Matt/TN

Well this morning was by far the coldest morning of the year here in NE TN, at a balmy 13degrees this morning. [:-]. The snow we got yesterday morning was now iced over. You could here a squirrel run from a mile away. I left the house at about 5:45 and was in my honey hole stand behind the house at about 6:00 or alittle before. I had no more than gotten in my stand and I heard a deer coming from the way I just walked to my stand. How did I not spook this deer? I could clearly see it against the snow covered floor and with the moon. I still had about 30mins before I could shoot and this deer was not going to hang around. I was about 75% sure "it" was a buck based on just its mannerisms. It was walking VERY distinctly and making his presence known. Stopping very seldomly. He got about 30yds to my right, and was about to go in behind me and I hit the grunt tube just to play with him a little. He made a beeline right to me, passing at a mere 15yds to where I could make out antler. I pegged him as a "decent" 6pt and I figured him to be 2yrs old. He marched around a little and finally walked off. A little before 7, I said a little prayer (which is usually done at some point throughout the hunt). I said to myself, why couldnt that deer have just came through later and given me and opportunity. Almost instantaneously I hear what sounds like a deer. I start looking, and just to show you how loud everything was, I heard this deer walking from atleast 150yds away. This is where things get good for me. This morning, I had decided to take my muzzleloader out, just becuase this weekend has been a good weekend for the muzzleloader and I in years past (it was opening of rifle season). I put the scope on the deer, it was a buck. I started trying to decide where I was going to try to take the shot. The looked as if it was going to come within 30yds of me, but for some reason it veered off. Making me take about an 80yd shot. He came to my first opening, I couldn't stop him. Got into the second, no dice. My 3rd and final opportunity he paused long enough for the shot, and I took it. I waited for the smoke to clear, only to see the deer standing 30yds away from where I shot, just looking around. [:@]. He stood there, and stood there, I tried to reload, but was unable to get the primer off. By the time I got reloaded, the deer had walked over the crest of the ridge, onto my neighbors property. Not 2mins later, I hear a BOOOOOM! that about scared me out of my tree. [:@][:-]. Deer down, for him. I saw him this morning and we talked about it, and I was as happy as I could be for him.

From what little I saw of him, I figured him to be a 2.5yr old deer. Decent rack. Nothing huge. I just saw horns, and wasn't letting him pass, not up there. . My 2.5yr old prediction was spot on, and he ended up being an 8pt. He wasn't bigger than the 6pt I took two years ago, but I would have shot at him again .

I was definately given an opportunity this morning but was unable to capitalize. It happens. Missing sucks regardless. I'll be back at it tomorrow at a different spot. I'll give this spot another rest until after I come back from the hunt with Aaron. It was the first time I had hunted up there in a few weeks.

Long winded I know, but it was a good morning regardless. Seeing two bucks.

sr77

That is a cold sit! good story!
Shane

1shotkill1993

Great Story. That sucks though.

buckmaster

I got your text this morning, I was at work so didnt have time to right you back at the given moment.