I love a good ending.
(I like nice legs too!)
All this talk about big blackies, makes me remember this huge basket rack buck we stumbled across elk hunting Matheny many years ago. We were driving down a main logging road and this buck sticks his head out up above us on the bank. I shout to my buddy driving "stop, I want a picture!" He stops the rig even with the buck. Perfect backdrop of pure green cedar limbs, dense backdrop, no gaps. Perfect lighting of evening sun on his greyed face, and Rack all aglow... I lean out the passenger window with camera to shoot over the cab, get all lined up on the deer for the awesome photo....and my buddy pumps the breaks, rolls forward a foot, and the buck bails before I get the shot. I can still see his mass and perfect basket. Orange brown rack, all perfect. Never seen a bigger live blackie.
