Deb Luzinski's 24-point bow buck had a final score of 222 2/8 non-typical inches. Glen Bullick arrowed the current state-record buck, which scored 223 4/8 inches, in 1989. At No. 2 is Gary Martin's 222 5/8-inch rack from 1992. Photo courtesy of Deb Luzinski.

"You set up where?"

Those were the words I heard from my husband Mark when we met back at our trucks after we had gone our separate ways to set up our stands.

"I thought you were going to the end of the field, not all the way out there," he continued. "You are going to miss the deer. They will cut past you and head to the field."

Then I began to explain how I had come to choose that particular spot.

"One main trail runs down the center of the finger of woods and into the cattails," I told him. "Minor trails crisscross in all directions, and there's plenty of deer sign. I found a great tree -- a big poplar surrounded by smaller trees. Also, I noticed a few rubs and scrapes from my stand."

Then I stopped trying to explain, and simply added, "I really like this spot. It looks and feels good."

It was Friday, Oct. 27, 2006, and our discussion took place at about 12:30 p.m. At 3:30, we readied for the evening hunt and gave each other a "good luck smooch" before heading to our different hunting areas. By 3:50 p.m., I was in my stand with my safety harness attached. It was a beautiful late fall afternoon in Minnesota. The temperature was cool, and the wind was blowing lightly but steadily out of the southeast. As usual, I sprayed the foliage and tree branches downwind of me with deer scent. After the woods had settled down, I began making a series of doe bleats with my Primos Original can call.

I always stand whenever I deer hunt. I sit when bear hunting, but I stand and hold my bow for deer. Sometimes this gets a little tiring, but to me, it's all about movement, or lack thereof. I had been on stand for less than half an hour when I heard the cattails rustling. I immediately looked to my right. About 50 yards out, a beautiful, mature 10-point buck was slowly making his way toward the higher ground where I was located. He would take a few steps and then rake his antlers in the brush, and I would call again. Sizing him up with my binoculars, I watched this fantastic animal and wondered if I would be lucky enough to get a shot.

He was definitely a "shooter" buck, with more mass and tine length than the 131-incher I had killed a few years back. I called again. He took a few more steps and stopped. The next sound I heard was loud movement in the cattails. Then a giant non-typical aggressively strode out of the cattails, stopped right at the edge, and looked toward the higher ground.

He's looking for his new girlfriend -- the can call that I have in my pocket, I thought.

This was the largest rack I had ever seen. He had cattails hanging off his massive antlers, which had mass, tine length, palmation, kickers and several drop tines. What a monster! Then he looked at the 10-point buck and walked directly toward him.

Wow, I'm going to see a brawl! I thought. Two big boys looking for the same date! Fantastic!

When they finally met, the two bucks went nose-to-nose, but the 10-pointer dropped his head and backed away in total submission. I focused totally on the larger buck's ears, nose and eyes while carefully observing his body language. I never took my eyes off his expressions, and I didn't look at his antlers again. Then when I tipped the can call, he began to casually head in my direction.

Even though he was now almost completely downwind of me at about 30 yards, I was not concerned because I felt very confident in the scent-free clothing I had on. But suddenly he turned and began to walk away while staying on the fringe of the cattails and timber where I wouldn't have a clean shot. Keeping to the edge, he was slowly walking out of my life! I bleated again with the can call, and just about fell out of my stand when in response to my bleat just yards from my stand I heard a loud, phew!