Been trying to take a couple does to manage the population during muzzle-loader season and had seen a herd both yesterday and the day before, but without a close shot. Yesterday I saw where they came out of one of our stands of overgrown spruce Christmas trees, and this evening I stood downwind about 40 or 50 feet in my appropriate dark green camo. On cue a nice big doe came out, and as it worked out, I had my 3rd heart short of the season (dumb luck). When the smoke cleared, it lay about 50 feet from where it was shot. One of the largest does I had ever shot, so I ran my hand over its head to be sure it was not a button. Went back to the house and grabbed the jeep and my wife to load it up. My wife said that is a nice doe!. Then she said, but it smells like a buck. My wife takes over when I shoot a deer, so I knew something was up. I went back to the head and saw that it was a shed. No bumps - just small areas where the antlers had been (probably a 1 1/2 year old). I will be cleaning up the guns for the year. So much for managing the herd for trophy bucks this year. Best intentions thwarted by early shedding antlers...
