"My Dream Buck That Got Away"

(November 2003)

I went to bed early that night, because I knew that 3:00 AM. would come early. Well I got up and got an early start. I got to my stand about 30 minutes before daylight. I just knew it was going to be a good day.

The squirrels were out playing early. It seemed like everything in the woods was moving. The birds were singing and the squirrels were barking everywhere. Then all of a sudden everything got so quite, you could hear a pin drop at a hundred yards.

I could see a small buck running a doe on the next ridge. I could hear the leaves and sticks breaking. I just kept sitting in my stand and waiting. I was hoping they would come where I was. But they never did at that time.

I guess I had been in my stand about 5 hours. I was getting so tired and my leg was hurting so bad. I told myself that I would sit for an hour more, then I would get down and come back the next morning. So that is what I did.

Early the next morning I was in my stand before daylight. I could hear sticks breaking in the same place I heard the day before. When dawn broke I could see pretty good. And out of nowhere there stood a great 8 point buck! But it kept looking back, so I didn't shoot, I waited.

And it walked out, it was a monster! I could see 5 long tines on one side, then I knew he was a 10 pointer and maybe a 12 pointer.

I tried to put my scope on him for 20 or 25 minutes and never could. The 8 pointer would stop and look around, I had a perfect shot of him, but I didn't take it. I don't know why but I didn't. I wanted the other one.

So I didn't get one that day either. So I guess that is my luck. But that was my choice, now I have to live with it. But I still have 14 days left. Maybe I will get lucky one more time. I sure hope so. But I will try again.