It was a cold crisp November 15th morning a deer hunters perfect weather. The moonlight shined through the woods like a natural flashlight. I walked down my dirt path through the maple hardwoods listening to nothing but my own footsteps. I had reached the edge of the maple ridge and it was now time to declined down into a dense, dark, and eerie cedar swamp. I walked down the dirt path with each step I can see the moonlight slowly fading as I creep into the darkness of the swamp.The only sounds I could hear now were a owl howling as he is perched on a maple tree. After what seemed like a 10 mile walk in I finally could see the outline of my brown wooden box blind tucked back into a cedar cove while sitting 4 foot off the ground. I slowly walked up the four steps trying not to make a sound as I open the wooden door to the blind. I walk in, set my new matte black .308 rifle that I had bought over the summer and sit on the comfy bench and wait. I sit total darkness waiting for the sun to rise over the cedar trees in front of me.
After what seemed like hours the sun finally came up little by little the sun crept over the trees. With the sun rising the animals of the woods came alive. I could hear turkeys, squirrels, birds, and some noises I wasn't so sure what they were. There was a thick frost on the ground being melted away as the sun warmed up the air. I sat there silent, patiently waiting and watching animals come alive. I could see the turkeys cross in front of me pecking at the dirt. I watched numerous amounts of doe’s and yearling bucks cross back and forth in front of me they seemed to not know where they wanted to go. To the cornfields to my north or the river to my east. As I watched all the deer I closely scanned each one of them looking for the perfect buck with the nicest rack on it. I remember everything my dad taught me through the years of sitting with him.He would tell me don’t shoot the first deer you see, the more patient you are the bigger your reward is going to be. I did just what he said to me and waited still passing up many little bucks some spikes some four points and even a five point. None seemed to amuse me.
The day passed in almost seconds it seemed it was already noon and I was feeling hungry. I pulled out my ham sandwich and started eating still remembering to be quiet and still as possible for that I didn't wanna scare the deer and animals I had in front of me. Halfway through my sandwich I looked up to see a flock of 20 turkeys crossing in front of me, I stopped eating to watch as single file they walked almost like an army marching in order. Their black, red, and blue body's all walked around to my left side of my blind and that's when I noticed a deer standing there. At 50 yards away this wasn't like the other deer I saw this deer has a massive dark body almost black from being in the swamp all its life. The deer had its head down in tag elders and was standing in what looked like a giant pool of mud. I couldn't tell if it was a buck all though I was almost certain it was. I grabbed my .308 and opened the wooden window quietly and waited. As I opened the window the deer put its head up. A 6 point. Even though it was only a six point the antlers on the deer were huge and matched the deer's dark body with its dark horns. I knew this was the one. The one that if i was patient enough he would show up. I glided my gun barrel out the window and centered the cross hairs behind the deer's front shoulders. My body went silent, the time seemed to stop as I flipped the safety,took a deep breath as I exhaled I gently pulled the trigger.
I watched as the the deer bolted off and run halfway up the maple ridge stumble around and drop dead. I sat there still looking through my scoop and then the adrenaline hit me. I said to myself out loud in the blind “I finally did it and all by myself too.” I said it with a smile from ear to ear. I was eager to go see it. I let it lay for a half hour then almost sprinted to go get it. As I ran up to the buck I could see its massive body accompanied by his massive horns. I grabbed the rack and could see that the buck would have been a 8 point but he had very little brow tines I could care less though I had just shot a huge buck all by myself. After dragging the beast up to the cornfield I was able to load it in my truck where I took it back to camp to earn my bragging rights. We processed the deer and took it to Northern Oaks taxidermy where it sits waiting to be mounted where then itll be placed on my wall. Soon this deer will be done and every time I walk into my room my eyes will glance over at the deer and my mind will glance back at the day were ill sit remembering everything that happened that day to make me the hunter I am today.