RE: close encounters
 

My first time ever hunting this year I was out with a friend of mine who was showing me the ropes. It was was muzzleloader season. We were both in our own climbers but in the same tree. He was looking out into a field and I was oriented toward a small patch of woods. All of a sudden I noticed this black nose about 30 yards out. Not really sure what I saw until its head moved back down. It was a massive 4 point with a croked antler. Well, not knowing what the "size" ettiquette was (4, 6, 8, point etc) I reached up very slow and tapped my buddies boot. He didn't feel me so I hit him a little harder. The buck is now about 15 yards. My buddy finally looks and the deer spots us. We stared at each other for what seemed like a lifetime. The buck jumped about 10 feet and then stopped. By this time my buddy is saying "Shoot the m###########"...He snorts and takes off. My friend told me it was one of the biggest deer he had seen this year (mass wise). We had quite the laugh the rest of the day. I am still stewing about that deer and my buddy still brings it up when we are asked about how we did this season..."Dad, Dad, look a deer!"