It was Sunday morning on the second day of shotgun season in southeastern Indiana. I had been stalking an absolute monster buck for 3 seasons that I had never seen in the daylight. I only knew he existed through the signs he left in my woods in Ripley County, Indiana and from several photographs that I obtained with my infrared night camera. This unique animal exhibited such a massive spread that he became admiringly known as “the moose”. I had literally thousands of hours (or at least it seemed like thousands) working on permanent stands, cultivating Imperial Whitetail Clover, and numerous other deer management projects.
About 7:45 I saw a monster buck coming at me setting his pace at a slow trot. I glanced briefly at his rack, and noted that it was unbelievably “wide”. After that I was looking strictly at the “kill zone” and not the rack. This opportunity manifested itself into a 25 yard shot broadside. About 20 minutes later as I approached this animal, I became so ecstatic that I almost hyperventilated when I saw it was the prodigious buck that I had been stalking for 3 years! “It’s the Moose!” I yelled at the top of my lungs. “It’s the Moose! I’ve killed the Moose!” Yes, this was the day I had been dreaming of! This was the day I’d been praying for! The 20 pointer grossed over 193 inches and netted 187 1/8. I would like to thank the Whitetail Institute for all its superior products, help, research and advice! This day will live forever in my heart. I would like to especially thank Jesus for his favor, for this day, and for this harvest! This buck has truly proven to be, “my buck of a lifetime.”
