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I have tried for the last few weeks to find a way to get up to the  leaseto scout for the opener, but never could work it out. I called Tom last week to make sure I could get in the gate, but he told me to come in from the north end. I hated going in totally blind, so I did some research on the Internet with aerials. I marked several spots with gps coordinates, but still knew it was a long shot. I hated to call David and ask for advice, but thought at least I could find where to go in to the woods. I had never set foot in the woods on the river side of the property. I called him, not knowing what to expect. Here I am calling him last minute for help. Well, everyone knows how this goes most of the time, but he was so helpful. He not only told me where to go in, but said I could hunt one of his stands.

He said he would mark it for me with bright eyes. I felt so much better after talking to him. So here I and the wife head out Thursday afternoon for Vincennes to stay the night. My wife went because we both had a hunt at Ft Knox Kentucky Saturday morning. I knew she would have a good chance at her first buck, so to get her to the hunt; I could only hunt Illinois Friday morning. We get to the hotel around 11:30p. I wanted to do a quick trip to the lease to make sure that I knew how to get there in the morning. I drove to the road that I would be going in on Friday morning and then went back to the hotel. Got in the bed a 1:00a and the alarm went off at 3:00a. I drove to the end of the road, where I parked next to the levy. I got out and unloaded the 4-wheeler. At that moment 2 hunters drove up and told me that I could not drive on the levy and if caught I would get a $500. fine. So here I am probably 2 miles from the lease, the gate is locked and realize that I am probably going to go back to the hotel, since I knew it wouldn't be a safe idea to park on the road next to the gate. One of the hunters after seeing my chin drop to the ground told me that if I stay on the side of the levy, I would probably be ok. That was an interesting ride on that slick levy for 2 miles.

I finally got to the property, turned into the logging road and headed back to the area that David told me about. After driving a while, I thought I had gone the wrong way, but up ahead to my left, I seen something shining. As I got closer, I could see it was some type of reflector, and then I saw something that put David on my list of all time great things that I have seen in my life. There it was, a sign that said "Gary Park Here". I thought I was going to get teary eyed right then. After driving half of the night, getting no sleep, and being given the third degree about driving on the levy, then thinking I was lost, all of a sudden none of that crap meant a thing. Here's this guy that I have never met and he has made a sign with my name showing me where to park. I got off of the 4-wheeler, and for the next 200 yds, I almost split the corner of my lips from smiling so hard. At the end of the 200 yds was another reflector right next to one of David's stands that he so graciously let me borrow. I seen 4 other bucks that morning, before the drop tine showed up. I thanked God for the deer and for David. What a hunt. It doesn't matter if I ever kill another buck like this again. This one has made my life as far as hunting goes. I looked at that buck all weekend and smiled. I just couldn't control it. You think it was because I was so proud of that buck, and that's partially true, but that's not the reason I was smiling so much. It's because of that old paper sign that some stranger made for someone that he had never met. That old sign had, in the middle of the night, made a permanent change in me.
 

I'm so thankful for you (Robert) and Tom for putting this together. I can't really put into words what I think about David. What a guy.......

Buck info:
14pt
Field dressed: 197lbs
Inside spread: 22.50"
Outside spread: 24.50"
G2's: Over 13"
Browtines: both are crab claws
Drop tine