Well all those years of trying and striking out finally paid off this morning in Iowa. The weather has been way too warm for much movement since we got in town for our hunt. This morning it had dropped down into the high 30's, which is not cold by any means, but it isn't 65 either. I told my best friend that I thought they would move pretty good. I got into my stand about 30 mins before shooting light. As the sun was coming up, I settled in and was watching a crew of 5 racoons doing their thing. As it got lighter I stood up and broke out the rattling bag and rattled pretty hard and loud, I also threw some grunts and a snort wheeze in for good measure. I put all that stuff up and settled in to see what the morning would bring. Well, it didn't take long, and I heard a low grunt across the "river". Now this river is about dried up and basically a huge ditch in between crop fields and standing corn on the other side. I strained to listen, and he grunted again. I look across the way and see him coming down the riverbank in the thick stuff. Now keep in mind when I first saw him I didn't think he was that big. He dropped off into the riverbed and I can't see him. I give him a low grunt to let him know a buck was indeed up there. I was already stood up and had grabbed my bow and turned towards his direction. A couple of seconds later he pops over the riverbank and I like to a fell outta the tree. I now see he's a shooter standing at 15 yards looking for the intruder. I stood still and he started walking parallel to the river. As he went behind a tree I drew and a few yards later he cleared the brush and I let the arrow fly. He was about 15 yards away and I hit him a little back and he ran about 30 yards and bedded down. I tried to be quiet as I called my wife, then my best friend who was hunting with me, then other multiple calls. I gave him some time to expire and then got down and walked over to him. I had misjudged him and even then when I got to him I was thinking 160-170 deer. Man was I wrong when we taped him, which we did twice and added all the number up 3 different times he scores 187 7/8. Absolute GIANT of a buck and I'm still pretty much numb and in disbelief. He's a 12pt with 7 on one side and 5 on the other and TONS OF MASS to go around. My buddy on the other side of the farm rattled after I told him to try it and he called in this nice wide 8pt and put a good shot on him. So in a span of about 30 minutes our Iowa hunt is over. I will probably never top this one and that is fine, but I'm about as tickled as a man could be.
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