Eric Tomoson sent in this story about his western Minnesota buck and how some days, the luck is on your side. 

The buck measured 158 7/8. With deductions scored 156. Weighed 175 field dressed. Shot morning of November 15th. Temp Was 0°. Wind was 5 mph out of south.

It came out of wildlife and walked 25 yards from my stand and stood broadside to it. Unfortunately I wasn’t in it because I had buried my vehicle in a snow bank. By the time I gave up on getting it out, it was daylight. So I snuck down the west side of the grove that I was stuck by. He started walking towards two doe that were on the east side of the grove. He got about 125 yds out and I decided to take the shot. Hit him with 1st shot and dropped him with 5th. I walked out towards him and he got up and ran. I was out of shells. So I chewed myself out all the way to my vehicle. My son Gage and I grabbed more shells and started to track it. We found him in the grove where my stand is. We walked up within 15′. He was looking right at us, so I had to shoot him in the heart.

Nobody that I know of had seen him before. First deer going on the wall. Taking it to Brunko Taxidermy in Morris, mn. I shot it with my Remington 1187 with fully rifled barrel and open sights, using Winchester XP3 sabot slugs.

Congrats Eric, nice buck!