Hey, my name is Drew, im 19 and from north Mississippi, and last evening I got my first buck! Me and "Lucky" have had over 3+ years of history. Its one great feeling finally that all that hard work and time spent finally paid off! A little history, I started deer hunting around 4 years ago, my grandpaw taught me everything I know about hunting. The first year I got my first deer a doe, The second year, is when I believe was the first time I seen Lucky, but not entirely sure. I killed mostly does that year and I seen a 4 point chasing does one morning, I wanted to shoot it so bad at the time glad i didn't. The Third year I hunted, my grandpaw finally started talking to me about letting does and small bucks walk. That year I learned more about deer hunting than ever before. How to be quiet, not make a sound, and learning to hunt the wind and some basic scent control. I was amazed at how many more deer I was seeing as the season progressed and the more I learned! One frosty Morning in early December was the first time I shot at Lucky when he was a small 7 point, he was chasen does and ran under my stand I missed him. My uncle seen him one more time that season, obviously letting him walk. By the forth season i was beginning to give up I hadn't seen but 1 buck in 2 years and didn't even get a deer the whole season. I let everything walk, sticking to my plan I wanted a rack to hold in my hands! My grandpaw kept telling me, "Its going to happen one day just give it time". Finally I bought a trail camera, and guess who the first picture on the camera was, Lucky! The way I could tell it was him is because hes had the same-ish shaped brow tines and how his antlers grew out since last year, and his double white patch underneath his neck. He was a decent main frame 8 this year. My heart sank when I heard a shot ring out a few hundred yards over by where my uncle was hunting, I knew he shot at Lucky. This is when he first earned the name lucky, The bullet hit a small limb and threw it off hitting beside him. We figured since he got this lucky and was shot at, we wouldn't see him anymore atleast on hoof in daylight. We got nothing no pictures of him, seen no big rubs nothing, like he just vanished! Until the last week of deer season in January my uncle seen him. In the exact same spot chasing a doe, where he missed him early season. When my uncle stood up in his ladder stand (to shoot overtop the big bushy-tree that caught his bullet last time). He failed to see a doe on his 3 O'clock and she busted him. Spooking the doe he was chasing and back off into the thicket he went after the doe. This year I only had one picture of him, but only of his body and neck, head was behind a tree, but I knew he was still there! My season this year has been pretty un-productive with our crazy warm-hot-cold-hot-warm-cold weather on a day to day bases. Then finally yesterday evening my grandpaw told me he had a good feeling about that ladder stand, my uncle had seen Lucky from the last 3 years. My uncle broke his arm and is unable to hunt this season, so this was the first time anyone had hunted this stand this year. 5 mins before shooting light was over, I heard something behind me, figured it was a squirrel, I peaked back, to my surprise it was a nice old doe. I contemplated shooting her since I have no meat yet, and I haven't killed a deer in 2 years! Then i thought what my grandpaw said, "Let the does atleast move around for a few mins to make sure there is not a buck behind her". So I elected to wait, sure enough not 30 seconds after I told myself that, another doe came running through the thicket, I looked behind her and sure enough I seen antlers! My heart was pounding, Shaking, Didn't know what to do with myself! I stood up quietly as I could Turned around propped my gun against the tree and found him in the scope. He ended up jumping out of the thicket and chasing the doe to 20 yards by my stand for a perfect broadside shot. Third times the charm I gently squeezed the trigger and lucky never took another step. I know hes not the biggest deer in the world, but this is one special deer for me and my grandpaw! All that hard work finally paid off, I think im the happiest guy alive at this point and time! Sorry its a little long I just wanted to post the whole story, what do you guys he estimates that he would score? After I killed him i got a trail camera picture of him from a guy that hunts a farm over!
Thanks y'all I really appreciate y'all taking the time to read my story and commenting! Now I still have over a month of nothing but bow hunting for the rest of the season!
Nice buck and nice story. It takes time to get'em. Thats why its called hunting and not killing, ha,ha. By the way, frost down in Mississippi? We have barely had frost in Wisconsin!
We have had maybe 3 decent frosts this year, really weird weather this season. I wish it would turn cold to get them moving more, been a pretty slow season besides getting him.
