11-28-06: it’s gun season and I just saw the biggest buck I’ve ever seen, up close and personal. We've been hunting all day. I’mabout 18’ up a tree. Saw a lot of deer today, but no shots.At about 1630 I see this buck ambling towards me, on the high side of the hill. I leave the pistol in the holster because I already have a buck this year (a good 9 point with the crossbow, my biggest yet). As he gets a bit closer, I check out the rack and decide he’s a big 8 point. He comes closer still, in no hurry at all, and now I think he must be a 10 or so. I’m trying to count points as he’s coming head-on. As he gets about 25-30 yards away he stops and looks up at me. I’m motionless and wearing a face mask. He looks hard for several seconds, dips his nose toward the ground, then snaps his head right back up at me. I know this game and haven’t moved. He does it a second time, then decides to pass on the downwind side of me. He takes his time moving around the other side of the tree, still close, and looking up now and then. He gets on the downwind side and now presents a perfect broadside, just inside of 20 yards. He doesn’t wind me, probably because the wind isn’t moving much and/or he’s too close to the tree (a doedid wind me earlier in theafternoon; she was about 50 yards down).Now he’s satisfied that I’m no problem, and continues plodding along, really taking his time. I now could have shot him several different times by now. As he moves on down the hill, I put the glasses on him. I’ve been trying to count points all along, but it’s difficult because there are so many and he keeps moving his head around. I can see that several of his tines end in forks near the tip. Finally I guess he’s somewhere between 11 and 16 points. Now he’s about 50-60 yards away and stops. He stays there a loooong time, and I can only see him through the glasses because of the cover and the fact that he’s motionless. Finally, he moves on.

Later Andi and I compare notes. She had seen him up in the hayfield but didn’t have a shot. She watched him move slowly along, stop for some time at the edge of the field, then move off towards me.

Sigh. I sure hope he makes it to next year, when I can have a crack at him!

good story but this is why i don't count points anymore. i give a quick glance on the width and height of the rack and make my decision based on that. i use to get all technical and try to count points, estimate the mass, etc. and this normally leaves you with not getting a shot. i scan the terrain with binoc's but when i see a deer, the binoc's go down and the scope comes up. i'll give the buck a once over and quick look at the rack to decide if he's a shooter or not, if he is, i drop the hammer. if he is not, i'll try to get the digital camera out for pic's or just watch him through the binoc's. try and get the scope on him as fast as possible. this way if he looks at you, you are already aimed on him and have alot better chance of getting a shot than having the rifle in your lap and playing the staring game in hopes he'll turn his head where you can pick up your rifle.

Why did you pass if you had somany shots?

Sorry, the part I left out is that we can only take one buck per year in Ohio.

CamoCop, I'm in full agreement with you, that's my MO also, when I have a buck tag.