This evening I snuck into a corner to place a camera on a new corn plot I planted in the spring. I have been watching a few nice bucks foraging on my sweet bets, turnips, clover and silver queen corn. I had just set up my stand on their trails last weekend so wanted to leave the camera there to see which way to expect them on opening bow day.

As soon as I parked my truck and slowly closed my door, at least 3 hounds were about 50 yrds deep in the woods going nuts after what sounded like more than one deer. I waited to see if one would come out into the field, but they went the other direction, so I strapped the camera to a tree and locked the gate as I left, just wondering if I would catch the 8 pt I had seen on several occasions on my camera.

About a half mile away I had just taken a left hand turn and got up to about 45 mph when "BOOM" right out of my left side I got slammed by a nice buck, but the wierd thing is he hit my tire, and then the corner of my bumper and didnt do a penny's worth of damage to my truck. I instantly pulled over...it wasnt the 8 pt I had on film, but a huge 7 pt still in velvet with its left leg shattered and shoulder severely damaged.

My instincts were to put it out of its misery, pulled out my knife and cut its throat. a couple yahoos stopped by and asked if they could have it,but they had no idea what this dear had meant to me. I remember it from last year, and couldnt believe he lasted the heavy hunting in the area. His rack, of course still in velvet was coming along perfect and would have been a wall hanger if I would have gotten him where I expected to on the trail by my hanger!

Here are a few pictures of him.





Finally, looks like a BBQ is in order sometime soon!


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