I first wanna start out by thanking everyone on this forum for sharing all their knowledge about hunting, it has helped me immensely. Here's how it went down, this might get lengthy because im still excited about it, but please read on, it gets good. I was sitting in my stand opening morning of the WI rifle season, about 9:15, and had just heard a shot very near from behind me. come to find out it was my dad's buddy shooting at a doe from not more than 5 or 6 hundred yards away. I got my gun up and was holding on my nearest shooting lane in case some deer ran through. Holding on the shooting lane because behind my stand was a thick stand of old growth timber, and i have yet to clear any sort of shooting opening in that direction. Well sure enough 2 deer ran through, offering no shot as they ran through the old growth timber and didnt go through the shooting lanes. I was slightly disheartened for a few seconds, until i got a glimpse of movement coming from where the deer had just run to. I found what looked like a reasonable opening, as open as one could hope for in an area that hadnt been cleared for shooting, and held on the opening, waiting for the deer to walk through my scope. Sure enough it did, and when his front shoulder got in my Xhairs i squeezed the trigger. Then... nothing. all i could see was the branches hanging from the tree that im sitting in waving back and forth. I did not see the deer run away, but i also didnt see the deer down anywhere. With snow on the ground i was merely hoping for a decent hit, as a tracking job shouldnt have been a problem.I planned on waiting 15 minutes, but that turned into 3 very quickly. i grabbed my knife, gutting gloves, and climbed down. I walked in the direction of the shot, not knowing what to expect. every so often i would look back at my stand only to find i could barely see it. I was about 85 yards from my stand when i saw something brown that looked out of place... and it was my buck!! before even getting my hands on it i took a knee and thanked God for the opportunity, then i was all smiles for the next couple of hours. The deer dropped in his tracks, the shot entered behind the right should and came out in front of the left. I stood over the deer and looked back towards my stand and could not see my stand to save my life. It was 100 yards through stuff thick enough that i couldnt see my stand, thats the miraculous shot part, oh that and it was walking when i hit it. It is a small fork, but my biggest trophy to date and will always hang on my wall and have a special place in my heart. I gutted it out and walked back to camp. my dad had just arrived after sitting all morning and not seeing anything. he got outta the truck and i quoted one of our favorite deer camp movies called Escanaba In Da Moonlight and said "put on the lard and onions, im gonna gut you a buck!" we were both very excited. This was my 7th deer to date and first buck. Im 17, and will remember this forever. It weighed 117lbs field dressed, but felt alot heavier dragging it outta the woods. Here is a trail cam pic we got of him only 2 days prior, as soon as my buddy emails me the pics of me with the deer, i'll put it on here too. thanks for comin along on the hunt with me and good luck to all!



and here is the pic of me w/ the deer shortly after taking it. that is the exit wound you see, and that smiling goofball is me!

Congrats buddy! Boy I wish I had some snow to hunt in. We are still hitting high's around 60*. Makes for a slow start down here.

Nice job. Congrats!!!

Nice job,Great syory!

Good job and a good read. Congrats.

Great Buck, Congrats

Congrats!! Great job!!

Congrats

Good Job! Congrat's

Congrats