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Finally my first Buck! Stephens county. #6041989 11/21/15 06:00 PM
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greygooser Offline OP
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Apologies for such a long read, but its my first Buck so I think deserves a bit of an Essay!

This is my 4th season hunting South Stephens county, 3rd on the same property. I started hunting after moving to Texas from the UK and marrying into a father in law who has been at it for 20 years or so. He got me onto his lease and has kindly taken time to teach me everything he can. I often think my wife was probably happy at first to see we had a common interest, and now probably curses the fact he has given me this obsession.

Anyway, after 3 seasons of hard hunting, Id seen not one single legal buck during daylight ever. Though the TCs had confirmed they were around, I was starting wonder if they were all playing some elaborate joke on me. The combination of the drought, and I suspect trigger happy neighbors had left the population down to a limited number of nocturnal immature bucks, and probably some clever ones hiding in the bushes we would never see. I went into this season hoping that the rains, and less hunters around would help survival rates and give me a better chance of just seeing a legal Buck. I was in a new spot with 2 feeders setup along near a tank and bluff with an area of thick cover behind both feeders. TCs confirmed that this year, we had at least 4-5 legal bucks coming to feeders at night, and Does during shooting hours as per usual. Based on this, I felt my only real chance was to catch one chasing a doe.

After sitting 8 times during the first few weeks, it played out as such.

I was seeing small number of Does almost every hunt, but they never seemed to be worried about Bucks on their tail and I began to wonder if the mysterious rut Id heard so much about had for the 3rd season, just slipped by without me noticing. As the initial excitement and expectation of the first few hunts started to disappear, I settled into my usual state of frustrated acceptance, barely enjoying my time in the stand. I would scour the bushes with Binos everytime my Does showed up, but never really expecting to see anything.

After hunting Wednesday night and Thursday morning with Does showing both times, we started packing our stuff up at camp, ready to head out for a Thursday afternoon hunt. My FIL suggested that maybe I hunt one of his stands to get a different look. Hed seen a decent deer down there at last light recently, and the week previous his elderly father had shot a 6 point chasing a doe. Truthfully, I was slightly jealous, just as I was the previous year when my sister in law hunted for a total of 3 hours all season and shot a nice 8 point. But, the old guy wont get to hunt many more seasons and so I was more just very glad he got a Buck. Reluctant to give up on all the work I had done at my own location, but happy to try something new, I accepted my FILs offer. The sit came and went, it was warm and still, and all I had seen was the birds doing their usual thing. . I was kicking back In the stand as the light dwindled, thinking about how ridiculous it was that I had been hunting something for 3 years that never even seen in person. I was feeling particularly down this time, starting to think about the time and money I had put into this without even a look, contemplating next years options. As usual, I started to slowly pack up my gear whilst casually glancing out to the catch the last bit of shooting light. A deer walks out from the broom weed under the feeder. I quickly established it was a small doe and consoled myself again that at 0least I had seen a 4 legged animal. I watched her eat for a minute and started thinking about how the buck shot from this very stand last week, had chased a doe in. At first she seemed calm and I figured it was just my usual doe sighting, but she quickly began looking back into the bushes from where she came, this was behavior I had not seen before in person. I thought to myself, theres either yotes, hogs, or a buck somewhere in there. At that moment she jumped into the air and ran off in the opposite direction from where she came. Immediately afterwards I saw the biggest body I had ever seen come charging in, nose on the ground. I knew it was a buck, but his head was in the broom weed, frustratingly out of sight. As I raised my binos, he raised his head and turned straight on, this guy was easily legal, my first experience of buck fever pretty much knocked the breath out of me. After 3 years, I was almost so surprised to see a Buck, I could barely function. The next minute was a blur, but this is what I remember.


I quickly squished my headphones into my ears, got my gun up and watched him slowly shuffle around under the feeder nose on ground, face on. I began to get worried he was going to bolt after the doe without presenting a shot and determined that at this distance I was desperate enough to take a shot even if only a quarter towards presented itself. Eventually he turned side on, before I even had time to gather myself, I had taken the shot. He sprinted off at full speed into the bushes and I sat and listened as he crashed around, and then silence. A minute later, I text my FIL and he said he would be over with the truck and lights in 30. I sat and wondered if I had even hit him. I was sure I had, but he ran off at such full speed I couldnt believe he had been injured. My only indication was that I thought I heard a dull thud of the bullet hitting him. As I sat there, the doe walked back out and started to eat corn at the exact spot he had been stood. I thought to myself that this probably wasnt a good sign. My FIL arrived and we drove up there. After 5 minutes under and around the feeder, we couldnt find a drop of blood and naturally my heart was sinking fast! Desperately hoping for some indication, we started to work our way out in the direction he had bolted to see if we could pick up a trail, about 20 yards away my FIL stopped and said he could smell him. We flashed our lights around and 15 yards away there he was, expired in the bushes. The sense of relief was unbelievable and as I walked up to him, It didnt even occur to me to look at his horns. I was just so relieved to not have missed, and got it done after 3 years.

As we pulled him out, we realized wed never seen this guy on camera before and he was pretty solid for our lease. Hes no record breaker, but far better than I could have hoped for my first Buck. The pictures and texts to my wife and friends ensued. My main thought was that I could finally enjoy being out in the woods again without having this dang monkey on my back.






Last edited by greygooser; 11/21/15 07:31 PM.

Re: Finally my first Buck! Stephens county. [Re: greygooser] #6041997 11/21/15 06:07 PM
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Nice deer, congrats!


Born to hunt and fish.
Re: Finally my first Buck! Stephens county. [Re: greygooser] #6042006 11/21/15 06:14 PM
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Nice buck and write up! Congrats. Neck looks pretty swollen up on that bad boy!

Re: Finally my first Buck! Stephens county. [Re: greygooser] #6042018 11/21/15 06:23 PM
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Espy Online Content
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congrats on your first buck glad you got that monkey off your back cheers

Re: Finally my first Buck! Stephens county. [Re: greygooser] #6042022 11/21/15 06:26 PM
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Congrats on a nice buck! See, deer huntings easy peep

Re: Finally my first Buck! Stephens county. [Re: Booner1] #6042041 11/21/15 06:46 PM
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Originally Posted By: Booner1
Nice deer, congrats!

Re: Finally my first Buck! Stephens county. [Re: greygooser] #6042059 11/21/15 07:09 PM
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congrats! beautiful buck.

Re: Finally my first Buck! Stephens county. [Re: greygooser] #6042073 11/21/15 07:20 PM
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Congrats on your first buck.

Re: Finally my first Buck! Stephens county. [Re: Rob Lay] #6042105 11/21/15 07:55 PM
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Originally Posted By: Rob Lay
congrats! beautiful buck.


If at first you dont succeed, then skydiving is not for you..

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Dennis

Re: Finally my first Buck! Stephens county. [Re: greygooser] #6042188 11/21/15 09:09 PM
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up

Re: Finally my first Buck! Stephens county. [Re: greygooser] #6042222 11/21/15 09:42 PM
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Great first buck. Congrats!

Re: Finally my first Buck! Stephens county. [Re: greygooser] #6042226 11/21/15 09:48 PM
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Great read and buck! Congrats

Re: Finally my first Buck! Stephens county. [Re: greygooser] #6042242 11/21/15 10:07 PM
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Congratulations buddy....nice deer


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Re: Finally my first Buck! Stephens county. [Re: greygooser] #6042247 11/21/15 10:11 PM
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Great deer. Congrats.

Re: Finally my first Buck! Stephens county. [Re: greygooser] #6042301 11/21/15 10:57 PM
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greygooser Offline OP
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Appreciate all the kind words everyone. Now the real challenge begins, fighting for the right to put him on the wall. I've negotiated a Euro next to the Piano currently.


Re: Finally my first Buck! Stephens county. [Re: greygooser] #6042400 11/22/15 12:27 AM
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Nice job and Congrats!

Re: Finally my first Buck! Stephens county. [Re: greygooser] #6042403 11/22/15 12:27 AM
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Enjoyed the read! I even read it in an English accent. I might have you write my story on here if things go right tomorrow. G'Day Mate.

Re: Finally my first Buck! Stephens county. [Re: greygooser] #6042412 11/22/15 12:31 AM
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Great read and buck, Congrats!


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Re: Finally my first Buck! Stephens county. [Re: greygooser] #6042513 11/22/15 01:39 AM
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cheers Congrats on a great first buck. Really good recap up


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Re: Finally my first Buck! Stephens county. [Re: greygooser] #6042525 11/22/15 01:48 AM
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Great job on the buck and the negotiations with the wife. cheers


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Re: Finally my first Buck! Stephens county. [Re: greygooser] #6042532 11/22/15 01:56 AM
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Very nice back congrats


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Re: Finally my first Buck! Stephens county. [Re: greygooser] #6042546 11/22/15 02:07 AM
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Nice work! Congrats!

Re: Finally my first Buck! Stephens county. [Re: greygooser] #6042684 11/22/15 03:54 AM
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Great buck and story! Great dog too...is that a Weimer?


Originally Posted by LandPirate
We kept it as a pet for several months until it got run over by a truck. Then we ate him.
Re: Finally my first Buck! Stephens county. [Re: Txhunter65] #6042788 11/22/15 10:50 AM
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Originally Posted By: TXSIGNGUY
up
Originally Posted By: Txhunter65
Great first buck. Congrats!

Re: Finally my first Buck! Stephens county. [Re: greygooser] #6042875 11/22/15 01:42 PM
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Congrats from a nearby neighbor In Stephens

Last edited by StephensCnty308; 11/22/15 01:42 PM.
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