Well I finally went to hunt my honey hole this sunday. There are 3 stands there on about 300 acres, and my buddy, my dad and I were there to hunt them for the first time this year. The stands are all in great spots and we haven't even stepped foot on the property since last Janurary (been waiting for the rut to start up). I knew someone was gonna get a shot at a big one. At sunrise I had a spike and a fork come by trailing a couple does. Then around 8:30 I heard my buddy on the radio and he said that he had shot a nice buck at 7:30. He said it went down 50 yards from him but when he got down to get it the buck got up and ran off. I imediately thought great here we go. Anyways I told him to wait an hour, back out slowly and then we would meet and come up with a plan. To make a long story short, We tracked it 5 hours later and bumped it again out of its bed about 1 mile from where he shot it. I knew it was a dead deer (could tell from arrow & pieces of corn in the blood clots it was gut shot) and it was only a matter of time before it expired. I told him to pick up the trail in the morning. He found it this morning about 200 yards from where we bumped it. It had died on the run and was shot kinda low through 1 lung, liver, and out the guts. 200+ lb. 8pt, I will put the tape to it tonight but when we bumped it it looked like a 130 inch deer to me.

So, I am sorry to say that the day didn't turn out how I wanted it too. I really thought I would have some points for the them today but I ended up tracking blood for my buddy all day. However I am really glad he got one. I've got fri, sat, and sun this weekend to hunt so maybe my luck will change and I will get a shot at one of the big ones. I can't tell you how many little bucks I have passed up in the last couple of weeks waiting for one of the bruisers to come within 30 yards. i don't know what it is but the little bucks have been walking closer then ever by my stands, 2-10 yards from it, but the big ones keep skirting around be about 60-70 yards out with no pattern to how they come through.

good luck to everyone!

hgauge