Last season (2017) I had this nice 8 on my radar. Knowing that he really needed another year he would get a pass.

Luckily for him, he broke himself up which probably saved his life from other hunters.




This off season he was back looking better than ever.
I couldn't wait for him to finish out and see what his progress was from last season.



Then I get hit with this heart breaker. This dude must be a hell of a scrapper




It's amazing what another year can do when you let them walk and have a chance to mature

Seen it happen many times.

Hate that. Has happened to me the last 2 years. First year I wanted to take him he broke the entire left beam off, last year he went from a 10 to a 6 between nov. 1st to nov. 5th. Haven’t seen him this season....

Watched the biggest buck I have ever shot for 4 years. He was a typical 12 the year I shot him with 2 busted tines. Didn't care then don't care now and he is mounted with them as they were when he hit the ground. His second set of horns he was an 11 point. By mid December he had two long spikes with a bunch of busted lumps on them, was like that pretty much every year.

Frustrating for sure, but heartbreaker would be finding his coyote-gnawed carcass hung in a fence.

Nothing alittle bondo can’t fix

While filling feeders the weekend before the season opened we found an antler off a 10 pt. that had skull attached to it. I am wondering if he will even grow one on that side next year. He was seen this past weekend so he is alive and well. After looking at the pic again I don't think it is actually part of the skull but it sure is nasty looking.

FIFY

Broken brows don't deter me at all...

Good Taxidermist can fix that