The deer I’ve been feeding since July — hunted all season long. I thought we’d get him early while he was still in velvet, but then he shed his velvet and disappeared. I figured the neighbor must’ve shot him… until a few weeks ago when he started showing up again. But I was only getting random nighttime pictures.
He did show himself in daylight 2 weeks in a row when I wasn’t in the stand. Last night, I got him on camera at the farm we hunt about 5 miles from the house. I was just excited to know he was still alive.
Fast forward to this morning — cold front moved in, the were kids were out of school. It was the perfect morning to be deer hunting. My wife told me I should sneak into the stand behind the house because a good buck had been on camera last night. She went to leave for work and asked me “Are you going?!” I huffed and puffed, and said “I guess I’ll go”. I was having an hard time going from the warm house out in the cold wind. So I made myself a giant cup of coffee (which my wife thought would scare off every deer in the county). But it helped me brave the cold, so off I went to the stand with my Folgers in hand.
As the sun came up I heard a deer coming from behind me. I turned to get a better view and saw antlers and knew it was a good buck. He stopped to take in the view of the food plot as he was quartering away towards the pond, and I let it eat. He dropped in his tracks so I climbed down to check him out.
When I walked up, I could not believe what I was seeing. It was Criss Cross. The buck we have been feeding since July—The buck we have been after all season— here in my back yard. I called my wife to tell her I killed Criss Cross in the back
yard.
We have never had a single picture of him at our house all season, but somehow he traveled 5 miles (1.45 miles in a straight line) and showed up in our backyard this morning. Some things are just meant to be and he was meant to be mine I guess. We are still in disbelief that he ended up at our house.
Green score 142 6/8.
Hunter’s name: Jacob Nielsen
Burlington North Carolina
Alamance
11/11/25
9-point buck
