Let me first start off by thanking God for this opportunity to do what I truly enjoy in life and that’s chasing whitetails, not to mention my wife and all she puts up with during this time of the year. The season started off as do most, developing mineral sites, hanging scouting cams, tree stand placement, and if time, energy and cash allowed small yet effective food plots. In the years preceding this, my time in the woods has been few and far between. I spent the last two years grinding it out to make ends meet while at the same time pushing forward in hopes of obtaining a master’s degree, all of which inherently shortened my time afield. My plans were to graduate, pursue my career in athletics (coach), move if need be, and subsequently and as painstakingly as it sounds leave my deer haven. I truly was dismayed concerning my future and could hardly fathom loosing the land I currently track around on. To make a long story short I was given the opportunity of employment with my church, which needles to say was a relief as my hunting schedule would now become more flexible and a move would not be necessary (Thank God).
Lets fast-forward up to the early parts of the archery season. At this point the scouting cams are exploding with more than enough shooters to keep one man happy and based on last years shed hunting results I knew my stand locations were ideal, particularly for late season say December 2 type deer. (SHED HUNTING IS INVALUABLE)!!!!!! My early sits usually consist of letting the air out of a couple mature does, just to get things moving in the right direction. Well, it never happened, and as the points piled on for other teams, I began to wonder if I would, for the second year now, hold title as the weakest link. Although I had difficulty finding a mature doe to down, the bachelor groups busted up and the cams increasingly came alive. I gave the area a much-needed break and decided to target the Mississippi eyes up until the third week of October, in which I would hit it hard. My tactics turned out to be textbook, as I had encounter after encounter with more 2 ½ years olds one could count. I proceeded to hunt hard for the next couple weeks, participating in all day sits, witnessing breathtaking bucks and even some going close to 180”-190”s, just nothing in range. That is up until the last week of October when I decided to climb into my most lovely set-up, a fixed position stand 25’ up, in one heck of an oak tree over looking some prairie grass alongside a pine grove, just on the south side of a well known bedding area. I knew this setup had everything imaginable for hunting the rut. I climbed up settled in and gave a short grunt and rattle sequence and before I knew it I had two monster bucks within 30 yards. I eventually settled in on what I thought to be a possible 180’’ and let her fly. You know the rest!!!! High hit in “no mans land” never to be recovered. Although sickened, disgusted and ready to hang it up, I was encouraged to keep at it from members of this site, which turned out to be great judgment, thanks guys!!!!
The rut was intense and numerous bucks were seen chasing; yet the shots just didn’t develop. Shotgun season was a bust, yet once again after last years shed hunting outcome I knew my odds of stumbling onto a gold mine were higher than in years past, especially for late season pursuits. Which brings me to yesterdays hunt, December 2!
I decided based on the days prior to, I needed to be in stand somewhere around 3-3:30 since I was positioned on a field edge. After spooking several doe going in, I began to question my late afternoon decision. Once settled in, I began to relive the moment I blew that opportunity on a buck of a lifetime from the exact same stand. My thoughts would soon be interrupted, as the glimpse of what appeared to be deer just underneath the pine trees became reality. Not only were these deer but also they were headed in my direction. As the two mature does stepped out a merely 60 yards in front me at about 4:20, I thought this could be the night! As these does began feeding to the south of my site and were joined by several others, the wind cooperated and continued out of the NW. Its now last light, does are in the field and I consistently here something approaching from just down wind. As it becomes intensely closer I began to wonder if a shot is in the works as shooting light is fading quick. As I’m scanning the woods movement catches my eye once more, horns, I know I see horns, wait, doe, nope buck, crap its moving to the field edge and if I don’t pull the trigger soon its all over. I throw the binocs up and sure enough its heavy and body appears to be huge (SHOOTER)!!! I’ve been waiting for this all year. I quickly grab the muzzy, position myself for the shot and as this brute stepped inside the shooting lane I let him have it. Not exactly sure what just happened, I gather my emotions, collect my thoughts and give him 30 mins. As I impatiently wait to find my beast, I just couldn’t take it any longer. As I approach his location I see horns, sure enough he is everything I could of asked for in a late season MZ hunt. He ended up being a 6×5 with a broken G3 on his right side (that would have helped).
This is the first muzzleloader buck to date and certainly wont be the last. There is something to hunting late season bucks I just cant get enough of. I apologize for such a lengthy story, it just happen to grow during each outing this year. I specifically want to thank everyone on this site, as it’s simply amazing. I truthfully anticipate reading everyone’s stories and observing pics from one day to the next, as I believe I have gained an immeasurable amount of knowledge from doing so. I would also like to thank Danko for helping me drag this dude out of the woods.
Rory
Big congrats 
