The whitetail rut is a fickle thing. My brother David says it's only as crazy and energized as what you see in front of you. You could be having a great day with many bucks chasing does all around you, while just a mere few hundred yards away, your brother could be bored and not seeing anything.

This was my experience this season. I just couldn't seem to get in the right spot. Until last Saturday when a flurry of hide, hair, antlers, buffing breaths, snorts and grunts plowed in to me as I sat in my tree stand at 10:15 AM. A hot doe with four bucks chasing her was trying her best stay out in front. Branches cracking and leaves rustling brought music to my ears. The doe eventually ran under my tree and then cut out to the north east with a spike buck a few feet from her rear. Two 8-pointers we next to come out of the thicket, and then a huge bodied 9-pointer.

The 9-point was the biggest, but he ran to the West, missing out on the direction the doe went. I immediately grunted at him, causing him to stop. My second grunt caused him to look in my direction and then charged directly at me, stopping at 10 yards. He took my arrow in the side and ran off in the direct the doe and younger bucks went. Pausing at 50 yards and snorted three times, the buck disappeared into the thickets. I sat quietly for two hours, watching.

He had a huge body, but nearly all fat was run off of him. However his neck was still very swollen and it measured 27 inches in circumference at the jaw. His eye-to-nose measured 8 inches. Rut is only as crazy as YOU experience. Mike

Mike, show them the picture of his head/neck. What a stud buck. Good job brother. BW

Damn!!! Congrats on the bruiser!!!

hoss of a buck!

What a Stud.  

Congratulations on the beautiful buck, Mike. There are many reasons for whitetails to be the favored pursuit of many of us, and that five minute jolt of adrenaline you experienced is one of them. Thanks for the story and pics.

you shot a hog... =)

Congrats Mike.  Thats a Bruiser!

What a beauty.......  

Wow!

So THATS what a buck looks like??!!  Hes a beauty Mike, Congratulations!

Great buck - well earned
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massive, beautiful buck man!  great work

QuoteOriginally posted by NIGEL01:
Wow!

X 100!!!  

Holy moly!  Congrats on a real stud there.    

Awesome, congrats

What a brute!  Once again, you show us how it's done Mike. Congratulations!

Great buck!  What is your equipment setup?