Scheidegger tracked and shot a huge 17-point 210 6/8-inch non-typical Green County buck during Wisconsin's gun season. Photo courtesy of Derek Scheidegger.

It is said that persistence pays.

And when it comes to deer hunting, that phrase often is directly tied into putting in a lot of time on stand. However, with Derek Scheidegger of Brodhead, it applies a little differently. In this case, it applies to being aggressive and tracking down a deer in order to get a shot. That persistence paid off big in December 2007 when he was lucky enough to track down and shoot a huge 17-point non-typical Green County buck during Wisconsin's gun season. (Cont'd)

The morning of Dec. 4, 2007, would be one to remember for Scheidegger. The hunter woke up around 5:15 a.m. and headed out to his tree stand. With temperatures less than 20 degrees and snow expected later in the afternoon, it felt like a perfect day for deer hunting.

As he crested a small hill, Scheidegger saw what appeared to be antlers just inside the woods. He was stunned to be so close to the big buck. The deer was bedded on the other side of a brushpile, but Scheidegger could see some of his antlers showing.

After sitting for almost two hours, Scheidegger decided to try something that had worked for him before -- still-hunting. The ground had been snow covered for some time and as Scheidegger still-hunted along a creek bottom, he began thinking the tactic wasn't such a great idea.

"The snow had a thick layer of ice on top, making walking on it very loud," Scheidegger said. "I started to think that walking was too loud and still-hunting wasn't going to work, when all of the sudden, I heard a deer splashing down the creek about 50 yards away. I tried to run, but it was too icy. I just stood there hoping to see it, then I did, and it was a big buck running."

Scheidegger fired his slug gun, but it was a clean miss. At this point, most hunters probably wouldn't consider following a deer running at full speed. What's the point in following the big buck? There's no way he'll let me catch him.

Apparently, those thoughts never crossed Scheidegger's mind.

"I figured I could track him in the snow," he said. "So I got on his track and started."

However, walking in the ice-covered snow was no easy task.

"It was so loud I didn't think any deer would let me within a quarter of a mile of them," Scheidegger recalled.

However, the hunter stayed with it. He called his younger brother, Brian, to help him, but Brian's wife had recently given birth and Brian had to watch his daughter until his wife got home.

Scheidegger continued tracking the buck for nearly three-quarters of a mile to the edge of property he didn't have permission to hunt.

"I went back to the truck, thought about where that deer was going and went and got permission to go on the land," Scheidegger said. "He was heading to a small wood lot about a mile and a half from where I had originally kicked him up."

Scheidegger came in from downwind of the wood lot where he thought the buck was headed. After parking his truck and getting his gear together, he headed toward the wood lot.