November 6th, 2014.
I was in a deer stand late, I forgot to give myself enough time to get to the lease after the time change. I was furious with myself.
I was chasing a big 8pt I had on camera and thought by walking in at first light, I was gonna bump everything wise and old out. 
It was a cold, wet morning and I knew the rut was on, so I stayed and gave myself a break.
At shooting light, a young doe presented a shot. Since I was late, I figured she'd do. Perfect double lung and collapsed as she ran and jumped a fence 60 yards away. I was pumped as it was my first doe kill.
BUT. I had a lot of hunt left, so I rattled.
Almost immediately, 80 yards away to my right two bucks appeared and began to fight. I knew them both, one almost a 10 @ 3.5 and an 8 @ 3.5. I grunted at them . Two MORE bucks joined them, both small 2.5 year olds. They all responded to my grunt and made the way to my stand.
Then, through a gate to my left, HE showed up. Brutus I called him. Giant body, dark, dark chocolate horns and a neck the size of a Simmental jogged out towards the other bucks. He was only at 40 yards but on the move. I could hear his steps like a bull on a run. The other bucks closed in on my grunts, now each was with in 25 yards of my stand. 5 total bucks. Each moving, ears pinned, roaming, smelling, swolled up.
I rattled to stop him and the other bucks around me got real confused. The younger two bucks decided this was above their pay grade and left. He turned toward me head on and walked with in 25 yards, facing me.
The ONE branch I left for cover (deer usually came right to left to the feeder and this blocked them) was covering him. But again he was face on. I got ready to draw. All he had to do was turn left or right broadside and walk 2 steps.
Right?
He did a 180 and walked straight back to the fence where the doe jumped and then paused. Granted this was rifle season. I know I could have taken him with a gun. I did not have the huztpah or accuracy to shoot to 60 yards. For the next 5 minutes he confusedly worked the fence line wondering where the hot doe was, ranging from 80 to 200 yards away. I never got a shot.
He was huge. I have not seen a buck so close that I was allowed to shoot, with such size. I hunted the rest of the season and only saw him at 80 yards crossing under the same tree the bucks came out to fight at, to the opening where the doe jumped (Carlock, if you read this, its the tree you told me to put my stand in last year).
I still think my pulse is elevated....
I was in a deer stand late, I forgot to give myself enough time to get to the lease after the time change. I was furious with myself.
I was chasing a big 8pt I had on camera and thought by walking in at first light, I was gonna bump everything wise and old out. It was a cold, wet morning and I knew the rut was on, so I stayed and gave myself a break.
At shooting light, a young doe presented a shot. Since I was late, I figured she'd do. Perfect double lung and collapsed as she ran and jumped a fence 60 yards away. I was pumped as it was my first doe kill.
BUT. I had a lot of hunt left, so I rattled.
Almost immediately, 80 yards away to my right two bucks appeared and began to fight. I knew them both, one almost a 10 @ 3.5 and an 8 @ 3.5. I grunted at them . Two MORE bucks joined them, both small 2.5 year olds. They all responded to my grunt and made the way to my stand.
Then, through a gate to my left, HE showed up. Brutus I called him. Giant body, dark, dark chocolate horns and a neck the size of a Simmental jogged out towards the other bucks. He was only at 40 yards but on the move. I could hear his steps like a bull on a run. The other bucks closed in on my grunts, now each was with in 25 yards of my stand. 5 total bucks. Each moving, ears pinned, roaming, smelling, swolled up.
I rattled to stop him and the other bucks around me got real confused. The younger two bucks decided this was above their pay grade and left. He turned toward me head on and walked with in 25 yards, facing me.
The ONE branch I left for cover (deer usually came right to left to the feeder and this blocked them) was covering him. But again he was face on. I got ready to draw. All he had to do was turn left or right broadside and walk 2 steps.
Right?
He did a 180 and walked straight back to the fence where the doe jumped and then paused. Granted this was rifle season. I know I could have taken him with a gun. I did not have the huztpah or accuracy to shoot to 60 yards. For the next 5 minutes he confusedly worked the fence line wondering where the hot doe was, ranging from 80 to 200 yards away. I never got a shot.
He was huge. I have not seen a buck so close that I was allowed to shoot, with such size. I hunted the rest of the season and only saw him at 80 yards crossing under the same tree the bucks came out to fight at, to the opening where the doe jumped (Carlock, if you read this, its the tree you told me to put my stand in last year).
I still think my pulse is elevated....
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