What are the odds?

[Stone Cold]

On my walks to find sheds I found a 6 point left side on Feb. 25th 2008 and was happy to find it. At the time it had no meaning but a very nice shed. I did not think anything about it. I then got some trail cam pics of a very nice 12 point buck on Oct. 22nd and Dec. 8th of 2008. I was on the hunt for this fella to come up not even seeing him one time while I was in the stand. The next shed season came along and a few of my friends said that they have seen some deer that shed already. I decided to go for a short walk on Jan. 3rd 2009 to find out if any in my area where dropping. I was not even 50 yards into my hunt from my truck I found the 12 point set that was on the buck in my trail cam pics! On into the next hunting season I had my eyes set on shooting that brute if he came by. On Nov. 10th 2009 I got a trail cam pic of my buck again and he lost two of the points he had on his right side. I then had him at 25 yards at 7:45 am. I drew back my bow and stopped him in his tracks. I then let the arrow fly to hear a loud whap and watched the arrow fly over the back of the buck into the river. It was a clean miss and the buck ran off. He got to the top of the hill and looked back for a second then off he went. I then started talking to a guy that wanted me to score some of his sheds for him. I went over to his house and took my set with me. He then said "You will not believe this!" He then came out of a room with an antler that matched my right antler but was a lot smaller. After both of us decided that it was the same buck he gave me the antler due to mine being the bigger antler. I then started to look at my antlers to see that the 6 point that I found in 2008 had a lot of same curves and base curves like the others. The tines where the same and everything. I was just not positive. I looked all shed season for that set on the buck I missed with no luck! The next hunting season came and boy was it a good season. I did not see a really big deer until my hunt on Dec. 9th 2010. I had 4 does on me right at light. I grabbed my bow to try and get a shot on the bigger doe to fill my last either sex tag. When I turned in my stand it made some noise due to it being cold. It was only 1 degree out not counting the wind chill. A little bit later I noticed some legs on the same trail as the does came in on. Seeing that the does went on that trail to my shooting hole to my right I got into position to shoot at the spot again early so my stand did not make any noise. As the deer got closer I noticed a very nice rack. I then kept my eyes on the body of the deer and telling myself "Don’t screw this up!" I drew back and let the arrow fly! I then found him a bit later. I did not think about it for a while but then I was getting my antlers ready to be scored for the NASHC. I noticed that my buck had some similar characteristics as my sheds. I then took all my sheds and my bucks rack with me. The scorer also said that this is the same deer due to a lot being the same from the sheds to my buck. I was so happy to have sheds and the buck. Now he has a lot more meaning and I will probably never find sheds to a buck like I have with this one. Here are the sheds and my buck! I will put all in order that he would have grown!

[buckantler68]

that is cool, the pics are awesome

[Zambo]

That buck is a great ending to a great story. Lot's of sheds and some awesome pictures. Your living the dream Stone.

[bonehuntr]

Great story Steve!! Congrats!!!

[MASSBUCKS]

Cool Story, Great buck!

[Turkeygirl]

Very cool!

[dturpen]

Interesting story. Good job stone