I had planned on hunting the entire day this past Sunday but only squeaked out a few hours in the late afternoon, still hunting trails and deer sign areas in dark woods that were entirely TOO DARK in the last legal shooting hour. Was about to hang it up when I decided to go check out the big expanse of field where I had heard that some bucks had been chasing does up and down the fence line at first light. Sure enough, emerging from the woods across the field were two deer. Just as soon as I scoped them and confirmed that it was indeed a buck tailing a doe, he winded/saw me. We stared at each other. I began hunting in 2017 and my two successes in '18 and '19 were surprise encounters in brush where I shot from about 40 yards. Here there was nothing between me and him but 200 yards of grass. I gave it a 50% chance that he would turn and run. He didn't. Just as soon as he lowered his head and resumed after the doe, I did! I moved as quickly as I could behind a small strip of brush to move in closer to get a decent shot before it was too late. I took aim from about 113 yards with a fence post to steady the rifle and watched him wheel and then flail for about 30 yards before he disappeared from sight. When I arrived at the place where I last saw him I was prepared to have to go looking for him in the brush, but there he lay. I knew he was at least a forked horn when I took the shot but had NO IDEA how big of a 3pt he was. My last two deer were forkies. I'm still in shock over this amazing buck that I never would have thought I'd have the opportunity to tag. So blessed and grateful! Last night my husband and girls enjoyed some delicious backstrap.
