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180 Proof - a deer story (long read)

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    180 Proof - a deer story (long read)

    Like most everybody, my plans were in place to hunt the long Thanksgiving weekend. The weather forecast was about as good as could be expected and anticipation was high. I have had a certain deer on my mind since about mid-July when his growth really started to explode. Texts were flying between the LO and I about his progress, almost daily. We ended up naming him 180 proof, because all through velvet we thought he would scare 180". I put in some hunts in October and I always seemed to just miss him. This buck has always had a tight home range so the only real fear I had was of him breaking up before I could catch up with him. As the days grew near, the LO was seeing him regularly and my hopes were up that we would cross paths. Friday morning finally arrived and on the way in to the blind he's been seen the most at, he crossed in front of us in the dark. I couldn't believe how big he was. Game on!

    I get dropped off and settled in. 10 mins later the feeder throws....what? The time is 6 AM. Fantastic! Not 5 mins later I hear about 8 shots fire off in the direction the LO went. Then a text: wife coming back by, IA's were by her blind and she's headed to a different one. No sooner after I read it I see the headlights and she buzzes by. I sit back and chuckle thinking, at least my luck is consistent. Daylight breaks and several does filter in to feed. I watched the awesome sunrise and was just happy to be in the brush again. About 45 minutes later I see a big dark deer trotting in about 400 yards away. Sure enough, it's 180 proof. He proceeds to gather about 5 does and pushes them in like a herd of elk, putting on one heck of a show. In what seemed like an eternity he's finally about 120 yards away. I was ready for him and let him have it. He fell in sight. I couldn't believe it. My largest buck was finally mine. He busted off an estimated 3" of his G4 and still stretched the tape at 168 7/8. It was a bit bittersweet not officially clearing the 170" mark but for a low fence brush country buck with the character he has, I'm on cloud 9.

    Oh, and come to find out the shots fired were warning shots to keep the IA's away from the girls in the blind. No one was harmed. On to the pics!
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          #5
          My goodness what a buck. He has a lot of character. Congratulations!

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            #6
            Whoa, what a nice buck. Congrats bud!!!

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              #7
              Congrats on a Great buck!

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                #8
                Awesome buck!

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                  #9
                  Wow, Congrats on a monster.

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                    #10
                    Congrats on an awesome buck. It's usually the times we think, no way is this going to happen, that it actually does.

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                      #11
                      Great buck! Congrats!

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                        #12
                        dang good deer right there

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                          #13
                          Heck of a buck, congrats

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                            #14
                            Woah. Congrats on a heck of a deer.

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                              #15
                              great buck!

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