well fellow friends, i was able to connect with my first buck of the year this last Saturday (10-11-08) during a muzzle loader hunt. it was about 0800 hrs. when i heard water sloshing around approximately 80 yards in front of me. i was sitting about 30 feet high in a long needle pine tree over looking a marsh. the water averages knee deep and got up to waist deep on me when i walked in at 0520 hrs. i bumped my grunt tube a couple times and i heard the water sloshing again, this time it was getting closer to me. keep in mind, this marsh contained long grass that was about chest high, so i could not see what was walking through the water.

the sloshing stopped several times and i would bump the grunt tube each time to get the animal to keep walking in my direction. after about 10 minutes i saw the buck poke his head up out of the tall grass about 45 yards from me. i could not see the deer's body due to the tall grass, i only observed his neck and head. the buck was looking to the right trying to figure out where the grunting was coming from. i only had a small window to shoot through due to the marsh/swamp being very thick.

at this time i said it's now or never, i put my cross hairs in the middle of the bucks neck and squeezed the trigger. when the smoke cleared the deer was no longer standing there. i did not see or hear the buck run away so i assumed he dropped in his tracks. i remained hunting for another hour and a half (still had a doe tag to fill). at 0930 hrs. i climbed down from my treestand and waded out to where i last seen the buck.

once i got close to where he was standing, i noticed there was a "hole" in the tall grass. i walked closer and looked into the "hole" and there he was, my first 10 point. the buck has a typical 8 point frame with 2 one inch kickers at the base of each antler. after a few minutes went by, i was able to control my excitement and start my 1.5 hour drag. i did have a game cart but due to the terrain i was in, it was easier to just drag the buck.

once i got the buck to the truck, i drove him to the check station to get checked in and tagged. the buck weighed 140 pounds and was aged at 3.5 years. i had the local biologist pull the measurements from his antlers and i plugged the numbers into the Boone & Crocket scoring system. according to that web site he grossed91 7/8 inches with a 15 inch spread. i'll have pictures soon, the only camera i had was a 35mm so i have to get them developed.

i was unable to fillt he doe tag. Sunday morning about 10 minutes untill shooting light i had a buck, alot bigger than the 10 point i shot, chase a doe under my stand. due to the low light, i was unable to shoot that doe. i also passed on a smaller buck the Friday before i shot the 10 point. i have quite a few big bucks on game cams so i did not want to shoot a smaller one. other than that i saw 3 cotton mouths, a softshell turtle and a racoon under my treestand. one of the cotton mouths laid at the base of the tree i was in for 30 minutes. i had to throw sticks at him to get him to leave so i could get down.