About 4 years ago I was muzzle loading in an area named Stevens Creek in Edgefield County S.C. near the tail end of the season. This particular morning there was a light frost which was far from the normal 70 to sometimes 80 degree weather. The cool air felt rather chilly on the back my neck. I was in my tree, tied off and ready about 20 minutes before daylight. I knew as soon as daylight arrived, I would be looking down a grassy road which ran between 2 pine thickets. All my focus would be in that one direction.
Before the fleeting darkness was completely gone I watched as a big doe crossed the road about 40 yards from me. Unaware of my presence she stood in the middle of the road just looking around, after several minutes she ambled away. I had harvested several deer here and had a pretty good idea that this day would be no different.
The daylight broke through brilliantly bringing to life an array of beauty. The light frosted tips of the pine boughs resembled clusters of diamonds shining in the sun. Every bird had a song to sing and the leaves gently swayed to the rhythm. I can’t remember ever noticing beauty and perfection encompassing me like I did that morning.
I closed my eyes and lifted a prayer to God, thanking him for many things, including the beauty I was surrounded by. Near the end of my prayer I acknowledged the fact that He had allowed me to harvest many deer, some of which were good bucks, yet I had never taken the one big buck I really wanted so badly. I went on to ask Him if He would allow me to see “THAT” buck “THIS” morning, it would seal the deal on an absolutely gorgeous day. I then closed my prayer, opened my eyes and got ready for action.
After about 10 minutes I had a strange feeling come over me, I felt like I was being urged to turn around and look behind me. On occasion I may have just turned and looked but this morning I eased very slowly and WOW, there he was! A massive 10 point with long tines and wide beams. He was very dark along his back and face, not to mention he was only about 15 yards away.
I had climbed a pine that grew on the outside edge of a big curve in a logging road, so I could watch a long straight stretch. He was crossing the road in the same curve only behind me and to my left. He had ceased walking and was now feeding on some tender grass. His ears worked back and forth like some small radar system. I was facing the tree I was in and my gun was on the right side of it pointed down the road. My right leg was also hanging off the right side if my stand rather than being in front of me.
For me to turn and shoot I would have had to been double jointed in the small of my back. I somehow found the strength to ease my leg back into the stand. The overwhelming presence of the buck being so close and so massive, coupled with the stealth in which I new I had to use was causing me to shake like a wet dog in Siberia. Another fact I failed to mention was that I was only about 10 feet off the ground. Had I climbed any higher I would have been without the slightest bit of cover. Once I got my body shifted and under control I eased that old muzzle loader straight up towards the sky to get it past the tree, he looked right at me. I shut my eyes and waited for what seemed like eternity for him to turn away, my neck was cramping badly when he finally did. As I moved, I watched him. At one point he lifted his massive head and looked right at me again. I'm sure I jumped slightly as he broke the deafening silence with a cough, when his head turned this time I was on him. I softly clicked the hammer back as he looked at me for what would be the last time. I tapped the trigger!
The cloud of smoke and thundering boom, that I had anticipated never happened. All I heard was a loud click, then watched helplessly as my trophy bounded into the woods. I’ll be honest, at this point I was furious! The hammer for some reason fell to within about ¼ inch of the cap and stopped. He made about 4 bounds and stopped, not knowing exactly what happened.
I could see his tattered outline behind a big dogwood tree and some brush. I re-cocked the gun again and squeezed, then squeezed some more, now the dang thing wouldn’t even shoot. I yanked that trigger with all the strength I had, and made a fatal shot on the dogwood. They’re not bad if you cook em’ right, plenty of Heinz 57 helps too. I immediately climbed down, knowing full well that I hadn’t hit him, but I had to look anyway. You need to be specific in your prayers, you see my prayer was "Lord let me SEE a big buck ... and that is exactly what happened! God bless!
Be Specific in your Prayers !
