What you'll get this go around, with this magnificent buck, is a story all in John Michael's own words. Sometimes the stories are so suspensful, so crazy, or so inspiring every single planet and star must align perectly for the plan to come together. Sometimes there is no plan, and the the hunter does all the right things at all the right times to make the deer take all the right, or wrong in the deer's perspective, moves. This is one of those stories. So here's it is, in his own words. ENJOY!
"I got in the tree around 3:00pm, wondering if it was a good spot or not because there's literally stands every hundred yards. But being it was a Monday there wasn't anybody there. About 4:00pm I heard something to the left and I stood up. When I looked it was a decent 8 point. I drew back on him twice but I couldn't get a shot through the limbs. So he got by me with no shot. But boy am I glad he did because the same trail he walked away on, 30 minutes later, I see horns coming my way... BIG HORNS! I stood up and got ready to shoot. He got within about 50 yards and turned on me and went around me where I couldn't see him anymore. I hit my grunt a few times and snort wheezed at him.
After about 5 minutes of wondering where he went I heard some commotion back behind me. When I looked it was a doe walking around. I looked back to where I lost sight of the 10 point and he was coming out making a B-line to the doe. He couldn't see her; he could only hear her. He was probably about 80 yards at this point, so I hit my bleat can twice and he stopped for a second looking around. Then he turned and was headed my way so I got my Hoyt ready to shoot. He made it about 50 yards and stopped looking straight my way; not seeing what was bleating, he turned away. I knew it was now or never so I drew my bow and let the rage 2.3" fly hitting the deer perfectly. He was quartering away hard but at the time I really had no idea where I hit the deer. I just knew how he acted was a good sign. I saw the buck run about 40 yards and was stumbling around then he stopped for a second and cut a back flip, kicking his legs. At the time I guess I was in shock. I just stood in excitement! As soon as I gained composer I climbed back down the tree and ran to my buddy Jonathan Zell to let him know I shot a big one. I couldn't stand waiting anymore; I saw the deer fall and I was ready to put my hands on him. When we got up to him I was thinking he was around 150", but after taping him I think he's in the mid 160's. I haven't got a for sure score yet but I'm going to enter him this week in Big buck contests all around and I'll be getting official scores. I'm more than blessed to kill something like that."
Congratulations John on a majestic, monarch of a 10 point.