Norm Eggleston of Streator, Illinois shot this 12-point from 5 yards away with his bow. It scored 156 5/8 (Pope & Young).

"It was around 3:00 p.m. when I reached my stand. Not more than 10 minutes later, I heard crunching leaves behind me to my right. Slowly moving a little to my right, I noticed movement from a deer about 35 yards away in a really thick area. Then, slowly, I saw some antlers come into sight.

"All of a sudden he stops and beds down around 30 yards away in cover so thick he went out of sight. What do I do? Call him in? Or wait him out to see which way he will go? I decided to wait him out, when suddenly I hear another buck scraping up a tree 15 yards behind the big buck. The big boy got enough of that noise and stood up. Looking around for a minute, he decided to move out.

"I brought my bow to a full draw just as he was passing under a large branch then waited until he was 5 yards away. A perfect shot broadside. I grunted at him with my mouth. He stopped. I finally had the shot I've waited my whole life for. A monster buck at 5 yards broadside stopped with me at full draw.

"The arrow went through both lungs and into the timber soil. He bolted for twenty yards, into a power line clearing, and then started to wobble, looking like he couldn't take another step. I hope people understand this deer is a lifetime dream for me."