I finally got lucky after 20 years of deer hunting and tagged a trophy buck!
I had just stepped out of the shower and my landowner buddy called me at 5:30am. He was exited and was telling me he was going to be picking me up early. Turns out his nephew left his license at home in the cities 
His parents made the predawn 3 hour drive so our hunt wasn’t delayed. Needless to say I was making my way to my stand a little earlier than usual. I was crossing a cut bean field and I thought I saw a cat cross in front of me. I did see something, it was a skunk with his tail in the air 20 feet in front of me and me in his sights! We both immediately hustled away from each other, man that was close!
I made my way through the field into the woods to my stand, and climbed in. I quietly set my backpack down and just listened. Immediately I heard leaves crunching and thrashing fairly close. It sounded like a buck making his way down a scrape line at the edge of the woods? Or maybe it was some turkeys with night vision goggles on? It was a good half hour before shooting light so I did my best to wait and be quiet. 15 minutes before legal time I could no longer hear the leaves crunching, oh well that’s how it goes I thought. There I sat waiting as quiet as I could be, scanning the woods for about an hour. Then I sat and put my gun down for about a half hour. The neighbor on the adjoining East 40 acres had just shot. So I stood up, picked up my gun, and turned around. Just in case something came running in. While doing so this guy caught the corner of my eye. He was heading towards the sound of the neighbors shot of all things! He may have been heading to the spring in the woods for a drink for all I know?
He was walking at a good clip so I did a horrible mouth grunt. He stopped behind a group of trees (As usual) so I couldn’t see him. A couple seconds later he kept going so I took him. My shot was high and he dropped in his tracks. I couldn’t believe it! Fortunately for me I hit both lungs and the bottom of the spine.
I got the camcorder out to zoom in on his rack for a point count. I was wondering why I couldn’t focus very well. Yep, I was shaking quite a bit by this time. I took a little time to thank the Lord and calm down. When I calmed down I dug out my field dressing bag and climbed down. I figured I had a nice 8 pointer. To my surprised I had an 11 pointer with another sub legal point. But it will always be a 12 pointer to me 
Back to the stand after that for to start sending some pics to the family.
The neighbor to the North decided it was time for lunch and drove his truck out. Doing so he kicked up a couple does that ran straight to me. Bang, the tasty little one was down. My season was done by 11:25 am. as momma looked at me and ran off. It was a heck of a year for us going 5 for 3. Then we butchered Monday and wrapped em up. I took the trimmed meat into the market in Clear Lake WI for sticks and ring sausage. Picked it up last night. It’s a big hit with everyone so far.
This year left me with a couple of nagging questions. Why do deer come in downwind? Why are they always behind you No matter what way your looking? It also left me with a couple observations: I vastly underestimated the only 2 other big bucks I seen while hunting. If the crops are down the deer are in the woods. If crops are standing shoot the first deer you see since it will likely be the last one you’ll see!
I measured him green using the B&C website and came up with 155 gross and 135 net. Probably lose some more with a pro scoring and drying included. He weighed 170 field dressed so not the hugest body. The buck is at the taxidermist now so I can enjoy looking at him for the rest of my life.
Hope your season was as good as mine,
Ferny.
