Congratulations Mike - The ice has been broken now, nad I'm betting you won't wait as long for the next one!

Way to go Mike!!!  Keep after em!  Dan

Congrats.

Congrats on a nick buck!!    

Congrats Mike, my first trad deer was 36 years ago and I still remember it like it was last night..

Good job Mike!

Congrats.              

Congrats!

yeah buddy!!!!  

Congrats there, Mike!  

Congrats!

Excellent!  

Perfect in every way. Nice going!

Wow guys...thank you from the heart for all of your kind words.  They really mean a lot to me.  I meant that this deer is a part of each of you guys and gals.  I am going to print out all of your well wishes and put them in the special hunting folder with the keepers along the journey!

It is kinda sureal as I think back on last night.  As I once heard on one of Asbell's tapes...that buck just wanted in my game back.  The gods of the hunt deemed me worthy.  

I watched him for a while through my binoculars.  Then he meandered my way and I got excited.  Unfortunately, he was about 25 yards away and walking away.  I was at peace to have just seen the awesome critter.  I made a couple soft grunt noises with my throat and he gradually changed directions and headed straight for me in a non-aggressive kinda meandering manner.  You know, I have grunted at probably over 30 deer in the last 27 years of bowhunting and never had one come to me other than to stop and look.  Last night for whatever reason things were different and were meant to be for me.  I think this year I let go and learned to be happy just to be well enough to hunt and not worried about the kill.  Maybe this is part of why it happened...worthy...I think you guys understand the feelings I am talking about.

I spent all summer shooting broadheads everyday until my fingers went numb.  Probably shot several thousand times with all different heads till I found the one that flew the best for me.  Heck...it was a blast doing all this shooting especially with the new Fedora.  In the end, all of the preparation alone couldn't have made this happen...it was the uncontrollable force that turned that deer to me that put it into my game bag.  I guess in the end that is a big part of what makes traditional hunting so special.  We spend our lives trying to control so much and through hunting with our stick and string despite the most preparations and practice, in the end it is the uncontrollable that threads the needle.  It is a beautiful thing...