Haven't been able to get out at all this fall due to a crazy work schedule, family conflicts, life in general. Said I would make sure to hunt Thanksgiving morning before things got crazy. Secured permission to hunt a friends property, that I always thought had great potential but in 15 years has never presented an opportunity to take a deer. Then, my alarm went off at 4:30 but I hit snooze. And then hit snooze again. And decided, I was tired and didn't want to go waste time sitting in a tree only to come home empty handed. At 5:30 am my wife says - go hunt. You need to get out of the house and hunt or you will be grumpy all day. So I wake up, throw some clothes on. Hop in my Jeep and drive the 45 minutes to my friends place. Its start of shooting light as I arrive late. Start walking in around 6:50 am - its about a 15 minute walk at a fast pace to the stand I plan to hunt. But I'm going at a slow pace. At 7:03, while walking along the edge of a field a buck pops out 25 yards ahead of me, nose to the ground. I shoulder my rifle and he takes off. I "bleat" and he turns to look at me wondering if I'm the hot doe he's after.
Fatal mistake.
9 pointer.
135 pounds dressed weight (estimated 170 pound on the hoof)
Not bad for a Virginia Whitetail.
CVA Wolf, 250 grain Thompson Shockwaves, 100 grain Blackhorn 209