After waiting for 15 minutes, I climbed down to retrieve my arrow and follow what I was sure would be an easy trail. How-ever, I was shocked to find my arrow covered with a mix of frothy blood and intestinal matter. Following the trail for another 30 yards, I found more stomach matter and a little blood on top of the snow. How could I have blown such a slam-dunk shot? I decided to back out and give him the evening to expire.

After a very restless night, I enlisted the help of good friend and bowhunting neighbor John Hayes, and at first light we devised a plan to approach the last sign from opposite directions in case the buck was still alive. Two minutes into our approach, John called out that he had found the buck. I ran as fast as I could in the deep snow to my trophy.

The shot turned out to be right on, puncturing the near side lung and the liver, and then exiting through the stomach. The rack was exactly as I had pictured it in early October: A tall, thick mainframe 10-point with an extra point below the right brow tine.

Unfortunately, the buck had deep puncture wounds from fighting during the rut, and these seethed with pus from the brisket, neck, and shoulders. In addition, coyotes made a meal of the left ham. Still, I was deeply satisfied that I had persevered through the season and had stuck to the goal of harvesting one of the bucks of October.

IN WHITETAIL HUNTING, PERSEVERANCE always pays, and a close hunting friend of mine, Ryan Olson, further proved that point last season. In late October, Ryan had come close to killing a whopper whitetail on public land near Peoria, Illinois. Ryan has taken a good number of big whitetails in both Illinois and at his uncle’s farm in Wisconsin, so when he said this was the largest wild buck he had ever seen while hunting, I knew he had encountered a true giant. We were working out at the gym, and as he dejectedly told me the story, I could empathize with his agony over blowing a close-range shot on a massive buck.

In the spring of 2007, my daughter, Lauren, and I found these sheds from the 17-point buck I saw in October 2006. Is it any wonder my spirits and enthusiasm for the 2007 season are higher than ever? Photo by Mike Carney

It would have been easy for Ryan to throw in the towel, sleep in, and watch football through December and January. But he kept going out every weekend, packing his climbing stand onto public land with the rest of the late-season diehards.

The last Sunday of the season, on a cold January morning, Ryan got his chance at redemption by making a perfect 35-yard shot on beautiful 10-pointer with a gross antler measurement just a hair under 170. That’s quite an accomplishment on public land, and it’s a strong testament to the power of perseverance.

MY OWN SPIRITS and enthusiasm for 2007 are greater than ever now. This spring, as my daughter and I were out hunting for shed antlers and picking morel mushrooms, we were fortunate enough to find both antlers from the 17-pointer that had stopped short on me last October. Of course, I’m hoping for a second chance at that brute in October 2007, or during the rut, but if it doesn’t happen, I won’t despair. I’ve learned the power of perseverance. Come December, I’ll be in my treestand, waiting with confidence.

Author’s Note: On this hunt I used a Hoyt compound bow, Carbon Express arrows, and Rocky Mountain Ironhead broadheads. Ryan Olson used a Browning bow, PSE Carbon Force arrows, G5 broadheads, and a Summit climbing stand.