Hello everyone. Just a quick note and a pic of my very first buck. I shot two does my first year (2 years ago) but had never seen a buck on a watch. I fired at one last week while chasing but it was more to get him going than anything. Then, I passed on a small 6 pointer in my tree stand at home after the gang was done for the day. It was only Wednesday and I figured if he was still around in week two I would take him. Well, he was hanging at the neighbor's camp the next night. Duh! Anyway, yesterday, I was on a watch (I mostly chase) and I was tired and cold after a long day. I saw movement ahead of me, coming around the corner of a marsh. I first saw a body and then I saw bones. He was moving pretty quick to my left, just inside the edge of a redpine plantation. As he was about to pass me, at about 50 yards, I yelled "Meeee". He stopped dead in his tracks. I put the scope up, saw the shoulder and fired. He never moved or even flinched. He stared straight ahead. I figured I had missed him. I levered another round and fired again. Nothing. Then, as I levered the 3rd round he did a standing 180 and headed back from where he came. I fired a third shot but knew I wasn't close to hitting him. I waited a few seconds. I could see pretty well to both sides, right and left, where he would go if I had missed but saw nothing. I waited another minute but couldn't wait any longer. I stepped over the log I was leaning against and took a few steps. I look ahead and saw a brown mound ahead of me, maybe 20 yards away. I thought it might be him. As I approached, he made one last flick of the head and that's when I saw his very nice 8pt rack. I couldn't believe it. My first buck. I'm sure the guys in the next county heard me. He dressed out at 173 lb, so not a bruiser, but a definite trophy for me. He will take a prominent place on my currently bare trophy wall as "My First Buck".
Thanks!