2003 MONSTER

This was a 5x4 that wore me to a frazzle for two years! The first fall that I saw him he was moving away from me heading into a massive thicket of cane and willows. The massive body alone told me he was an old man. It was GAME ON from that point. That first season he left me scratchin' my head more than once and second guessing my every move. Normally if I am after a particular buck the use of my trail cams will help me seal the deal...oh hell no,not this ol boy! Not ONE stinkin' pic using 11 cameras in what was thought to be his core area! Season two came and went with not a single sighting and I was about to give him up dead. That's when it happened...it was late January and as I was gathering up some stands/cameras when one of my partners called and said he had located what he thought was my buck. He was about a mile and a half from me and watched the buck go into a small cluster of pines/red oaks in the middle of a 40 acre pasture!! Sure enuff after glassin' heavy we saw him layin' down.Season was still open but my vacation time was gone and there was no shakin' loose. Well it goes with out saying that OCT. 1ST did not come fast enuff. During a heavy rain shower when the buck not in the small patch we setup my stand in a lone mature pin oak during the summer.On opening day at first light my hunt ended with a beautiful mature monster! The buck had a sway back,very little teeth,battle scars,bird shot in his hips,and an awesome rack that scores 142"! This is a story that is hard to tell...after all the time/effort and ups/downs the antlers were stolen from my taxidermists shop that spring. We are still hopefull they will show up at some point...why would I work so hard to achieve such a task and not have my memories on my wall?Still searching......AGAIN.