And this bruiser wandered into my path! He's one solid bruiser! He doesn't have the biggest rack in the woods (although he is my biggest rack to date) but he makes up with it by being just a great size deer. At the butcher shop he was larger than a 10 and a 12 point buck.
At just 1 hour into season in central PA just outside of Altoona, this guy came through the snow and ice just over a steep hill side almost immediately scenting me and stopping in his tracks. He was hidden from clear view by the tree he came to rest beside in the picture and some brush between he and I. I was standing next to a tree wearing my ruck sack with all my cold weather gear. I drew the model 700 30-06 with bronze tipped 180 grain hand loads, and saw just 2 points on one side. He moved slightly forward and turned his head exposing 3 more on the other side. He was legal but I didn't have a clean shot. We had a stare off at about 40 yards for what seemed like forever. At least 3 minutes passed. He was wearing me down and winning. My arms couldn't take much more holding the rifle unsupported. I was bobbing the barrel all over the place. Suddenly he took a step back behind the tree covering his head but exposing his hind end. It was then I saw his tail begin to flap alerting the doe that was trailing him to my danger. I gauged the shot at 4" low at that range so I adjusted my sights and let one go. I couldn't be sure it stuck it's target but I didn't see him, or hear anything! Something my grandfather always said "don't rush right over to your kill, give it time to pass." So I picked up my brass, dropped my pack and waited for everything to calm down. After another 5 minutes, I decided enough time passed and walked over to where I had seen my buck standing. There I found him laying, barely bleeding but taking his last breath.
The rest isn't nearly as exciting but everyone needs to have a hunting story. This one is as fresh as it gets so less embellishments than it will have next year at the hunting camp!
