A sleepless night followed by a day to remember!

[96trigger]

Congratulations SNS, great story, great buck. You are the classic story of preparation meeting opportunity.

What, Me? Jealous? Yeah, maybe....

[mabr]

. What, Me? Jealous? Yeah, maybe....

Me to. If I only had a deer like that on my land. Ahhhhhhhhhhh I can dream.

Another WTG SNS, gives us all hope that our dreams can come true with hard work.

[propster]

Good one Stick. What did you come up with for score?

[shortfatguy]

Awesome deer and a great story to go with it! Congrats!

[mrklean]

congrats stick i think we have all been waiting to see if you bagged that beast after you posted some of those trailcam pics nice job

[Bran32]

Awesome, wow what a buck!!

[Archerysniper]

Great Job on that monster I think I followed your quest for him all last season can't wait to see what you come up with for next year.

[cluelessfisherman]

very nice! Congrats!

[Jim Uran]

Congrats buddy!!! Holy cow that's a stud of a deer.

[Monkster]

Great buck and great story. It is nice to see the 'end-product' of all of the work!

[Wanderer]

Way to work it out Matt!!!

You'll be mighty content while sitting on stand in Crosslake this year.

[fire29]

Nice work and great buck!! Funny how a big buck erases everything in your head.

[InTheNorthwoods]

Congrats on an excellent deer. Hopefully you can salvage one of the pictures for the wall with the resolution you have - they looked pretty good sitting here.

[Meat-Run]

Stick,

first off HOLY COW!!! Congratulations on such a beast and what an achievement for any archer, you did great. Speaking for most of the FM'rs we're very proud of your outcome and your sportsmanship to share the whole story, you set a great example to fellow archers!!!

Meat-Run

[Bear55]

Wow a huge congrats Stick!!! I know you have been after that guy for a while, what a treat to actually put your tag on him. How cool to have a pic of him right before you shot too.

Do you have a score for us? I know there were a lot of guesses in that 155 to 170 area.

[paceman]

Wow!!!!! let me say that again WOW!!!!!

[Bear55]

Also what did he dress out at? I love those deer stats you know.

[archerystud]

SnS,

Yank my doodle that's a dandy!!

Even made better with the trail cam of him right before you got him.

[Q_Shot]

What a great buck!

[tunrevir]

Wow, what a monster and congrats on a great hunt and story! That is one you will remember for a lifetime, way to go!

Tunrevir~

[sticknstring]

Wow - Thanks for the support and congratulations! I felt the adrenaline again just reading all of your replies. This site is incredible! It's been an exciting week, that's for sure!

Oh yeah the score! He's got 16 scorable points, 9 on his left & 7 on his right. His mains are 25" & his inside spread 20.5". His right scores over 70" & his left 74". He's got over 10" of abnormals on his brows which puts him around 175" gross non-typical. He'll gross 165 as a typical but only nets around 143". Not a very good deer on paper but pretty to look at nonetheless!

edit 12/9/10. Had deer officially scored. 178 2/8 gross, 171 0/8 net non-typical. Guessed him pretty close.

We stopped at 3 places and a called a few more for a scale. No go on the weight. The consensus from most people was 220-230lbs. By the time I found him and got done taking pictures, the sun was out and my main priority was saving the meat. Found out the taxidermist had a scale the next day. Oh well.

Someone asked about the setup I was hunting... just a small woodlot surrounded by corn. No oaks other than a few burrs, really not a whole lot for cover other than buckthorn. I backtracked that deer and he came out of the corn I'm guessing about quarter after 7 and travelled a circle around the propery at a steady clip passing by one camera and shortly afterwards... me. Scent-checking for early does, I'd presume. I've only seen the deer on camera during shooting hours once & that was last year so for him to be on his feet before dark was remarkable in itself. It's nice to get lucky once in awhile!

A neighbor stopped in today and gave me some picture he had of him from just a few days before. The pics just don't do this deer justice. Thanks again fellas for all the warm wishes. I'm still in the clouds from it all. I don't think my wife is too happy sleeping with the rack in between us! Best of luck to everyone this season!

I 've posted these before but here's a few trail cam pics of him from this year.

[Scott M]

CONGRATULATIONS MATT!!!! The food plots look great. Hard work, patience, and following a plan...it is so great to see it happen for you and its a great example for others.

[CC Hurl]

Nice story Stick... Congrats to you on an awsome animal. Love the pics on your cam and the neighbors cam too. To cool to get a shot on the cam as he worked toward you that evening just before the shot you will never forget.

Great tracking on him the next morning as well. You deserve it.

Hurl

[swampbuck]

Awesome deer! and a great story glad you got him!

[Stratosman]

Good work, man if that don't get someone jacked up to get in the tree nothing will! I wish I wasn't stuck to strictly weekends this year or I'd be out right now!

Nice job on the monster and now it's on to doe patrol for ya!