Within minutes, I was on my way to the woods. I reached my logged lease only to find that hunters on the adjacent property were readying their stands for the upcoming gun season and practicing their shooting skills. There would be no deer movement tonight in this area. Quickly, I drove to the other property. Nobody would be there on Sunday.

With time running out, my plan was to set up as close to the doe bedding area as possible, and I'd got within 100 yards when a branch broke under my foot. The loud crack spooked a doe from her bed, followed by a huge buck right on her tail. Clearly, the doe was in estrus. The wind was in my favor, and immediately I knelt to see what would transpire. The doe had no idea what made the noise, but felt uneasy about the situation and moved off deeper into the woods. Because it was still early afternoon, I knew the doe would not head out to feed this early. On a hunch, I guessed she might return to her bed if she felt no other pressure. Waiting until the deer were fully out of sight, I quickly found a tree near where I thought the doe had been bedded and climbed 30 feet up.

After only 30 minutes on stand, I saw the doe coming back, and the buck was still hot on her heels. I'd miscalculated slightly on where she had been bedded, but the doe still led the impressive 12-pointer within 35 yards of my stand. Luckily, I'd ranged the tree trunk the buck now stood behind only moments before, so I had no doubt about the distance. Totally distracted by the doe, the buck never knew what hit him and piled up within 50 yards.

MY FATHER REMINDS ME regularly that the buck of a lifetime will show up when you least expect him. "If you're not in the woods, there's no way you can shoot him," he concludes.

He's exactly right, and I hope my experience serves as inspiration when you think things are hopeless. Adapt to changing conditions, keep a positive attitude, and put in your time.

Like any worthwhile endeavor, bowhunting requires a strong mental attitude, a tenacious work ethic, and a whole lot of patience. It's easy to rationalize failure or settle for something less than your goal, but never surrender to that way of thinking. I didn't, and just look at the result.

The author is a resident of Kiel, Wisconsin. This is his third feature for Bowhunter.

Author's Notes:
To succeed during my "impossible" season, I used a Parker EZDraw 33 bow; Easton XX78 SuperSlam 2315 shafts; Muzzy three-blade, 125-grain broadheads; Toxonics Sniper Pendulum sight; Tru-Fire Classic Caliper Power Strap release aid; Lone Wolf Alpha Sit & Climb stand; Nikon Mountaineer II 8x25 binoculars; and Bushnell Yardage Pro Sport rangefinder.