It was the bottom of the ninth, two outs with the bases laoded and I was swinging for the fence. Some may say I struck out, but I know better 
Well, it ended the way it should. I enjoyed my final weekend of chasing big bucks and had a great weekend, but an unbelievable last hunt, last night. I spent this last weekend up in ND just South of Fargo as always.
After arriving to my buddies house late Friday night / Early Saturday morning, I found myself in a tree stand with my new hunting buddy. I finally talked Stacie into leaving the warm bed in exchange for sitting in a cold tree stand with me Saturday morning 
. It was a great morning with a great wind. As we got settled into our stand, I grabbed for my release on my bow and noticed that something was missing 
The entire trigger and mechanical part of my release was missing 
. Needless to say, I was pissed 
. So we sat the entire morning, just hoping Mr. Big wouldn’t show his face. When the turkeys came out of roost shortly after sunrise they stirred up the entire woods, sending deer running everywhere. After some encounters with some does and fawns through out the morning our hunt was coming to a close when, I heard the familiar sound of that bow string “twang”. Upon meeting Paul back down on the scary slushy river shortly after the shot, I noticed he had a doe lying on the far bank that he harvested only minutes earlier. We dressed the deer and tagged her. Left her lie cause we had planned on pushing his woods with a group of guys later that day. It was a fairly warm January morning and a beautiful day to be in the woods. Most of these last weekend of the year hunts I remember as being below 0 temps and winds that are a howling. It defintiely was a nice change
Getting back to Paul’s house the group of guys was already there waiting to start our deer drives. I got my back up release from my pack (important tip to have a back up release with) and was ready with a few clothing adjustments. We proceeded to push a few pieces of property that we traditionally push on the last weekend of the season each year. On our 1st push/nudge the 20-25 deer made a break across the frozen river just about 50 yards in front of our 6 posters. So off to the next piece of property. This push took awhile, but worth the wait as the woods came unglued. I watched 75-100 deer bust out to the open field edge and broke off half one way and half the other. A plan that worked out quite well as half of the deer were going to 2 posters and about half to the other 4. I had my eye on a particular buck that was working my way. Passing on numerous does waiting for my buck that never ended up showing his face down my shelter belt. I’m guessing he must of doubled back somewhere. Well after a few more pieces of property @ days end we had some does to show for our effort. We saw a few very impressive bucks that just did not want to cooperate 
. My buddy Paul had an encounter with a very nice “Tweener”4×4 that had a busted G2 @ about 5 yards.
That night we ended up with our significant others at the local bar for some food and 
. The girls were celebrating, as the hunting season was coming to a close and they were hopeful to see their boys a little more frequent 
It was good for them to get together with other females that experience the missing husband/boyfriend phenomenon that happens each Fall to exchange stories and secrets 
. The girls got a little out of hand that night, was defintiely a under statement
That brings me to Sundays night sit. I couldn’t ask for better weather as a cold front seemed to be moving in. It was snowing and wind was steady. I chose the “Outhouse” stand. This stand was located between a few different bedding areas that funneled them into one area to get to the food source. I saw 2 does and 3 fawns pretty quickly, but then it was pretty quiet as I saw a few more off in the distance going to the food source. Then once the sun was gone the woods came alive. You name it I saw it; deer, turkey, coyote, bald eagle, possum, 2 roosters and a hen. I had a few encounters with a some more does and fawns then 2 small bucks came through and did some sparring about 35 yards away ( a small 8 and a 7 pointer). The does and fawns just watched the two bucks play.
With about 15 minutes of shooting left with turkey making their way closer and the bucks sparring. I hear some thing that is coming from behind me, taking a look over my left shoulder and see a very nice rack closing the distance as he is already within shooting distance. I took a quick look in front of me and decide I had to draw my bow now, as this buck will be to my shooting lane shortly. As I started to ease my string back, just wondering of how big this buck actually is. I remember the cold feeling that shot through my body as part of the excitement and suspense of not knowing how big this buck was. But I knew enough, that he had me scrambling inside. As I came to full draw, he came into my field of view. I saw a very impressive set of head gear, but he was coming up just short on my numbering system. He stopped and stood with his head up, viewing the immature bucks sparring. He was stopped broadside and I knew he was way under 20 yards (later ranged it @ 12 yards) and out in the open. The moment of truth was here, as I was on him, but I just kept peeking at his brow, G2 and G3’s and kept doing the math in my head. I like to see 22 inches of tines (one side)to make me feel comfortable that it is a for sure a shooter. Soemtimes 20 & 21 inches can make it depending on spread, thickness, and length of rails. Then I looked at his rails. I kept coming up with high 120’s gross. As I was at full draw, I checked my pins on the buck and had the light, etc, but I just could not pull the trigger. I thought in the back of my mind that this buck would probably just miss netting by inches of P&Y, but could make it . I looked at the buck’s body language again, he was still intent of watching those two other spare. No matter how I added it up in my head, I was not 100% sure this would make P&Y. The buck finally started to graze below me and started to work past me and now was quartering away as I let down my bow. The fever and excitement started to set in as my heart was starting to pound and the even colder feeling set in. Man those bucks get me shook up
. His head snapped to attention, most likely form the movement of my last move. As I sat in awe of that buck still less than 20 yards from me. I stared at the snow covered forest floor while memories and flashes of that encounter and the other ones previously from my ND hunts flooded my memory. A feeling of accomplishment and a indescribable feeling set in as I watched that buck graze his way towards the food source. I just passed up one heck of a buck and felt truly blessed to have had the encounters that I have had this year. Thinking back to the rut/Halloween hunt I had up there and having encounters with 3 World class deer, one being a buck of a lifetime. Having shared some of these hunts with Stacie and my buddy Paul mad it that much more special. I was awakened out of my dreaming by the sound of turkeys making their way up to roost only 40 yards from me, which scurried the deer along their way. I still had a few stragglers coming in around me as the last few moments of shooting light were coming as a doe walked in under my stand on the same trail the 4×4 just moments before vacated. I came to full draw, put my pin on her and let out a loud “Bang” as she scurried back into the darkness. I did not have to harvest a animal that evening, it was a perfect and successful hunt/year just the way it was and besides my freezer was already full
As I got down out of the ladder stand, I noticed how light it was as I looked up at the moon peaking between the clouds. I made my way out towards the middle of the field. I looked back into the woods as that incredible feeling came back, I said my thanks and gave it a fist pump and a thumbs up to show my appreciation for a great year and many memories that will last for a long time. Also knowing that many more great hunts in those woods are ahead for me, thanks Paul!
Here was my math on this buck:
Tines were 20″ (3″ G1, 9″ G2, 8″ G3)
Rails were decent & guessed @ 21″
Thickness about average guessed at 15″
That equals 56 inches, multiply by two (other side) you have 112″, add spread 16-17″. He comes out grossing 128-129″ish. Now these are of course guess’s, but if I’m not 100% confident that he will make P&Y on this property, he will be making it to next year. He will probably be in the 140’s next year . Could he of made it possibly. I guess we will find out only if we find the sheds. Speaking of sheds, on our one and only drive on Sunday, Paul found a fresh shed, a small 5x shed. That is the earliest I have ever saw a shed. 