So I'll make this short and sweet. I hunt a 1600 acre hunt club in SC with 11 other hunters. Half are part time hunters. Hunt every other weekend from the same stand. In the last month our club has killed 1 7pt, 3 8pt, 2 9pt, 1 12pt, and 1 13pt.

So last night I'm sitting a powerline overlooking a deep gully. About 20 minutes before dark I hear a bunch of racket behind me. Leaves and branches for at least 15 minutes. So now it's getting dark, and I hear a deer walking towards my stand. I ready my rifle in the only shooting lane I have and he steps out and all I see is a massive white rack. Not just any rack MASSIVE. I try and find him in my scope and I see nothing. The full moon is at my back and refelcted off my lense. So he walks away I grunt he runs back then turns and trots away.

That moon rose like an hour before dark. Didn't think it was gonna save the buck of my dreams.

So my questions are is there anything i can do to my scope to make sure this doesn't happen again?

Do you think I have another shot at him? He never winded me.

Should I move my stand a little farther in the timber off the powerline?

Before anyone gets on me saying it was too dark to shoot anyways it wasn't. I could see 300 yds down the powerline without optics.

two things.

don't tell anyone the spot, and two....hunt him till you get him.

ruts got his mind on other things....he will slip up

you'll get him!
sounds like a great encounter...

Like said above, time in the woods right now. The bucks are running the does. They will be making mistakes. Just have to be there when they do.
-Jake

Something like this would help.
Coyote hunters use them.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/cid=1...pe-Lens-Shades

I hope it helps.

Something like this would help.
Coyote hunters use them.

http://search.mywebsearch.com/mywebs...r=scope+shades

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/cid=1...pe-Lens-Shades

I hope it helps.

Awesome story, somehow or another big bucks get it done.

I had a big non typical several years a go pop out at 125yds during a snowstorm, near white out.
When I popped open my scope caps the objective would immediately fill with snow, blow it out, same result, never could get on him.
Never saw the buck again.

Well to answer your question as to what you can do: you buy a scope like mine. A Kahles 3 x 10 x 50mm. On a full moon night I swear it is like shooting during daylight hours. On a night with no moon it gives you another 20 minutes on the stand.

BUT? it is not legal. So you decide.

Man good job and kudos on not chancing a bad shot and wounding him.