Background: The hunt was mostly uneventful, and it’s more about the story of the buck. For obvious of reasons, his name was High and Tight (H&T), and he was a serial underachiever in the antler department his whole life. What he lacked in head gear he made up for in attitude, stealth, and body size. This deer has been followed for at least the last 5 years by lease members, and has remained undesirable (to many) and almost un-killable the entire time. Possibly compensating for his subpar antlers, he liked to fight – a lot. He would routinely break off most of what little he did have fairly early in the season. One of our other members had been after him for several years, but just couldn’t connect. He had a chance at him last year, but missed him with his bow. That member moved to a different area of the lease, and I took over his old spot. The buck spent his summer to the north of my area, but moved in like clockwork at the beginning of October. At first, always at night, then gradually a daytime showing here and there.
Hunt: I actually missed an opportunity the second weekend of October, because I would be getting home late on Friday evening from work and decided to wait until Saturday to head up with my 8yo son. After the evening hunt on Saturday I was checking pics, and he had been at a feeder for 30 minutes that morning. My boy started smack talking, “See, I told you we should’ve come last night and hunted this morning!” He had been there 4 out of the previous 6 mornings for the same time frame. I guess he was getting set in his ways in his old age. However, he was a no show on that Sunday morning.
Fast forward to the first weekend of November, this time we went up Friday night. I had been sick all week, and was feeling my worst during the weekend. My boy made sure to remind me that we needed to be hunting Saturday morning, so we were. Almost on schedule, he simply walked out toward the feeder at about 7:15 with only a couple of brief pauses to survey the area. Once he reached the feeder and turned broadside, his story came to an end. I got a big “I told you so” from my son (along with smiles and hugs). In reviewing the pics since the previous hunt, he had only been in the area a few times and had not been on the regular schedule anymore. It was just the right place, right time.
Stats: He was enormous! He appeared to have missed the fewest meals this year, and tipped the scales at 215# live weight. The circumferences of his neck just behind his head and just in front of his shoulders were 26” and 35.5”, respectively. He had a spread of 14 6/8”, and I rough scored him at 106 4/8”. We had him at 3 to 4yo in 2013, putting him at 7 to 8yo this year.
Summary: Part of me wishes that the other member could have connected with this buck since he had a long history with him, but the rest of me is happy he didn’t. Long live H&T!
Age progression
TC pics from this year
LDPs
With my smack talkin' good luck charm
Hunt: I actually missed an opportunity the second weekend of October, because I would be getting home late on Friday evening from work and decided to wait until Saturday to head up with my 8yo son. After the evening hunt on Saturday I was checking pics, and he had been at a feeder for 30 minutes that morning. My boy started smack talking, “See, I told you we should’ve come last night and hunted this morning!” He had been there 4 out of the previous 6 mornings for the same time frame. I guess he was getting set in his ways in his old age. However, he was a no show on that Sunday morning.
Fast forward to the first weekend of November, this time we went up Friday night. I had been sick all week, and was feeling my worst during the weekend. My boy made sure to remind me that we needed to be hunting Saturday morning, so we were. Almost on schedule, he simply walked out toward the feeder at about 7:15 with only a couple of brief pauses to survey the area. Once he reached the feeder and turned broadside, his story came to an end. I got a big “I told you so” from my son (along with smiles and hugs). In reviewing the pics since the previous hunt, he had only been in the area a few times and had not been on the regular schedule anymore. It was just the right place, right time.
Stats: He was enormous! He appeared to have missed the fewest meals this year, and tipped the scales at 215# live weight. The circumferences of his neck just behind his head and just in front of his shoulders were 26” and 35.5”, respectively. He had a spread of 14 6/8”, and I rough scored him at 106 4/8”. We had him at 3 to 4yo in 2013, putting him at 7 to 8yo this year.
Summary: Part of me wishes that the other member could have connected with this buck since he had a long history with him, but the rest of me is happy he didn’t. Long live H&T!
Age progression
TC pics from this year
LDPs
With my smack talkin' good luck charm
good job on connecting with that one 
Comment