4 for 4

Okay so I am on a hot streak of sorts in that I am finding shed antlers every time I am hitting the woods. When I get up today I knew I got some things I have got to do, like put a new battery in my truck so we will not get stranded out in the out back again( long story for a different day) so before I into the big town I do a recon through the neighborhood to find where the deer had been. A quarter of the way through my tour I hit pay dirt and notice that an orchard I have permission to hunt is just destroyed with sign. Well mission control we have acquired a target for this afternoons hunt.

After my horrible Walmart morning(also another story for another time) I had lunch ,packed my gear and headed into the woods. On my short drive I knew I would be successful, call it positive thinking or cockiness or what have you I just knew. Upon reaching the orchard I was just blown away with all the big buck tracks I was seeing. I don't mean big tracks I am talking splayed foot dew claw gouging 200 lb + mature monster tracks. Those of you who are in the know, know what I am talking about. As long as a 30.06. shell and almost as wide.

Okay now I am just wound tighter than a ten day clock. big buck = big rack (mostly). I first work the upper orchard with the persistence and skill knowing the big Ol' stickers buck is still kicking around with that massive non-typical rack. The upper level has nothing that I can see but there is some snow covering potential small sheds, however big ones should still poke up.

I work into the lower section and immediately find its just as tracked up and that the deer had been bedded only fifty yards from the road. Not only is it more tracked up but there are more paths between sections. I kick around every tree and move gradually to the East then follow a trail to another section. I am walking stooped over because of the under brush and stopping and scanning the ground every few feet side to side up and down. and then as I scan just to right of my foot I see just a few inches of tine popping up out of the snow. I reach down and pop out a nice 3 point side .

A basic clean six with no brow tines. Fairly good size off a 2 and one half year old. I spend until dark thirty looking for the match. To much to cover and the bedding area is a way off so I will have to come back. Just 10 minutes from my house so I can even stop by after work. notice the size of the pedicle base huge, huh! he has some growing to do. well stay tuned, the streak will continue