Sadley, today was my last day to hunt the huge 11 pointer that I have hunted all season. I was hunting this buck on public land here in West Virginia in one of our 4 bow hunting only counties. I got my first picture of him in the summer in full velvet. After that I was simply determined to do everthing possible to harvest him. However, I soon found out that this was no small task. I scouted for him every weekend from June through September and never once saw this deer. I hung 5 stands in terrain funnels in hopes of catching him crossing the many steep ridges in search for does. I had 4 scouting cameras out from June through November trying to get some type of pattern on him but without much success. In fact during this whole time I only got 2 trail cam pictures of him. I was feeling like this buck was simply 100% nocturnal until Tuesday November 16th. On Monday I hunted what turned out to be my best stand in a super funnel located in between a high-wall and a set of cliffs. On Monday I saw 5 does ease through this funnel and bed in a thicket behind me. I returned on Tuesday to the same stand. I didn't see a deer until 12:00 pm, when I noticed a doe and fawn come through the funnel sort of quick. I new the rut was under way and I was hoping that the big 11 pointer was hot on their trails. Well about 1 minute later I heard the leaves crunching and I could not believe my eyes as here came the big typical 11 pointer hot on the does trail at only 38 yards. He was headed right towards my only shooting lane in this funnel. There was a small pine tree at the end of this shooting lane that was exactly 38 yards from my stand. If the buck walks in front of the tree I have a wide open 38 yard shot but if he walks behind the small pine tree I will have no shot at all. Well wouldn't you know it, he walked right behind the small pine tree and stood their broadside for about 45 seconds. It was almost like he knew exactly where I couldn't shoot him and that he just wanted to taught me just a little.

At first I was upset that I had put all that work and effort into trying to harvest him and was unable to do so but then I realized how lucky I was just to be able to see a high 150 class buck on public land during shooting hours. I never saw the buck again even though I hunted almost every day during the month of November for him. I think I am now more focused on harvesting him than ever before. The only thing is I don't know if I can wait another 11 months......