For sure.. I'm just shocked to see one without calling it in! Although... in that area in the past I've seen them at distance. The Year I got my first deer, 2015... on the night I got that deer...sundowns approaching... I turn to look-out over this larger meadow in the area... FML... I see either a pregnant, or just ate something hugely belly-filling Bobcat! I hadn't seen a damn thing all that day up til that point. So that sighting got me all P.O'd and I got to thinking darn it she's probably why I haven't seen anything all day! They probably seen or smelled her around and bounced outta there. Brooding over thoughts of just packing it in and going home, since there was that weekend, then only 1 more... I convinced myself that I need to see this thru... to put in the maximum effort... to stay until end of legal shooting light.
So...grumbling to myself... I stay. Maybe 10 minutes later I'm feeling it again and I'm like "Pssh.. man.. screw this... I'm outta here." So as I grab the Tripod stool... when I go to "rip" the Velcro strap to wrap it around to close it up... I heard a game sound emanate from over on the other side of some stones I was sitting upon. I quickly turned and leaned to look over that other direction... I see this body and booty... sticking out from behind a tree. Up until that point I'd never seen a buck in person before... but I just knew from noticing how much meatier it looked compared to all the Does I'd seen, that it had to be a buck! So total Ninja... I leaned WAY forward (over my pack and all the junk at my feet) at like 45 degree angle to reach and silently wrap my arm around and under my rifle which was rested up above upon a stone that came to a little below shoulder height.
I put the crosshairs on the tree trunk at about where I thought the shoulder line should emerge... and I wait.. and I wait... and I wait some more. Musta been like 45 seconds he held still!
Then? ... ker-click, ker-click... he takes two steps forward. That's it. Now? I see his head and neck... that's it. And he's staring right at me!
Being my first time... I'm sitting their nervously deliberating if I should just try to pop his head, or maybe his neck? The WHOLE TIME... he was looking Dead at me! (Just 40 yds away) Ultimately I convince myself I should wait until he finally moves and shows his broadside, so I don't risk something like him moving and I blow his jaw off. Figure this is my first time. Better to make it a less risky shot. This time I'm having to wait even longer! Damn... musta been a full 60 seconds he stood there... staring right at me! I'm even having to worriedly tell myself to calm down and breathe more shallow and slower so he doesn't end up seeing my chest moving and spook.
Eventually... an eternity later... he relaxes his eyes and starts to rotate his head back down and forward and simultaneously begins to walk forward. the moment I see that I'm instantly moving the crosshairs down and over from his neck to the lung area, and not wanting to blow this chance in the not so large opening between the two trees, I quickly squeezed it off knowing it was for sure in the general area, though it should have been a bit lower and slightly more forward optimally.
One of a few memories in my mind I'll never forget!