After staring at this 7-point buck on trail cam pictures for a few days, he slowly became my "dream deer", and my dream came true on November 17 at 4:00 p.m.

I had been in the stand since about 2:30 and suddenly from behind me, I heard footsteps. I told myself this sound was so different from the many squirrel sounds I had heard in recent days in the woods. My heart started to beat so fast, and I didn't want to make an abrupt move to look over my shoulder for fear of being "busted".

I just sat very still as I heard him coming toward me, and the buck of my dreams from the camera walked right in front of my stand! I slowly got ready with my Thompson Center Triumph, as I watched him walk slowly to my left. For some reason, he stopped about 20 yrds to my left, and I shot! He took off running into the field, but he didn't go too far as I watched him slow down to a walk and then fall.

I couldn't wait to call my boyfriend...."I just shot that buck!" I told him as my voice was shaky from being so excited. I knew that he would know which buck I was talking about; exactly, the one I had been watching so intently on the trail cam pics.

He weighed 170 lbs.! He isn't the biggest buck, but to me he's big, and I am so happy to have taken him with my muzzleloader. I don't know what caused him to walk by my stand that afternoon, but I am glad that he did, and it's a day I will always remember!

As you can see from the picture, it was love at first sight!