I harvested him ( actually dropped him dead in his tracks ) 12-22-2013. I will never not go hunting again because "its too warm and windy" :-) I killed a fairly nice 8 pointer years ago early in the season but chose not to get him mounted. That was a decision I regretted for years until Sunday. I haven't been able to hunt that much over the last few years for various reasons but I have certainly missed it. This year I have put lots of time in and already had the fever again. I had been seeing sign and deer - but mostly does and spikes and could never really get a shot or just decided to let it walk.
Put it this way. Persistency pays and I pretty much missed my family Christmas party all because I was digging the spot Sunday. I went by myself because I had cabin fever from lots of rain up here, massive thunderstorms the night before (which probably contributed to them moving this day), and everyone else thought it was "too warm and windy". Around 3:45pm, I told myself "I'm going to stay for only 15 minutes more" because I had to be back for the party. This is the result. A nice but young 6 pointer, with this one following, walked out two minutes later. It was the most exciting 15 minutes I can remember in long time.
I hunted on a completely different track of land earlier in the day. Going to this spot was somewhat of a Hail Mary on my way home just to "kill time". I had only been there one other time to scout but saw lots of good sign.
Earlier, when I walked in I decided not to carry my climber but instead just sit on rock somewhat high on the side of a mountain. I was overlooking some open hardwoods with acorns everywhere and good, thick bedding areas about 200 yards down at the bottom. I could see 150+ yds in some directions. The wind did change directions a few times but never did really whirl around. At about ten till four these two bucks walked out of some brush to my right and about 100-110 yards down the hill - the 6 ptr first. I was already excited as hell when I saw him. Then, all I could see were horns on the second one. I thought he was just a wide eight at first - but really all I knew was that he was bigger than the six
I was even more excited now. The six ptr kept walking to within about 80 yards of me. The big one had stopped behind some saplings and brush at about 100 yards out. I kept my eye on him. I could still he him but couldn't get a clean shot. He stood there in that same spot for 5 minutes it seemed. I was shaking pretty bad so I used that time to breathe and try to calm down. I also had to slowly get my rifle from behind me where I had leaned it up on a fork in a sapling. The 12 looked like he was looking right at me and I was thinking he was about to blow out at any minute. About the time I finished slowly getting my gun he finally walked 10 more yards and stopped broadside about 100 yards down hill. I slowly pulled my gun up and turned up the scope. After a deep breath I squeezed one off and he hit the ground right where he stood. When I walked up to him I couldn't believe he was a 6x6. It was a good day. Luckily, the family understood and was happy - meat and a wall hanger. It doesn't get much better.
