velvetmonster
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LAST EDITED ON Sep-03-11 AT 05:57PM (MST)[p]I just finished up an archery deer hunt in the Book Cliffs. Great hunt..one of my best. But not for the reasons one might expect.
In my years I've gone through the standard evolutions of hunting?..getting a kill, getting lots of kills, getting a trophy, passing on average animals to harvest multiple trophies.
For years I've considered myself a trophy hunter. I beat that famous 200 inch deer barrier, passed on many an average buck, shot two pronghorns that just missed book, and had no interest in anything less than a true trophy. I was willing to eat tag soup if the animal wasn?t of a certain size. This hunt was no different. I wanted the top 5% of what the bookies offered.
For nine days I held out. Passing many respectable bucks?tall heavy mature four point bucks that just weren't good enough. I passed the best buck 5 minutes into opening day at seven yards. I sat there and took photos of this great buck but just couldn't shoot so early in the hunt. We called him the buck of regret because my partner (hunterturbo) felt I would regret not shooting him. I blew a few stalks on some great bucks but was enjoying the process and time I was spending. Finally I had to return home to work a few days.
On my second trip I was hesitant to bring my nine year old son along. He would surely make me less efficient but I wanted him to experience some of this hunt. We arrived back in camp and over the next two days I passed a bunch of mediocre bucks but nothing big. One night he was asking me if we were going to get a deer. I, of course, told him that we were. That night I began asking myself the reason I passed up the opening day buck. He would have been my second biggest buck to date..something I should have jumped on. But the reality was that the experience of the hunt has become more important to me than the antler size?.a big buck becomes just another mount on the wall. If the experience isn't there then what's the point?
That night I made up my mind that, when I killed my buck, my nine year old would be standing next to me?no matter what. He would become my teammate and help me decide which buck to kill.
The next day we were on a ridge when a three point buck stood up at 30 yards. Now I had passed on dozens of bucks this size and much, much larger. This time, however, my son pointed him out to me, ?There?s a buck, dad!? I asked my son, ?Should we shoot him?? He was very excited, ?Yeah dad, shoot him!? The look in his eyes prevented me from saying anything other than ?Ok, here we go?. The shot was good. My son is an excellent blood trailer, and we recovered the buck shortly afterward.
I'm about 90% sure I could have harvested a nice mature mid twenties, four point buck or better on this hunt. I certainly had many opportunities that felt like a sure thing.
The antler size of this deer is, well?pretty dismal. I wouldn't give this buck a second look on any deer hunt I've ever been on. Just a 15 inch three point. But now, with the work done and the trip home completed I have to say that this little buck is my greatest trophy to date. I will never forget the time spent on this hunt and the experience of taking my buck with my little huntin? buddy standing there saying, ?Yeah dad, shoot him!?
VM
In my years I've gone through the standard evolutions of hunting?..getting a kill, getting lots of kills, getting a trophy, passing on average animals to harvest multiple trophies.
For years I've considered myself a trophy hunter. I beat that famous 200 inch deer barrier, passed on many an average buck, shot two pronghorns that just missed book, and had no interest in anything less than a true trophy. I was willing to eat tag soup if the animal wasn?t of a certain size. This hunt was no different. I wanted the top 5% of what the bookies offered.
For nine days I held out. Passing many respectable bucks?tall heavy mature four point bucks that just weren't good enough. I passed the best buck 5 minutes into opening day at seven yards. I sat there and took photos of this great buck but just couldn't shoot so early in the hunt. We called him the buck of regret because my partner (hunterturbo) felt I would regret not shooting him. I blew a few stalks on some great bucks but was enjoying the process and time I was spending. Finally I had to return home to work a few days.
On my second trip I was hesitant to bring my nine year old son along. He would surely make me less efficient but I wanted him to experience some of this hunt. We arrived back in camp and over the next two days I passed a bunch of mediocre bucks but nothing big. One night he was asking me if we were going to get a deer. I, of course, told him that we were. That night I began asking myself the reason I passed up the opening day buck. He would have been my second biggest buck to date..something I should have jumped on. But the reality was that the experience of the hunt has become more important to me than the antler size?.a big buck becomes just another mount on the wall. If the experience isn't there then what's the point?
That night I made up my mind that, when I killed my buck, my nine year old would be standing next to me?no matter what. He would become my teammate and help me decide which buck to kill.
The next day we were on a ridge when a three point buck stood up at 30 yards. Now I had passed on dozens of bucks this size and much, much larger. This time, however, my son pointed him out to me, ?There?s a buck, dad!? I asked my son, ?Should we shoot him?? He was very excited, ?Yeah dad, shoot him!? The look in his eyes prevented me from saying anything other than ?Ok, here we go?. The shot was good. My son is an excellent blood trailer, and we recovered the buck shortly afterward.
I'm about 90% sure I could have harvested a nice mature mid twenties, four point buck or better on this hunt. I certainly had many opportunities that felt like a sure thing.
The antler size of this deer is, well?pretty dismal. I wouldn't give this buck a second look on any deer hunt I've ever been on. Just a 15 inch three point. But now, with the work done and the trip home completed I have to say that this little buck is my greatest trophy to date. I will never forget the time spent on this hunt and the experience of taking my buck with my little huntin? buddy standing there saying, ?Yeah dad, shoot him!?
VM
