Got off of work Saturday and checked the wind out on my way in. Had a perfect wind for a stand i hadnt hunted all year, atop a ridge overlooking a swamp bottom. Got in the stand around 315 320 pm and as i was looking around i saw a group of 5 or 6 good fresh rubs at the bottom of ridge in front of me. Told myself “somethings hanging tight down in here.” Climbed out of my stand and begin a rattling sequence, kicking brush breaking sticks the whole 9 yards. Pretty much and all or nothing rattling sequence. Got back in the stand. Checked the time and it was now 350pm. So about 15 20 minutes later i did a solid grunting sequence, followed by a couple of doe bleats. Couldn’t have been 5 minutes later this guy came cruising through on a string head up and looking. Stopped him in an opening broadside at about 70 yards down in the swamp and squeezed a round off with TC icon bolt action .308. He mule kicked and took off in a death run and almost went down about 20 yards into it, ran off out of site so i decided to give him 20 minutes or so. Got down picked up the blood and walked straight to him about 45 50 yards from where i shot him. I couldn’t have been happier. Facetimed the wife and kids and the kids were just as excited as i was. The wife was just excited to know that the hard hunting was over just in time for all the holidays beings she is normally a seasonal widow. So, got in at 320, did some serious calling due to the fresh signs down in there and boy did it pay off big time about an hour later. Good luck to the rest of the hunters out there. Stay safe, shoot straight and God bless.
Hunter’s name: Mike Lewis
Tarboro North Carolina
Martin County NC
11/22/25
8-point buck