I have to admit, while I have longed to shoot a large animal, I am a carnivore. Meat is meat, and filling the freezer is important to me. Why, I have no idea.

A couple years back, I had a large monster whitetail on the property. And like you I hunted only him. I passed on a lot of smaller legal deer but could never seal the deal on the old buck. Two years I saw and hunted him. Granted I shot a doe for the freezer, but I hunted him only.

I heard neighbors wife across the road finally saw him, took a low percentage shot on him, wounded him, lost him in the marsh, and the wolves got him. When they were telling me about the deer she "shot" she described him and his drop tine to a tea. Listening to her tell the story, even telling about him excited her very much. He was something to see. She claimed she made one of them heart shots. I suspect it turned a little low and a little too far back. When that old buck was shot, her husband said he headed right into the deep part of the marsh.

So now I hunt meat and if a big one comes by, then I will finally have my wall hanger.