KylerL
FNG
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2026
- Messages
- 10
12/15/2025: Starting from the beginning. I wake up that morning, and of course I wake up about 40 minutes later than I normally do. It’s already 5:50. I still need to shower, and I have over an hour drive to the location I’d been hunting. I spend about 15 minutes contemplating if I should even go, already being late. Finally I decide better to be late than not go at all. I hop in the shower and get dressed.
This spot I was driving to was one of my best spots this year. Tons of buck activity almost every day, with some definite shooters on the property. My target buck was a FAT 8 pointer I called Norbit, this was because he looked to be about 350lbs LOL. I’d been seeing this buck about every 3 days normally showing up on camera right before first light. The plan was to set up between my camera and his bedding, hoping he’d walk past right as legal shooting hours would come around. Being that I was running late to my spot, I worried I would spook norbit as he was due to be showing up.
I finally show up to my spot, it’s already daylight, probably 7:40 am. I decide to slowly walk back towards my stand hoping to not bump any deer. Frozen snow on the ground made it impossible, I probably sounded like big foot walking through the woods. I get about 60 yards from my stand and I bump a deer. I can’t tell what it is so I’m just praying that it’s not Norbit. The day had already gone so wrong. Woke up late, bumped deer, what else could go bad.
I get to my climber positioned at the base of the tree and get set up to start climbing. It was the coldest day of the year with temps at around -10°F with the wind chill. My climber was froze up so bad I had to almost break it off the tree to get started climbing. By the time I get up and situated it’s almost 8am. I can’t stop thinking about the deer I spooked, hoping it wasn’t Norbit. There was also many other shooters seen in the area so I hoped that it wasn’t any of my good bucks in the area. I get my phone out to check it, of course when I take my glove off to get my phone out my glove falls to the ground. I decide this hunt has gone to crap. I’ll give it 30 minutes and I’m getting down, too cold for it lol.
Here I am counting down the time. 8:25, only 5 more minutes and I’m getting down. I don’t care if I’ve been in the stand for only 30 minutes this sucks. The whole time I was up there I kept looking out to the field where I normally see deer feeding. Never seen anything each time I looked out there. I look left into the woods, look back right to the field. All of the sudden there he is! A buck that I consider a giant in my book. This was no deer I had on camera. He was probably bigger than any deer on my cams. Walking the field towards the woods probably only 10 yards from the wood line. And probably only 50 yards from me. I start getting the shakes like no other! I don’t even know if I’ll be able to get a shot off on this thing. I’m trying to stand up, of course with all the ice on the bottom of my climber it’s noisy as can be. He keeps looking up at me with every slight noise. I stay completely still.
Finally this buck walks behind a tree to make a scrape. This gives me time to get ready and get on him. I aim while he’s making the scrape just waiting as patient as I possibly can. I’m shaking so bad I don’t know how much longer I can hold out. Finally he takes 2 steps forward, exposing his whole side. I put the pin on his shoulder and let loose! I knew immediately it was a textbook shot. He mule kicks and I can see blood and steam pouring out his side where it was so cold. He runs 10 yards and puts his face in the dirt. It all happened so fast I couldn’t believe it.
I waited a few (well about as long as my patience would allow) and climbed down to finally put my hands on this deer. Best feeling of my life. Never been into drugs but I believe that no drug could ever match the high I felt from this. I wish I could relive that morning every day of my life. Everything seemed to be going so wrong but it turns out everything was as perfect as could be. I feel like if any aspect would have changed I would have not had the opportunity on this deer. I felt beyond blessed.
This year I have put more work into hunting than I ever have. I also had the most enjoyable season I’ve had ever. Just goes to show that hard work pays off even in a game that feels like luck. This has sparked my want to chase after more big game trophies. Hopefully soon I’ll have elk, mule deer, and more awesome whitetails hanging on my wall with great stories to go along with them!
I’ve attached pictures of my my deer “no name” as well as a trail cam pic of my target “Norbit”. I haven’t seen Norbit for a bit on camera, but I hope he’s alive for me to come across next year. Thanks for reading my story. Hopefully I’ll have more to tell soon.
This spot I was driving to was one of my best spots this year. Tons of buck activity almost every day, with some definite shooters on the property. My target buck was a FAT 8 pointer I called Norbit, this was because he looked to be about 350lbs LOL. I’d been seeing this buck about every 3 days normally showing up on camera right before first light. The plan was to set up between my camera and his bedding, hoping he’d walk past right as legal shooting hours would come around. Being that I was running late to my spot, I worried I would spook norbit as he was due to be showing up.
I finally show up to my spot, it’s already daylight, probably 7:40 am. I decide to slowly walk back towards my stand hoping to not bump any deer. Frozen snow on the ground made it impossible, I probably sounded like big foot walking through the woods. I get about 60 yards from my stand and I bump a deer. I can’t tell what it is so I’m just praying that it’s not Norbit. The day had already gone so wrong. Woke up late, bumped deer, what else could go bad.
I get to my climber positioned at the base of the tree and get set up to start climbing. It was the coldest day of the year with temps at around -10°F with the wind chill. My climber was froze up so bad I had to almost break it off the tree to get started climbing. By the time I get up and situated it’s almost 8am. I can’t stop thinking about the deer I spooked, hoping it wasn’t Norbit. There was also many other shooters seen in the area so I hoped that it wasn’t any of my good bucks in the area. I get my phone out to check it, of course when I take my glove off to get my phone out my glove falls to the ground. I decide this hunt has gone to crap. I’ll give it 30 minutes and I’m getting down, too cold for it lol.
Here I am counting down the time. 8:25, only 5 more minutes and I’m getting down. I don’t care if I’ve been in the stand for only 30 minutes this sucks. The whole time I was up there I kept looking out to the field where I normally see deer feeding. Never seen anything each time I looked out there. I look left into the woods, look back right to the field. All of the sudden there he is! A buck that I consider a giant in my book. This was no deer I had on camera. He was probably bigger than any deer on my cams. Walking the field towards the woods probably only 10 yards from the wood line. And probably only 50 yards from me. I start getting the shakes like no other! I don’t even know if I’ll be able to get a shot off on this thing. I’m trying to stand up, of course with all the ice on the bottom of my climber it’s noisy as can be. He keeps looking up at me with every slight noise. I stay completely still.
Finally this buck walks behind a tree to make a scrape. This gives me time to get ready and get on him. I aim while he’s making the scrape just waiting as patient as I possibly can. I’m shaking so bad I don’t know how much longer I can hold out. Finally he takes 2 steps forward, exposing his whole side. I put the pin on his shoulder and let loose! I knew immediately it was a textbook shot. He mule kicks and I can see blood and steam pouring out his side where it was so cold. He runs 10 yards and puts his face in the dirt. It all happened so fast I couldn’t believe it.
I waited a few (well about as long as my patience would allow) and climbed down to finally put my hands on this deer. Best feeling of my life. Never been into drugs but I believe that no drug could ever match the high I felt from this. I wish I could relive that morning every day of my life. Everything seemed to be going so wrong but it turns out everything was as perfect as could be. I feel like if any aspect would have changed I would have not had the opportunity on this deer. I felt beyond blessed.
This year I have put more work into hunting than I ever have. I also had the most enjoyable season I’ve had ever. Just goes to show that hard work pays off even in a game that feels like luck. This has sparked my want to chase after more big game trophies. Hopefully soon I’ll have elk, mule deer, and more awesome whitetails hanging on my wall with great stories to go along with them!
I’ve attached pictures of my my deer “no name” as well as a trail cam pic of my target “Norbit”. I haven’t seen Norbit for a bit on camera, but I hope he’s alive for me to come across next year. Thanks for reading my story. Hopefully I’ll have more to tell soon.
