Typical Gun 159-2

by Jonathan Miller
(Ontario, NY)

I had a friend come up to Danby NY to hunt with me back in 2002 because hunting was suspended in his area (MD) due to that sniper incident. First night I put him in what we called the "green pale" stand. Apparently many years prior there had been a green pale in that tree stand, well before our time. But now, it's just the name of a wooden platform stand on a trail.

First night I saw several buck headed his way so I let them all go and he never saw a thing. So, the next night he asked me to trade positions with him. I went to the green pale stand, and this fella walked under me about a 1/2 hour before dark. I had hoped to let my buddy get a shot at a nice NY buck, but I just couldn't pass on this deer not knowing if he'd even see it.

It was a 13-point in the summer according to trail cameras, but lost the atypical tines by the time he reached me. Gross score was 161 and the net was 159-2. I've never seen anything quite like it since. Sorry for the pic in a dark truck bed. I didn't know any better at the time.