First of all, I'm 37 and have only been actively hunting for three seasons. I got a button buck when I was 13, but never really had anyone to keep me in the sport until a few years back. First season was discouraging, then the second season my wife and I welcomed a Halloween born son into the world and I spent little time in the woods. This year is different. I've put in my homework, stayed in tuned with the weather, the wings, and the rut. Took a short on a doe during the first weekend on archery season that we never found once the blood trail tapered off. But I hadn't given up. I've hunted the past two thanksgiving days, and was definitely going out this season.

My hunting partner and I decided to go with our crossbows this morning. 10 to 12 mike winds coming from the north were favorable to where we set up. I would've been in my stand, but the area around it had taken on enough water this week to keep us out of our planned area. Sitting at the base of a couple oaks about 50 yards apart, we kept an eye on bedding area and in the vicinity of some fresh scrapes.

About an hour after day light, I see a flash of brown in the brush move left to right about 50 yards out. I brought my crossbow up on my knee and waited. 15 seconds later, he comes up over the small hill from the funnel he was in, and he walks right at me. Facing directly at me, he just keeps getting closer. At 20 yards, he quarters to his right and I pull the trigger aimed right in front of his shoulder blade. He jumped and thumped off, running in a large circle and out of sight. A couple seconds after I lost sight of him, I hear the crash. We followed his trail, and found him about 10 yards into the brush.

I finally got me a deer. Happy Thanksgiving!!

[img]https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BzbOZa2yrGQZMVoyQk1UakN4Y1E/edit?usp=docslist_api[/img]

[img]http:// https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BzbOZa2yrGQZMVoyQk1UakN4Y1E/edit?usp=docslist_api[/img]

[img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/3...2178U0UPNNUS680L87rI-fo8Va9qo=w1342-h513[/img]

Great deer! Congratulations.

Nice Buck Congrats !!!!!!!!

congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

nice buck!!!

very nice!!

Congrats on a nice buck

congrtas nice buck. I know how you feel 3 of my stands are not able to be hunted due to water. congrats again

I appreciate the congrats so much. At the same time, I'd like to that all of you as well. I've been reading posts here for a couple years and have gained a lot of practical knowledge from your conversations.

We got him to the processor and he weighed in at 192 lbs dressed. It's the biggest Indiana tagged buck the processor has had this season, as they get a lot from Illinois and some from Kentucky. Half a dozen guys at the check in ogling my harvest. Some with resent (I'll admit that I get to be a bit of a deer season "hater"also), but the rest shaking my hands.

So, thanks guys. Wouldn't understand the sport nearly as much without you.

First off, nice buck and congrats...

The ones who are resentful why are they? If they are the type who shoot anything brown then they have no one to blame but themselves for not harvesting a nice buck...

Beauty, congrats!!!

Very nice..Congrats!!

Very nice. Congrats

Awesome Buck, nice job !!

Yes Congrats, very nice buck! And I agree with Bryan78. I have seen so many deer hunters that see or get a nice 2 1/2 or 3 1/2 year old buck and think they have gotten the monster in the woods. So many of them shoot a 1 1/2, 2 1/2 or 3 1/2 year old deer and cry because they do not see nice ones like yours.
Congrats

Holy Tines....Congrats:)

VERY nice!

Wow that's a heck of a buck! Congrats!