Karre, CONGRATS!!! What a buck!
The way you described the area, the tree, the river, and the on the hoof in the field photos, has me thinking that I've been there. Maybe not. When Kevin and I were up there with you I came across a spot that sure seems to fit all you've described. I remember there being the largest scrape I've ever seen, with six major trails coming to it. At that time you didn't have permission to hunt there, only shed hunt. Maybe this is the place, maybe not.
That is a deer of a life time and all of us whitetail fanatics dream of killing a buck like this. However, for those of us that are truely zealous and passionate about our whitetail hunting, you have accomplished the ultimate hunt. A giant buck that you have field photos of, shed antlers, a passed up opportunity. in other words, a storied history with the deer.
You have just accomplished with one buck what I hope to accomplish some day before my days as a deer hunter are over.
Ride that 9th cloud as far as you can!
Congratulations again! Dan Cole