Hunter hunting along a marsh

Tallie Cook

Information

  • Date Taken: 11/11/2020
  • Time Of Day: Evening
  • County: Osceola County
  • Property: Private
  • Dressed Weight: 140

Got out into the field around 3pm and all settled in. My mom texted me when she got settled about 200 yards away and we were in for the evening. With an upsetting hunt the evening before, we both were on a mission to have a better outcome. Had a small 6 walk right through, not even glancing at a heavy scrape and thought that maybe that wasn’t a great sign. Decided I should spray a little more cover scent and as I reached for it, I noticed that almost directly behind me, a large deer was passing through. I only saw the hind half and I knew it was a buck waiting for a doe. This was only two feet behind me! I just froze for about 5 minutes and decided to put it out of my head for the time being. Had a few blue jays fighting with a squirrel and a grouse walk through and shortly after the grouse was put of sight, there came a beautiful mature doe! I texted my mom, knowing I had only a matter of moments before that buck stepped out. I wasn’t quite expecting this big boy but there he was! He paused at an extreme left to me then took those magic few necessary steps, quartered away and looked into some pines. I let it fly and knew immediately it was money! That was at 4:58pm and I texted my mom letting her know I heard him crash down and then it was just a matter of respecting her hunt and sitting for another hour until dark. She had heard the crash too but it all happened so quickly she was hoping it was bucks fighting, not realizing it was my buck dropping! Another beautiful, heavy 8 point and I’m forever grateful for this beautiful beast. This is a personal best for me but my 2nd biggest is dang close. What a rush with it all!