For me this year I hope the best is yet to come. Our big bucks are finally on their feet during daylight.
Yesterday morning I had to pass on what would have been my personal best whitetail in 52 years of hunting them. Came by at 8:30, 15 yards in thinned pines, trailing hard. Doe must have come thru before daylight as I never saw her. He actually got directly down wind at 30 yards, threw his head up, reversed direction & put his nose back on ground & spent another two minutes searching within 100 yards.
Couldn't shoot him as I'm waiting on cementum results on a 10pt I shot a couple weeks ago, hopefully get it back Monday. Our management rule is that a buck has to meet 2 out of 4 criteria items which are 19-1/2" beam length, 4-1/2" bases, 16" inside spread or 175# live weight. If buck misses these marks then it's a two for one and your done for year.
I missed the weight by 2.7# & base by 1/4". Knew buck was narrow & tall with plenty of beam but misjudged the others. We have option of getting teeth tested for age & if it's 4-1/2+, then all is good. 95% sure he'll make it as I've had lots pics past two years.
All that said, I hope to be back buck hunting next week. Still have grandsons looking for buck too so we'll be after them until the bitter end.