Hunting with Mike

This is a picture of Scott Smiley and his Monroe County 8-pointer. It’s his 1st. buck in ten (10) years of hunting. Congratulations Scott! Scott has been hunting the last few years with his father-in-law Darryl Ansel (my little brother) which increases his chances 10-fold of finding deer. Darryl is a deer “magnet” and is probably one of the most knowledgeable veteran deer hunters around these parts. That being said -here is Scott’s story.

Opening day came up a big fat zero for Darryl and Scott, as did Friday morning. Darryl had to pick up one of the grandkids in the afternoon, so Scott went out earlier than normal. He set a feeding doe decoy in the field, next to the woods, and plunked down under a big oak tree. Within 5-minutes a yearling button buck and doe started, cautiously, milling around the decoy. The wind was in Scott’s favor,so the two young deer stayed in the area for an hour and a half. At 20 minutes after five the young buck lifted his head and stared toward the woods. Scott saw movement, as the 8-pointer strutted out in the open to investigate these two upstarts, and the “feeding” doe they were with. At this point the deer was just over 100 yards away, and Scott asked the Lord just to let him get a shot at this nice buck-before he had a heart attack! On command the deer confidently walked closer to Scott’s position. With his trusty shotgun perched on his left knee Scott ask for Divine help to steady his nerves. The buck is now squarely in the center of Scott’s scope, and grazing by the decoy. Scott slowly and methodically pulls the trigger! The buck reels backwards, and makes a dash toward the woods.

Scott is so excited he calls his wife Jodee on his cell phone-which dies as they rejoice together! As Scott walks to collect his decoy he can see the white underbelly of the deer, just 15 yards into the woods. Scott put the slug squarely in the center of the front leg crease, which resulted in a perfect heart/lung shot. Scott is so elated he almost leaves his “lunch” in the woods! “Oh Happy Day” kept going over and over in Scott’s mind.

Scott’s buck had a couple broken tines, but a true “trophy” if ever there was one. Looks like that father-in-law is starting to “rub” off on you young man. Be careful cause they’ll come in bunches now!!!

Scott is pictured below with two of his kids Makaylee and Caleb.  Scott and Jodee’s first born Kyler is with Jesus in heaven.

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