A good ending to a bad beginning... (PICS NOW FIXED!!)
 

A 20-degree drop in temperatures overnight set the perfect stage for my excited hike in the morning darkness to my stand overlooking a cut corn field. The nearby generator used by the duck hunters who leased the land droned on in the darkness, emptying creek water into a low spot in the field, but I wasn't too worried about it; it had been running for three days now, giving the area wildlife time to grow accustomed to its incessant noise.

Still 25 yards from my stand, I noticed an eerie glow on the treeline ahead of me, and watched in amazement as it grew brighter. I reached the bottom of my tree as I realized the glow was being cast by headlights from a truck -- a truck that was driving across the field straight at me. I watched in horror as the vehicle slowed to a stop less than 50 yards from me, and its occupent got out and began tinkering with the generator, eventually shutting it off and later restarting it -- presumably to refill its gas tank.

Forty-five disgusted minutes after sunup, I decided to get down and head to another part of the farm where I had hung a stand a month earlier in anticipation of this time of year. A short drive later found me walking circles on the end of the ridge where my stand should have been. I eventually spotted my Kwikee quiver caddy and my bow holder screwed into the tree 25 feet above the forest floor, minus my accompanying stand.

I walked back to my Jeep, alternately sulking and wishing I had walked up on the scumbag who stole my stand and called my wife. After she convinced me to go ahead and hunt the rest of the day, I took my climber out of my SUV and headed to a remote spot I had been saving for just the right time. At 11:05 a.m., I watched a young doe walk by at 20 yards. Things were looking up! After a few hours of reading my camouflage pocket New Testament, I looked up to see five does stealthily making their way towards me. I decided to let all of them pass, hoping something would eventually come out behind them.

Thirty-five minutes later, I caught movement about 40 yards to the right of where the does had passed, and I watched a nice buck materialize out of the marshy thicket. He worked his way up to where his path intersected where the does had walked earlier, and he pawed out a scrape 35 yards from my tree. I let him walk another 10 as he angled past, and voice-grunted him to a stop after coming to full draw. I couldn't have asked for better shot placement, as my Rocket Slammerhead pierced his heart to start a 50-yard final run.

Wrapping my hands around his gnarly bases, I smiled to think of how theday had started. Yes, persistence does pay...

RE: A good ending to a bad beginning... (pic)
 

now that's divine intervention, way to go

RE: A good ending to a bad beginning... (pic)
 

Congrats on the buck. I also had a bad day today but didnt stick it out like you did. I hate people who steal your stands. I went back from college last week to hunt a place near my parents house. I went to hunt a stand I hung. It was gone, went to the next place i had hung a stand, gone. So Icrossed the creek to get to my sweet spot. Stand is gone. Three stands were stolen out of the 400 acres i hunt.

Again congrats on the buck. That really shows how persistence can pay off.

RE: A good ending to a bad beginning... (pic)
 

MQ1,

Wow, what a day, and then for it all to come together like it did with such a fine buck! 9out of 10 hunters would have bagged it for the day after the start you had. I tip my hat to you for keeping your cool and making themostout a rough get-go. Gotta thank the wife a little too eh??? Way to go!I am sitting her shaking my head. Definately a day to remember.

Greatbuck! congrats!

Troy

RE: A good ending to a bad beginning... (pic)
 

Glad your day turned out well!

All those stands stolen is terrible.
The worst part is they are being stolen by other so called "hunters"
Makes me sick.
I have zero time for theives,especially amoung us.
I must just be lucky, I have never had a stand stolen. I,and my hunting partnerhave 13 in the woods right now. Some have been in the same tree for 4 or 5 years. It would really piss me off if someone stole them.

RE: A good ending to a bad beginning... (pic)
 

no pic just a red x??

RE: A good ending to a bad beginning... (pic)
 

Fantastic buck my friend and you deserve it. Coincedently, I too scored today on a buck, my first birthday buck. Although no where near the caliber of yours, I decided to shoot my buck long before he was in range cause after all, he's my first birthday deer....

Congrats again my friend.

RE: A good ending to a bad beginning... (pic)
 

You dog you. Ready to put me on one now?

lol Killer good buck man. Nice one.

RE: A good ending to a bad beginning... (pic)
 

THAT big-boy sure takes the sting out of the stolen stand I'll bet! Congrats!!

RE: A good ending to a bad beginning... (pic)
 

Congrats!

Great story!

Can't see the pic though, just a red X [:@]