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Well, I banged my head all day Tuesday trying to decide where to go opening morning. The wind was good for the 9 pt stand but he had been hanging out in there until right at daylight then leaving but returning most afternoons right at dark. Not wanting to risk bumping him out opening morning I choose to go hunt a stand I put up last year and never hunted. I had put my camera in there a time or two and had pics of a few decent bucks but nothing I'd shoot. I decided to go ahead and give it a try, heck it's opening morning I had to go somewhere.. I got soaking wet walking through head high cypress weeds and was uncomfortable and very unconfident by 8 a.m. and finally a small 5 pt came out, was great just seeing a deer. he fed a short while and moved on, I had decided at 9 I was going to get down, I had alot to do before the afternoon hunt. At 5 minutes until 9 a doe and yearling came out, I thought "crap, now I got to wait til they leave." They weren't there but just a minute and they looked back, broke and ran..When I first saw his horn (left side) I thought it was a "freak" horned deer I had pics of, then I saw the other side. He walked straight in and I wasn't going to shoot him since he was so narrow but then I saw the mass and I realized what deer it was. I am guessing he has be 5.5 yrs old and I was taught by an older fellow to not ever pass a shot at a 5.5 yr old :wink: So I took it.. Hit him good and he went about 40 yds and piled up. He is not the biggest racked deer I have ever took but a sure trophy in my eyes.
Minutes before the shot...
Beautiful Double Throat Patch Big mature deer that weighed 177lbs
Minutes before the shot...

Beautiful Double Throat Patch Big mature deer that weighed 177lbs
