It was quite an exciting morning in middle TN. I got on the stand at about 5:30 a.m. and it began to get daylight about 6:20. I had decided to let the does pass today in hopes that a buck would be trailing since the pre-rut should be starting. Just after daylight 4 does moved up the ridge and I let them pass. About 10 min. later I could hear deer moving in directly behind me. I couldn't move so I just waited until they were directly under my stand and then I could see that it was two does and about 20 turkeys. The does began acting a little funny and then I saw movement in the draw. It was a big bodied deer and it took me a few minutes until I could see horns. BIG HORNS! He had a very heavy rack and he was really paying attention to the two does, as were they watching him. He began moving toward them and I offered up a little prayer...just keep coming. He was close enough to see that he was a 10 ptr but not close enough for a shot. Then suddenly he ran at the does and they took off. He stopped again just out of range and waited a couple of minutes and then ran at them again, chasing them out of sight. My heart rate was through the roof at that point.
I decided to wait and just hope. About 20 minutes later I saw movement again. It was a nice looking deer and when he turned I saw horns. it was a 3 pointer that I had seen in the past. He's an older deer with a bad rack. He has a spike on one side and a fork on the other. He walked straight to me and turned broadside at 10 yards so I let fly and shot right through him. He went about 10 yards and began to buck up then about 10 yards right and I could see blood coming out of his mouth. He fell right there in sight and became #5 for the Hackberry Hammer.
Sorry about the bloody tongue and the sunlight in the background. Lousy picture but it's all I could get before my battery died in the camera.
