It was 9 DEC, 9 degrees, with about 6 inches of fresh snow, and a light? Breeze. I crawled up in my tree stand and put my blanky over me, wondering with all my bulk if I would be able to adequately see behind me. At about 4:00pm, I looked over the creek about 90 yds away, and down from a ridge I saw a deer coming straight down to the creek and headed in my direction. He was in some small saplings, head down, I recognized him as a small 8 pointer I’d seen 10 OCT, not a shooting deer. Up on the ridge behind him I saw another deer moving, and could see with my eye he had horns and they were larger than the 8. I looked thru my glass- and immediately saw a double pointed drop tine- Big Louie shows his face in daylight.! I have photographs of Big Louie- about 4-5, starting 5 Sep in velvet, and a nice shot about 15 NOV I’ve also attached. Big Louie followed the path of the 8 pointer, and they crossed over the creek to me about 50 yds and stopped, looking around. Big Louie looked straight up at me for about a solid minute- I thought I was busted, tried not to breath for fear he’d see my steam, but chose blowing thru my mouth like a whistle to lessen it, also wondering if my fingers retained the dexterity to draw my bow after the exposure. A squirrel danced across the bottom and diverted his attention; he never looked at me again, or any other human being for that matter. The small 8 went over to him and licked his face a few times over and over, then they gently racked their heads, & Big Louie moved out. He went behind a dead branch at about 30 yds, and I drew, he kept walking but away, so I made my best grunt call with my mouth- he stopped, I released- bingo! My SHOT was back a bit(maybe 6 inches) the arrow sticking out of him as he ran away. It was 4:10. The 8 pointer just looked at me for about 2 minutes before running off. I came back about an hour and a half later, Big Louie only made it about 100yds before collapsing. It was nice to know Big Louie- Christian and I mulled over his photographs and dreamed all fall, now it is a reality.
