Forums46
Topics538,021
Posts9,731,919
Members87,055
|
Most Online25,604 Feb 12th, 2024
|
|
|
Not a monster but he's mine - Most important buck to date (repost from deer hunting section)
#5396286
11/03/14 06:43 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 13,415
jdk1985
OP
THF Celebrity
|
OP
THF Celebrity
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 13,415 |
Since it had a photo, I reposted in photo section as well - http://www.texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/5395634/He's_no_monster_but_he's_mine_#Post5395634 I have hunted basically my whole life. Some how, for one reason or another, I have never connected with a buck. I can only recall deciding to shoot at bucks 3 times. For instance, I remember missing (at least I think I missed, my dad told me i shot it, but I never believed him) a small buck when I was 11 or 12-ish, only for my dad's follow-up shot to drop him in his tracks with his SS Win 70 Classic BOSS 300 WM that is now mine (and which will return to the story in a moment or two). Fast forward to three years ago, I took my first bow shot at a small buck and shot over his back (thankfully I missed, he would not have met AR, deer fever got the best of me). Moreover, not connecting with a good buck has not been for lack of trying, and I've taken countless doe in the meantime. I let the biggest deer I have ever seen walk... twice... as it never presented me with a shot I was comfortable with. Sure, I could have slung a bullet through the twiggy bush it stopped behind... twice... and hoped it hit the mark, but I can't, won't, or whatever, take a shot I cannot ensure has the best possibility of being a clean, ethical harvest. So, no bucks for me, not until this weekend. I planned a trip for myself, and my FIL ended up joining in on it as well. Shortly after sunrise Sat morning, a doe popped out and I shot her. After we got done taking care of her and got back out in the field, my FIL shot a odd little buck with one palmated horn with 4 small points and no horn on the other side. The rest of the day we did not see much movement. As the sun was going down, of course, the deer start moving again. I shot another doe, and we tried to get my FIL on a small buck, but it never presented him with a good shot... well it did and he wasn't ready, but that's another story. So day one, two doe and one small junk buck for the two of us. We saw many deer Saturday and an absolutely stupid number of small illegal bucks (AR county) that we had to pass on. Sunday morning we got back out in the field around 5:30. Laid down in the dirt and took a 30 minute snooze. Woke up and got ready for LST. Expectedly, the deer were moving a bit slower Sunday morning after pressure from the day before. Around 8 a buck stepped out. We had unofficially decided that, if a doe came out, my FIL would shoot, and I would shoot if a buck stepped out. After looking him over, he was an 8-point that looked great and his rack was well outside of his ears. Legal. That's a good start. And here's where the story comes full circle. My dad died when I was 15, and I inherited his SS Win 70 Classic BOSS 300 WM that I mentioned above. For whatever season is in swing, I take one of dad's guns out for the opening weekend. So, for dove, his old 870 gets the first action every season. For deer, naturally, it is his Win 70 Classic BOSS 300 WM that gets to bark. True to tradition, it was in hand for all of opening weekend. I decided that, though the buck was younger and by no means a monster, he was going to be my first set of antlers. He was also going to be the biggest buck that Win 70 Classic BOSS 300 WM had ever harvested (dad usually hunted with a Rem 700 30-06, that my brother inherited). As I prepared for the shot, I'm sure I thought something profound and all wisdom-like, but I can't remember. I lined everything up and pulled the trigger. I rushed the shot a bit, but I clearly saw the buck hunch up. As he hopped over a small fence and ran into the woods, I got nervous and let another shot fly - stupidly - wildly in his direction. In the aftermath, I tried as sufficiently as possible to replay the event in my mind. I knew he had hunched up with the first shot, so I was pretty confident it was a good hit. I was still nervous, though, as most of my deer drop in place. I let him sit for 15 or so minutes, and my curiosity got the best of me. So, we went to look for blood. I had shot a deer the day before in roughly the same place, so there was a good bit of blood on the ground from that kill. After a few moments of searching though, I found what was clearly fresh blood, and slowly followed it to the fence the buck jumped over after the shot, and a short ways past the fence. Where he ran into the woods, the elevation begins to drop, so I could not see whether he went down or kept running from where I took the shot. Once I got up on the blood trail a ways, though, I looked up and could see him laying there, dead to the world. Almost three decades of being in the hunting world, and finally my first buck. Dad never actually got to see me shoot a deer; he died before I ever connected. Nevertheless, he and his Win 70 Classic BOSS 300 WM are out there with me every opening weekend, living life to the fullest. He's long gone and that's fine, but my memories are as strong as ever. It simply would not have been right with the world for my first buck to have been taken with any of my other rifles. No way, no how. It had to be dad's; it had to be his SS Win 70 Classic BOSS 300 WM. I'm proud; I certainly know he would be. Now on to the next stage for me and my Win 70 Classic BOSS 300 WM- the animal that always eluded dad - ELK.
Last edited by jdk1985; 11/03/14 06:44 PM.
Instagram @justinkingwoodworking
|
|
|
Re: Not a monster but he's mine - Most important buck to date (repost from deer hunting section)
[Re: jdk1985]
#5396323
11/03/14 06:58 PM
|
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,403
PWT
Veteran Tracker
|
Veteran Tracker
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,403 |
Great story, nothing wrong with that deer, your dad would be very proud! Congrats!
|
|
|
Re: Not a monster but he's mine - Most important buck to date (repost from deer hunting section)
[Re: jdk1985]
#5396549
11/03/14 08:21 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 13,415
jdk1985
OP
THF Celebrity
|
OP
THF Celebrity
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 13,415 |
Instagram @justinkingwoodworking
|
|
|
Re: Not a monster but he's mine - Most important buck to date (repost from deer hunting section)
[Re: jdk1985]
#5396621
11/03/14 08:43 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 17,117
MikeC
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 17,117 |
Great story. Good job
|
|
|
Re: Not a monster but he's mine - Most important buck to date (repost from deer hunting section)
[Re: jdk1985]
#5396625
11/03/14 08:47 PM
|
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,985
talkturkey
Pro Tracker
|
Pro Tracker
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,985 |
Great buck and great story! Thanks for sharing
|
|
|
Re: Not a monster but he's mine - Most important buck to date (repost from deer hunting section)
[Re: jdk1985]
#5396629
11/03/14 08:49 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 359
wisco-hunter
Bird Dog
|
Bird Dog
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 359 |
great story! Sometimes deer will come to you in waves, you may get nothing for years and then two giants in one season! Keep the faith!
Why is it that every time I push #1 for english, I cannot understand the person on the other end???
|
|
|
Re: Not a monster but he's mine - Most important buck to date (repost from deer hunting section)
[Re: jdk1985]
#5396866
11/03/14 10:24 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 313
wfhunter
Bird Dog
|
Bird Dog
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 313 |
Great story! Emotion and passion is something we all have felt, or feel if hunting is in your blood, and way of life! My father died when I was 14. Next month it will be 40 years since he passed, so just saying I have been there and understand completely. Big racks are not the only thing that make a trophy. Thanks for sharing your special moment with us.
|
|
|
Re: Not a monster but he's mine - Most important buck to date (repost from deer hunting section)
[Re: jdk1985]
#5396875
11/03/14 10:28 PM
|
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 5,088
Elkhunter49
THF Trophy Hunter
|
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 5,088 |
Great Buck and an awesome story!!! Well done brother. Baker
A true friend reaches for your hand but touches your heart.
|
|
|
Re: Not a monster but he's mine - Most important buck to date (repost from deer hunting section)
[Re: jdk1985]
#5396884
11/03/14 10:31 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 6,269
swmays
THF Trophy Hunter
|
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 6,269 |
Thanks for sharing a very nice tribute. Nice buck.
|
|
|
Re: Not a monster but he's mine - Most important buck to date (repost from deer hunting section)
[Re: jdk1985]
#5396943
11/03/14 10:56 PM
|
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 382
deedeetaylor
Bird Dog
|
Bird Dog
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 382 |
That buck would have been the best buck on many leases...be proud and keep huntin'.
"The surest sign that there is intelligent life elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us."
|
|
|
Re: Not a monster but he's mine - Most important buck to date (repost from deer hunting section)
[Re: PWT]
#5397114
11/04/14 12:28 AM
|
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 7,806
Deerhunter61
THF Trophy Hunter
|
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 7,806 |
Great story, nothing wrong with that deer, your dad would be very proud! Congrats!
|
|
|
Re: Not a monster but he's mine - Most important buck to date (repost from deer hunting section)
[Re: jdk1985]
#5397171
11/04/14 12:53 AM
|
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 110,796
dogcatcher
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 110,796 |
Congrats!!!
Combat Infantryman, the ultimate hunter where the prey shoots back. _____________"Illegitimus non carborundum est"_______________
|
|
|
Moderated by bigbob_ftw, CCBIRDDOGMAN, Chickenman, Derek, DeRico, Duck_Hunter, hetman, jeh7mmmag, JustWingem, kmon11, kry226, kwrhuntinglab, Payne, pertnear, rifleman, sig226fan (Rguns.com), Superduty, TreeBass, txcornhusker
|