This hunt was the absolute best. Let's start with some history. I have been hunting for 8 years and this is my first animal I have ever taken. And I must say I could not be more proud. So let's start with the story.
We drove up Friday, saw a doe and nice little fork on the road driving. Got me pumped that much more. We get to camp, unpack and get everything ready for opening morning. Eat dinner and go to bed. Night.
We wake up at 6, get dressed, have our coffee and let the trucks warm up. Bitter cold, frost locked the doors. We head out only to find a thick fog, only can see 10 yards in front of you. We parked and waited hoping it would lift. It did not, morning was a bust. The fog didn't lift until 12pm. So we headed back to camp early and cranked up the fire to await for the evening. Whatta bust.
Evening comes, we head out about 3. Get to our spot and sit, overlooking miles of country. Did not see anything until about 6. We spotted a doe coming at us, directly. She got within 70yds of us before she spooked and ran off up the hill about 300 yds down. My dad and I both sat there thinking that was cool, but why was she coming our way? We waited and waited and saw nothing behind her. So we decided to pack up and walk back to the truck. As we are walking through the brush, we hear something take off and branches start breaking like crazy. I spot the animal, it's a buck. The game is on. My dad and I split up and convey in a circular motion, we find his tracks. We follow. The tracks lead across the road into a clearing, were sitting there thinking "he hopped the road. No way. There's no way we're gonna find him now". We break brush and come out onto the road, when I looked up he was standing there broadside starring at us with beauty. I pulled my rifle up, settle my self from shaking with typical buck fever, breath, and shoot. We see him mule kick into the air and take off. We reload and recoup. I felt like the shot was solid, I did not jerk or pull or flinch.
As we walked over there, there was no blood. What? No blood? How!... We walked around and around and couldn't see anything. Did I miss? Surely not, he kicked, no way. As my dad and I sat there surveying the entire area with flashlights, spreading out 50yds in each direction we were unable to find any sort of blood. Disappointed, we start walking back to the truck. I keep replaying the scene in my head. I knew I hit, I knew it. How could I have missed? He was 60yds away, rifle was sighted at 100. There is no way... We get to the truck and decide to follow up in the morning right away. That was the hardest night of sleep I have ever had.
Sunday morning we wake up and head over to the same spot. We wait for the sun to come up and begin getting our stuff together. We walk over to where I fired my rifle - cold casing still sitting on the ground. I walk to where his tracks were, we begin looking at where he could have gone.
We find his tracks in the direction he took off and followed. About 30 yds away from where we shot at him we finally saw a pool of blood. Immediately my heart began thumping. We found the trail. Drops here, drops there, nothing big. Crap, bad shot? Wait a minute what's that? Pool of blood, more blood, blood here, blood there, my dad looks up and says there he is! It was the best site I have ever seen. As I walked up to him and got closer I knew I had gotten myself a fine deer. Perfect lung shot, 60yds away. He ran 100yds and dropped. Couldn't be more proud. Thanks to Shedcrazy for the help as always, couldn't have done it without him. And most importantly made a memory with my dad and grandad to last a lifetime!
His browtines are about 2" each side, therefore considered as points. He is a beautiful 6x4 with a unique kicker.
His left side:
His unique right side:
Size comparison:
He is truly a blessing!
We drove up Friday, saw a doe and nice little fork on the road driving. Got me pumped that much more. We get to camp, unpack and get everything ready for opening morning. Eat dinner and go to bed. Night.
We wake up at 6, get dressed, have our coffee and let the trucks warm up. Bitter cold, frost locked the doors. We head out only to find a thick fog, only can see 10 yards in front of you. We parked and waited hoping it would lift. It did not, morning was a bust. The fog didn't lift until 12pm. So we headed back to camp early and cranked up the fire to await for the evening. Whatta bust.
Evening comes, we head out about 3. Get to our spot and sit, overlooking miles of country. Did not see anything until about 6. We spotted a doe coming at us, directly. She got within 70yds of us before she spooked and ran off up the hill about 300 yds down. My dad and I both sat there thinking that was cool, but why was she coming our way? We waited and waited and saw nothing behind her. So we decided to pack up and walk back to the truck. As we are walking through the brush, we hear something take off and branches start breaking like crazy. I spot the animal, it's a buck. The game is on. My dad and I split up and convey in a circular motion, we find his tracks. We follow. The tracks lead across the road into a clearing, were sitting there thinking "he hopped the road. No way. There's no way we're gonna find him now". We break brush and come out onto the road, when I looked up he was standing there broadside starring at us with beauty. I pulled my rifle up, settle my self from shaking with typical buck fever, breath, and shoot. We see him mule kick into the air and take off. We reload and recoup. I felt like the shot was solid, I did not jerk or pull or flinch.
As we walked over there, there was no blood. What? No blood? How!... We walked around and around and couldn't see anything. Did I miss? Surely not, he kicked, no way. As my dad and I sat there surveying the entire area with flashlights, spreading out 50yds in each direction we were unable to find any sort of blood. Disappointed, we start walking back to the truck. I keep replaying the scene in my head. I knew I hit, I knew it. How could I have missed? He was 60yds away, rifle was sighted at 100. There is no way... We get to the truck and decide to follow up in the morning right away. That was the hardest night of sleep I have ever had.
Sunday morning we wake up and head over to the same spot. We wait for the sun to come up and begin getting our stuff together. We walk over to where I fired my rifle - cold casing still sitting on the ground. I walk to where his tracks were, we begin looking at where he could have gone.
We find his tracks in the direction he took off and followed. About 30 yds away from where we shot at him we finally saw a pool of blood. Immediately my heart began thumping. We found the trail. Drops here, drops there, nothing big. Crap, bad shot? Wait a minute what's that? Pool of blood, more blood, blood here, blood there, my dad looks up and says there he is! It was the best site I have ever seen. As I walked up to him and got closer I knew I had gotten myself a fine deer. Perfect lung shot, 60yds away. He ran 100yds and dropped. Couldn't be more proud. Thanks to Shedcrazy for the help as always, couldn't have done it without him. And most importantly made a memory with my dad and grandad to last a lifetime!
His browtines are about 2" each side, therefore considered as points. He is a beautiful 6x4 with a unique kicker.
His left side:
His unique right side:
Size comparison:
He is truly a blessing!
