Hunter: Nathan Crowder
Points: 16 (9L, 7R)
County: De Kalb
Season: 2020-2021
Hunt Story
In the 4 years leading up to this season, Drew, a good friend of mine, and I shared trail pictures of this great buck. Sporting a true main frame 12 points at a very young age we had high expectations for the young buck we later named The 6x6. For the following 3 years he grew an 11-point rack with his right side G5 just shy of an inch, not really growing to what we had hoped. At age 6 1/2, carrying 11 points and a gross score in the 150s, I grudgingly agreed to stay optimistic and give him a free pass for another year. Boy was I glad that we did! Drew and I both had summer pictures of the 6x6 this year as he began showing his true potential. After a true test to our friendship and surrendering to God's plan, Drew and I decided to both pursue this great whitetail within a quarter mile of one another. Busy with work and an upcoming 3 weekends of my wife's non hunting/out of town plans I decided to make a plan. The first couple of hunts were uneventful with marginal wind that had me questioning my decision to be in the tree. Then a change in weather and luck brought a perfect wind, high pressure day which I knew I couldn't miss. After slipping in late I watched a scrub 6-point for most of the afternoon and began to think he would be the only deer I would see. Finally, I saw the 6-point look over his should and begin to exit the area. I first saw an 8-point that I believed to be another 8 in the area. Then I realized that he was the 8 point running buddy of The 6x6. I told myself to only focus on shot execution. The 6x6 made his way in to about 8 yards before turning broadside and stepping behind a large tree. I waited for what seemed like forever before he took another step forward and I made the shot at 7 yards.....
