that "buck and doe" he heard! In the 5 seconds it took to get the scope in front of my eye he was at 11 yards. I mouthed another grunt and he stopped to look back. I squeezed the trigger and he donkey kicked and turned with his tail tucked. I'm still not relieved yet but when he runs face first in the fence and drops to the ground I felt good. He stood back up, ran straight through the middle two pieces of barbed wire and ran a bout 22 yards from where I shot him and crashed.......THEN the adrenaline turned me into a jack in the box with extra strength spring! As I start to calm down (a little) I realize that I didn't have time to really stare at his rack but then realized it didn't matter because the thought in my head was that it was a 6 or 8 and I was fine with either. So, since I heard it crash I started quietly and shaking, I begin to pack up my bag and hook up the line to my ML to lower it. I waited about 10 minutes after that and watched the woods as I eased down ever so quietly and slowly just in case. I ease out to where the shot was and no blood but as I walked left I started seeing it. Looked forward and I could see him laying there. So I stood there for a while longer while texting my wife to tell her before easing up to him. As you can see it's an 8 point and he's a beautiful buck and weighed 110 dressed out. I call my buddy who lives down the road and was gonna throw him in the truck bed and haul him to his house and gut him in the back field since I was gonna stop by and show him the deer anyway. I tried to put him the back and no go LMAO! I decided to just do it there then he'd be easier to get up on my tailgate. I was cutting away the diaphragm with my Hen & Rooster bone handled knife and sliced the crap out of my thumb. Laid it open pretty good but thankfully I've carried a first aid kit for years just in case. Glad I'd decided to do that a long time ago because this time I needed it. All is good now but the way it was bleeding I was worried I was gonna have to have stitches. Gotta have a little excitement in every story I guess, and that knife is sharp enough to provide it if you're not careful.
Next I'm on the way to down the road thinking how good lookin of a buck he is but not thinking he's mount worthy as I have a couple with similar racks. Later my wife called and was upset that I didn't get him mounted because he was the "best looking buck you've killed" HAHA Ain't that how it goes? Anyway, she and my daughter are both very happy for me after all these hours in the woods and also glad to have meat in the freezer. I love seeing them happy about it! Alright enough is enough, here's my harvest and I'm very proud of this harvest. My self done pictures leave something to be desired but timer on cell phone, this is all I can do. Thanks for reading my story, I enjoyed living it today in the woods that God created and thankful for another safe return from hunting!
You won't regret it. He is a great guy and does outstanding worm!
