2009
The next year he was the #1 buck on our Hit List... One day my brother and I decided to swap stands and he went to my stand but he had to get out early as he was sick and coughing, and didnt want to ruin the area... Not even 20 minutes after he left the stand... He showed up, It was November 11th and he was nicknamed "The Veteran"
2010
The next 2 years we got minimal trail cam pictures of him but I managed to pick up a shed off his 2011 rack and the matching set from 2012... We were determined to do everything we could to get a crack at him...
2011
2012
2013
At the beginning of the season this year we set a camera up in his area and much to our suprise he was back, and he was coming to the camera almost daily... He was still at the top of our Hit List even tho we had never laid eyes on him...
On Wednesday Dec 4 I went to my best stand for a N-NE wind and not even 30 mins after sitting down I see him coming down the fenceline no more than 30 yards to my left. I have an open gate at about 25 yards, it looked like he was going to come in but instead he started walking away... I hit him with a grunt and he stopped in his tracks... he quickly spun and got all grizzled up and came to my gate... at 25 yards, and behind a cedar, he froze up... I thought he wouldnt take those last few steps... He did...
and 20 yards he locked up, not sure if he winded me or just knew something was up... I had a slightly quartering towards shot and knew he was getting ready to bust out of there. I took my shot and hit back lungs. I decided to leave him for about 2 hours before taking up the trail... After waiting, I started following a fairly steady blood trail... about 100 yards later, there he was...
I was speechless and couldnt believe it, I still cant believe it... but here is The Veteran... He is by far my biggest buck and the definition of a true trophy for my brother and I with all the history we have to go with him...
And now on the wall...
Thanks for reading... Comments Welcome!
