My 2018 buck.

Hour and a half drive and then a mile or so hike back into the big woods is a ridge me and my Uncle had been hunting at least one day every weekend since the 3rd week of October same forest but new to us area. we pulled a double day on the opener of firearms, with my only sighting of a young doe and a tail here and there that we had jumped going in or coming out. He called me last night to make sure we were on today and to tell me a buck busted him, i kinda got snobby as he wasnt suppose to go with out me though i had kid duty while the mrs. Prepared food for a pitch in dinner with my extended family on my mom's side. On the drive this am I argued not to sit where he spooked the buck and we should leave that hillside alone, stubborn Uncle won so at First light in a tree about 60 yds away I start hearing hens yelping and figured well at least I'll see some turkeys today. 8:30 kept ringing in my ears because my uncle proclaimed that's when a buck will move in to the area. I sat in his spot he sat on the adjacent hillside across the logging road. 8:25 I hear leaves crunching behind me coming up the hill as I was watching the sun creep over the ridge. I sideeyed over my right shoulder and target the movement and see antlers with a smirk on my face I slowly shake my head and face forward to collect my self as addrenaline started to overwhelm me and click the safety off of my Winchester 1300. The buck moves some more and I know was my chance to turn and raise my gun. I see the buck move again but something is wrong with this deer, it's hobbling, I thought great he is wounded, it's starts quartering away, with no solid clean kill zone shot I thought how many more years will pass before my path crosses a buck again, my whole goal has been to get a buck since I was 12 to earn my passage and show my grandpa and uncle's that their teachings has made me a successful hunter. (Antlered). I always get the shakes freezer up or spook them when raising the gun. I took aim and tried to make it a lung shot. Deer turned a little too much I caught infront of the hind qaurter and into the chest cavity. A little higher but still got some gut. The buck gets down the crest of the hill and I can't hear any movement it stopped! I think it laid down I wait patiently then hear brief movement again then CRASH. Silence... Some kicking starts then stops. I stand up on the fallen tree to peak and I can't see him but know he is down. I scan and seen whiteness from a ear sticking out. I waited. My uncle calls me and says we'll 8:30 right? I said I got your buck buddy! He hangs up. I waited till he got over to my side of the hill top and we walk down. I said this guy was hobbling he says we'll it's not my buck . We examine the front legs and the left leg was two to three times the size above it's knee. We gutted the buck I dragged him back to the logging road and said go hunt I'll hike back and get the cart. We rolled out of the woods with buck and gear loaded and headed to get ice in the cavity then went to Grandpa's house so I could get my million dollar picture. I also got a picture with my uncle's we just couldn't all get pictures at once as we were short a photographer.

19 seasons, hundreds of hours and a little over 200 mile round trips. I GOT An ANTLERED BUCK! My 4th deer. Mounting yes! We didn't butcher ourselves so Archers in Greenwood is making some money this week.

imgur.com/gallery/QigavzQ