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Buck #52

Hunter:    Matt Lindquist               

Score:     80 2/8"

Points:     8 points

Weight:   163 pounds

Date:        November 2003

Location:  Northern Minnesota

Method:    .30-06 bolt

It was a cold, crisp morning in my favorite stand along the creek bed.  The sky was blue and there was a very light breeze from the north - perfect for my setup.  I had been seeing does just about every day, which reminded me of last year.  Eventually a good buck did come along last year and I hoped the same would happen again this year.  I have a nice view of the creek upstream and the weekend before I had spotted a decent 6-pointer cross the frozen pond on three different occasions.  The shot would have been about 175 yards and with an obstructed view and the buck's quick pace, I didn't feel good about taking it.  But the temperature was a bit warmer this weekend and I figured a good size buck wouldn't try to cross the semi-frozen beaver pond.  At 8:30 am I heard a branch snap clear as day on the opposite side of the creek.  Definitely a deer.  I strained to see movement and waited.  It took 10 minutes, but I did finally see him at about 80 yards.  He was slowly making his way out of the woods and into the tall grass that leads up to the creek.  At first glace through the scope, I saw antlers and figured him to be the same buck as last weekend.  He took a few careful steps, stopping to smell the air in-between each step.  He was head on, so I had to wait for him to turn.  He turned broadside and took one step back toward the woods and I called him.  He stopped and looked in my direction.  I had my gun up already and the adrenaline was pumping.  The crosshairs were moving all around and I was breathing heavy.  I told myself: "Calm down you duppas and get a good shot."  I took a breath, steadied my new 30-06 and squeezed off the 75-yard shot.  I hit the heart and took out the opposite shoulder on the way out.  He fell only yards from where he was hit.  He ended up being an 8-pointer so not the same deer I saw the week before.  His rack measured 80 2/8 typical net and he weighed in at 163 pounds.  The conditions played a major role in getting this buck; the woods was quiet so I heard him break the branch, the breeze was in the perfect direction and the temperature was warm enough to discourage him from crossing the creek over the beaver pond upstream.