I shot Him on the 14th of November (last Friday) at around 4:30 pm.  I had rattled and grunted at about 4:15, hung up the antlers and relaxed.  Seeing nothing but a few does in the neighbor's field, I quickly dozed off (yes, I was securely strapped to my tree).  I awoke to find a rather nice buck looking at me over my left shoulder.  I did not move.  He was smelling the doe in heat scent I had place on a log about 10 yards cross wind from my stand.  He knew something was not right and proceeded to walk a half circle around me.  He looked as though he was about to bolt after the does in the next field, so I let out a soft whistle.  He took a few more steps and stopped right in a shooting lane I had cleared.  He was standing at 22 yards (My maximum comfortable range is 20 yards).  There was no wind so I released the arrow.  My bow only reaches about 217 fps, but I knew I could make a good shot.  The arrow hit further back than what I like, but the arrow zipped through and stuck in the ground.  After waiting what seemed an eternity (20 MINUTES) I lowered the bow and climbed down.  I inspected the arrow and found stomach matter and a lot of dark red, thick blood.  I have liver shot a few deer in my 20 years as a hunter and knew I was in for a long track. Following the trail a short way, I figured out where he was going and then headed back to the truck to give him some time and grab the lantern. I gave him 1 hour, which I know is not long enough, and started tracking.  It was easy going at first, but when he got over a big hill it was pretty tough.  Knowing the area and where wounded animals head, I stuck to it and finally trailed him to the spot where My Wife and I are about to break ground on a new house (I asked, but she won't let me move it).  Gust when I found some good blood, My lantern started to run out of fuel.  I walked quickly to the in-law's driveway an he jumped an ran a few yards an stopped.  I went back to the truck, got a new can of fuel and let my father in-law know where I was and what I was doing.  The buck was headed for the road and the swamp across it, so I walked down to the road and came at him from the other side, hoping that if I was to spook him he would run back up the hill and stay on our property. The time was now 9:30 pm.  I slowly walked along the fence bordering the road and checked the 3 major deer crossings for any sign.  Finding no tracks or blood I stopped, and looked toward the driveway and there he was, only 15 feet away.  The only problem was, he was laying down with his chin on the ground looking at me.  I do not know who was more surprised (my wife says scared), him or me. Realizing he was not dead I took a few steps backwards (I left the bow in the truck) I figured I would stand back to see what he does (behind a tree).  I stumbled in an old dead furrow, so the light was out of his eyes for a few seconds.  He bolted and ran up the hill toward the farm house.  I inspected the spot where he was laying and found two small puddles of blood.  One of which was still thick and dark red.  Finding no more blood I decided I would come back an continue my search in the morning.  I was hoping he would lie down and I could find him close by in the morning.  That and the fact that I was a little unnerved at coming that close to an angry deer. The following morning I was in a nearby tree stand waiting to see if he was still up and around.  Seeing a few smaller bucks and a number of does, I climbed down from my stand around 8:00 am and started searching.  Finding no blood, and but a few tracks, I began an ever widening sweep of the area.  I inspected every inch of the area and found nothing.  I began covering every possible bit of cover between the road and the house.  I went back to the truck for coffee at around 10:30 am and thought about what to do next. I decided to do a simple grid search of the area he was headed when I walked up on him the previous night.  I wound up walking a grid pattern behind the barn.  I skirted the really thick stuff under the power lines and stopped at the top of the hill looking down into some old apple trees.  I stood there for 10 minutes or so glassing the area.  I kept looking at the thick stuff and then remembered I told my wife the previous night that I would cover every square inch of that area before I gave up. I took 3 steps toward that thick stuff and there he was.  Tagging him, I realized he had dropped on the run and died quickly thereafter.  Back tracking him, I found a lot of tracks and a few spots of blood.  When he bolted the night before, he had run up and over the hill, not 20 feet behind my truck and down behind the barn.  He turned out to be a 10 point, field dressed at 183 lbs and has an 18 1/4 inch inside spread.  Taking him to a DNR check station, they gauged him at 2 1/2 years old.  This is by far the biggest buck I have yet had the honor to hunt. Sunday the 16th, my six year old daughter, Amanda, wanted to sit in the "club house" with me.  At 4:00 pm we headed out.  We sat in this comfortable ground box and talked softly about why I like to hunt and some about gun safety.  Less than 45 minutes later (while eating cheetos) I told her there was a nice buck coming down the hill.  She froze in place while I raised the muzzle loader.  He walked down to within 30 feet of the tree I had shot the 10 point from. I whispered and asked if she could see him.  3 times she said she could not see him.  I told her he was looking straight at us and she said "shoot him, shoot him".  So I did.  I could not see him through the smoke, but she calmly said "He is running up the hill into the pines".  He dropped about 60 yards from where I shot him.  I calmly told Amanda that I needed to reload.  While reloading I asked if she had enjoyed the hunt.  She said "This was too easy,... Why are you shaking?" She had some great stories to tell at school the next day. She also has one bit of advice to all of those who pursue the Illusive North American Whitetail.  "Don't forget the cheetos!" He turned out to be a respectable 8 point with 2 broken tines, so I guess we'll call him a 6.  He dressed out at 135 lbs. I will have the 10 point scored after the required 60 days. Thank You for the opportunity to tell this story again. Attached are two photos.  One of the 10 point and the other of both deer and Amanda (she is the one wearing the blue jacket). Sincerely, Will & Amanda Eichelberger Battle Creek, Michigan