I had a great morning on stand up here in PA. Rob and I got out about 5:45......and we walked out from his house to a spot near here. Rob was talking about how good a turkey spot it was.....and I heard him blow about 20-30 out in the darkness as he went on into the woods to get to a spot where he was going to set up.

First light.....and I see a buck. I could only see the right side from the light and where I was.....but he was a nice buck (4 points on the right side). He didn't gome to a grunt call.....and he went on up the ridge. 30 minutes later......I look to my right and see a big bodied deer about 100yds out. I glass and see he's a solid 8-pointer....possibly a nine with a little crab-claw on his left beam. He turned to go up the ridge and I hit the grunt call. He stopped....and started my way. I had plenty of time to glass him....and he was a solid 125-130" Deer. The wind was blowing up the ridge....and he was coming in downwind of me. He got inside 60yds.....inside 40yds.....inside 30yds....and I have no shot. He's coming right at me. He stops and I know he's +/- 20 yds....and his vitals are right behind a tree. I still can't shoot because of a sapling. I think he caught my scent....and he hopped up the ridge about 3 hops. He never blew.....but he walked away. I won't say "I needed him to take one more step". I needed him to take about 4 for me to have a clear shot.

Awesome encounter, though. It's the biggest buck I've encountered, while hunting.

While on the way back to the house......ROb says "Look to the right....keep moving". He whispered "there's 2 does bedded right there (15 yds off the trail). I kept walking and said...."there's 4". I would have never seen them, though, if he hadn't pointed them out.

Very cool morning....and I think we're all headed back out to this area, this afternoon. Kurt's (Q2inwhitetails)on his way here, and all three of us will hunt this afternoon.

Hopefully we'll have something cool to report back on, later.