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So weds night I flip my back light on and there is a tall 3 pt out back with a NASTY leg issue. Every time he would take a step he would slap himself in the face with his right leg/hoof. With the feed out back and thick cover nearby I knew he wouldn't go far. Thursday I got home to late but glassed the field out back and spotted him laid up with a bunch of does, way to crunchy to put a stalk on so I decided Friday I would get home from work around 1 pm and get in my stand. Friday came and I settled in around 1:50, beautiful red came through the swamp and worked his way through the bogs on the ice, he went through the same spot 4 times (snare hanging there now). Then at 3:45 the action started. Does coming from all angles, 85% came from the primary trail through the thickest part of the swamp and the rest just filtered in, scope up i was looking for antler, no dice. 42 yes 42 does ended up passing by me on the way to feed and hit the bedding area, at 4:19 i see movement about 200 yards out in the swamp, I put the scope up and its him. I watch him painfully make his way all the way through, this guy was having a rough time. I let him keep coming and finally he was 12 yards broadside. BOOM. Down he goes. Upon further inspection he had buckshot pellets in his knee, ankle and high in the shoulder, I'm assuming from Monday or Tuesday. Without the wound this buck would have clearly gotten a pass, i have about a half dozen 4's 6's and baskets 8's coming in regularly and all got a pass this week, the big boys haven't showed themselves but are targets for winter bow. I have a youth coming to hunt winter bow and any of the smaller bucks would be a GREAT TROPHY for a first deer so im looking forward to that. I checked my buck in at gyps for the contest and with a little luck my name will come up for one of the 9 guns in the contest! The point of this story is its not all about antler, sometimes you gotta do the right thing and burn a tag. I would have still shot him if it was my second buck and then couldn't possibly take a buck during permit. I hate to see anything suffer, don't care if its a squirrel or a deer. I am very happy with my choice and he will be quite tasty! Goodluck to anyone out now for the last few hours of shotgun. I am patiently waiting for the woods to calm down and begin winter bow. I have put in HOURS and HOURs of scouting at High Point and just this week found a rub line with the bark on top of the snow. So my new quest begins. a 140 plus with the bow in the month of Jan in HP state park. Cant wait.
