This year has been a whirlwind for me. This summer we found out my wife was pregnant with our first child, the same week we made an offer on our dream house. It was a "go big or go home" kind of summer! With closing on our new place in late september and quite a bit to do, to get it ready for winter and my wife not being able to do quite as much as normal......we were busy! It doesn't help that the new place is 4.5 hours away. That meant quite a lot of time taken away from scouting and hunting.
The season started slow and I took out the wheels to up my range and try and secure enough venison to last the year. I managed to take a few, including a nice buck the first week of November.

Jamie (Ishiwannabe) planned to come down the second week of November and I was excited, as things were picking up in the woods. The night he arrived we made plans for the morning, organized gear and shot our bows under the outside flood lights. I had yet to take a trad bow to the woods this season and couldn't decide which one to hunt with. I finally settled on my old faithful 55# Super Shrew

We were up early and settled in our trees well before daylight. I had a feeling it would be a great day on stand. No one had hunted this property yet this season and it just felt right. Not long after sunrise I was getting texts that Jamie was having action with some does. I hand't seen any movement yet but thought I had heard a deer walking a few hundred yards to my East just before sun up. I kept looking that way and finally caught movement and heard crunching leaves. I threw up my binos and saw a buck making his way south. I couldn't tell if he was a shooter, every time gave me a profile, I thought he was, when he looked away he looked smaller. I decided to grunt at him and see if I could get a closer look. A few grunts and he turned completely around and came in on a string. I still couldn't decide if he was a shooter as he closed. This year the regs changed from 8 possible buck tags to only 2, so this would be my last buck tag with a lot of season left!

He closed to 8 yards and turned perfectly broadside. The decision was made and I remember telling myself to hit anchor and pick a spot. The string was gone and I saw the arrow drive into his heart. Blood pumped out as he ran and he vanished with a crash about 100 yards away. It happen so fast that when i texted Jamie he thought I was kidding. We waited an hour or so, so he could keep hunting and I could sit back and enjoy the morning(while keeping an eye out for a doe). We met back at the truck and then took up the trail. It was thick but the blood was heavy. It was an easy trail but we had to walk right up on him before we could see him.
I have a lot to be thankful for, especially this year. This is just one of them. A great deer taken with a great friend.

View from my stand. The deer was standing on the trail right in front.


following the bloodtrail



How we found him

Some more pics. He was aged by the state biologist at 4.5 years old. He not the biggest but he's darn nice.








Dragging him up hill!

Skip master, thanks for sharing! That's a real bruiser! Congratulations! Jacques

Beautiful animal. Can't eat antlers and he's definitely a shooter in my book. Only issue I have with any of this...your buddy taking the pictures (I assume), needs to be helping with that up hill pull!  

That is awesome Greg, Congrats!!

That's great Greg, Congratulations ON EVERYTHING going on including your 8!!!!  See you at the Bunny Hunt!!!

Awesome buck and congrats on the new baby.

Great deer Greg. Best wishes to you and the wife.

Heck of a deer congrats

A 4.5 year old 8 pointer at 8 yards broadside in that beautiful hardwood location...What a hunt!
Nice work and congrats on a busy year - new house and baby on the way.

Great Buck, Thanks for Sharing!

Congrats on a fine buck what a great story and fun filled year!! Good luck with new house and little one

WOW!!  Great deer!!  Thanks for waiting until the winter blues to share.  Great hunt.

That hill looks does look like a challenge but dragging a deer is such a proud moment!

What a year...a baby on the way, a new home and a fine deer!

Outstanding Whitetail!   :eek:   Buck of a lifetime right there!  

Oh yea!!    Great buck, good job dude!

Yes, very nice!

Awesome hunt! Congrats on a fine buck!    

Great buck  

Nicely done...looks like he had a soft landing!

Nice one Greg. Getting it done with a Coffey built bow is special. Congrats and best of luck to you and your Wife on the upcoming addition to the family.