HuntingNet.com Forums - My short Wis. rifle hunt UPDATE: WEIGHT & SCORE

Day 1
With about 1 1/2" of old snow on the ground I headed out across country to find out what was going on in the area. I cut a 3 1/2 - 4 mile loop to get a fix on the deer population and location. I also wanted to see if I could find some big buck tracks. I found 3 sets of bear tracks lots of coyote tracks a few bobcat tracks and some deer tracks as well. I found 3 bait sites. These areas are easy to find because they are always littered with deer tracks. I was suprised that I didn't find a single wolf track. I was also saddened at the lack of large deer tracks. Over all it was a good day afield and I had a better understanding of what was going on in the area.

Day 2
I headed way back in to a cedar swamp to check the area and sit for a while. My main goal was to burn time until the new snow arrived. 10:00 AM and the snow was coming down. Lack of sign in the area prompted me to head back out. There was a huge swamp that I have been wanting to hunt and with the new snow now was the perfect time. I dropped down off the hard woods into the swamp. I was pleasantly suprised that the swamp offered a fair amount of visibility. Most shots would be 30 yds. or less with areas where a 60-70 shot would be possible. I headed north into the belly of this huge swamp. I eased along with my eyes constantly picking apart the small gaps between the cedar and tamarack trees. About a 1/2 mile in I cut a fresh deer track. The width of the track along with the stagger of the track led me to believe it was a track worth taking. It had been less then 2 hours since the snow quit so I knew he couldn't be far ahead. His pace was steady and straight. He was going somewhere and wanted to get there without delay. I paced myself to make up some ground on him but did my best to keep an eye peeled for him. Not far into the track and I came across where he crapped. Squeezing a pellet in my fingers told me that he wasn't too far ahead. Further into the track I came to a place where he avioded 2 small trees that were about 20" apart. Knowing he avoided these trees because of his rack width got me pumped up. He took he straight south into a more open area of the swamp. I was really getting excited because he was playing right into my hand and didn't even know it. He crossed an open area and did what every smart buck does. He stopped and turned back to study his back track. Secure that he was not being followed he headed on. Twice more he stopped to check his backtrack. Then he did something that almost caught me off gaurd. Without any indication he did a quick hook to the right and bedded beside a clump of small pines.
I was about 40 yds. away when he busted out of his bed. I caught the movement and shouldered my 30-06. Instinctively I dropped down to my iron sites and swung with him. I saw brown then nothing then brown then nothing. The third time I saw brown I fired a quick shot. Everything went quiet and still. I paused for a while and then moved forward. I headed for the last point I saw him and there he laid. I discovered that my bullet hit him in the neck and put him right down. After a breif celebration I pulled out my GPS to find out where I was. My GPS told me I was almost a half mile from my quad. It would be a long night! I was thankfull he headed south. If he would have headed north I might still be dragging!
For everyone who read this long story, here are a few pics to enjoy.

The buck weighs 179# Score: 127 0/8
Also I noticed that his front teeth were recently busted out. The only ones left are the three little ones on the right side. Two of them are still hanging on by a thread. It looks awful painful! I'm not sure how he could have got that kind of injury. Maybe fighting?