I won the lottery this year and drew a late 12AW rifle tag. This fall has been a mess with a lot of family things going on, including my father in law having a stroke, so it’s been very touch and go season hunting wise. I knew going in I didn’t have the full season to hunt so I tried to keep my expectations reasonable.
@buglethemin came through and made the trip up, giving up family time and spending thanksgiving in a tent. We saw some huge bucks scouting. Opening morning we saw some does where we had seen a monster buck with does the night before. The does were moving down a finger. We followed the does out, and saw a few smaller bucks and this guy in some oak thickets, but we didn’t get a real good look at him but could tell from the body he was big. They fed down the finger and down the slope to a draw to our right, then up the slope of the next finger. There was a clearing about 175 yards away and he stepped out and we got a better look at him. I decided he was the deer for me, and took the shot. He dropped, and I put another in to be sure. Just like that, the hunt was done. Could not be happier with this guy and can’t wait to go back some day.