Last day of first M/L

[grayghost]

I finally made it into the woods for the first time last friday. Last day of our first muzzle loading season in TN. In the stand 45 minutes before first light, I waited until 6am before I began light calling. There was plenty of buck sign including a fresh scrape 20 yards behind my friends stand. I had never hunted this area before but he said it was a good spot. I called about every 10 minutes and at 6:30am during a loud, aggressive calling session, I see an Elm sapling shaking violently behind a large Oak tree from a distance of 55-60 yards. My first thought was a Squirrel, but the violent shaking only increased when I called again (tending grunts). I waited until it stopped and called again; lightly this time. That's all it took. He headed my way and when he stepped into the logging road at 35 yards, I put a 250 grain TC Shock Wave bonded pushed by 2 American Pioneer pellet sticks into his right shoulder. He scamppered off and fell within my sight, going maybe 50 yards. Penetration was excellent. Not a bad 2 1/2 year old, but the surprise was he field dressed 160 lbs (TN law requires us to check in all big game). Our deer are not only increasing in number, but average weight, and we now are seeing more P&Y and B&C deer coming out of TN. This buck had made a scrape under the Elm and was smelling rutted up. I'm not a dedicated trophy deer hunter, but I won't take another buck here at home (we're allowed 3 per year) unless he's a mature buck. We can take 3 does per day so meat isn't an issue. Good hunting, grayghost