Here's the setup. Yesterday morning , just enough light to see the sights and the game if any.Best time of the day IMO. Sitting under a power line right of way that borders our farm to the East. See some movement to my right and spy a BIG rack coming thru the brush. BIG wide 8 pt. The perfect 8. I think he's the owner of the big shed I found last Winter, only now he has one more year of growth on him. Finally I see the body-- huge ! 200 + if he's an ounce.But he's still on the neighbor's place but he's headed my way. He crosses the fence (or what used to be a fence), now he's on us and fair game. He's headed in the right direction so if I shoot he will stay on us, and actually head toward the truck. That does happen now and then you know.

All I need is three more steps and he's in the slot for a shot. Gun up, full cock, breathe deep to cure the buck ague. Re-check the sight picture, one more step, and then BOOM BOOM ! (two shots and I have a muzzleloader, so you guessed it, it ain't me shootin'). No the shots weren't at the buck, they come from behind me but still on our place. My buck stops at the report, looks in that direction, turns and slowly walks away, no shot given.

Seems my father in law gave the boy who lives in the rental house permission to hunt, unbeknownst to me.

Well ,he's about 12 or 13 and just got his first deer. His MOM was sitting under the tree with him just to keep an eye open for him. (broken family- dead beat Dad). The kid's happy, I may get another shot at the big buck some day. It ain't all bad.