This is coming from a true rookie. I'm 42 years old and this is only my second season hunting and I have chosen to hunt with stick and string. Most of the folks I talk with about hunting say that I have made a very difficult choice by using a stick and string. At the beginning of my first season 2011, I would have agreed with them 110%. Carrying a deer stand, all the camo, all the gear required, lots of walking/climbing, and trying to stay SCENT FREE was a chore but as the season went along I fell in love with it. I let three doe and one buck walk and I do not plan on letting that happen again this year. Alright, after all that information I just gave you, remember I told you I let a buck walk. I was hunting a CRP in the morning during rut last year, I had the perfect spot with all the deer sign you could imagine, was 200% SCENT FREE, the wind was right, the conditions could not have been better and I didn't see one deer. I went home for lunch and had to do a little bit of work before going back to hunt that afternoon. While working, I got super dirty, dropped food and all sorts of other things all over my hunting clothes. I didn't have time to change before the evening hunt, but that didn't stop me. I showed up to my normal hunting spot and decided at the last minute to set up my lock on stand in a different area in the CRP. While approaching the new area I realized that I had not washed my hands, sprayed on any SCENT KILLER and I was walking into the new area upwind. By this time I was to wore out from the hike in to change areas, so I decided to hang my stand in a tree just head height, get in the stand and take a break. I wasn't in my stand more than ten minutes and I here what I thought was a duck flying over. As I looked in the sky and noticed that there were no ducks, I heard the noise again, but this time it was closer. I finally realized that it was not a duck, it was a buck grunting! About that time a doe jumped out from behind a tree in front of me and then the buck right behind her. I was so shocked at what I was seeing that I froze up and just watched the show. Both deer came within ten yards of me, looked at me and never flinched. I've wondered from that day on how much being SCENT FREE really makes a difference. That's a great deer you killed, I hope I have a chance again this year 'cause they're not going to walk this time. Great job! Safe hunting and good luck the rest of the season.

Love this story, but I love this comment even more:

"when it comes to scent reduction, you have to beware of the self-fulfilling prophecy." :-)

"When it comes to scent reduction, you have to beware of the self-fulfilling prophecy"

Amen!!! Preach on!

Awesome buck Scott, congrats! No doubt, had you have had an Ozonics machine you would swear by it, but thats just how the thermals and air currents went, real good luck. Great job, hope to hear more details.

Beautiful buck, even if Dave Hurteau does say so himself.

Great buck! Congrats!

Nice buck

Thanks for the kind words, guys. It was a thrill to be able to have a couple of encounters with a buck I'd only seen on trail cams. I'm still smiling!
NEhunter: Sure, send us a trail cam pic of that nice 8, then a hero shot when you tag him. I'm sure Hurteau will send you a prize, even if its just a mock-up sketch of what you'd look like with a goatee...

Great buck, Scott. Congrats.

nice deer dude:)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Very nice deer, and compliments to the photographer for taking a great shot.

Man, that's almost too easy! In some ways I'll miss Hurteau, the deer. No more stories until the real Hurteau runs in to a Scott Bestul.

I see why you named him Hurteau...he has a goatee too...and it's just as white! ;)