Was having a close friend hunt my place he had always been the guy you could stick in a non productive stand and before you could get to your own stand he would shoot a 10 point . No pics on cameras or other sightings just really lucky he smokes like a train and coughs allot too. Two years in a row first hunt and nice buck. So on the 3rd season his luck seemed to be slipping several hunts and no shooters spikes or trophies. Having taken my buck a few days earlier I felt sorry for him he was also kind of a whiny hunter if no success. I put him in the stand with me and after a few minutes out walks really nice 11 point crossing a cut at about 225 yards it had previously been ranged this was were a large creek crossed. I had binoculars on the deer and told Tony to shoot he hesitated and as the deers head was disappearing in brush I again said shoot shoot Boom the 30-06 fires and the deer drops like a rock. We cross a slough and make our way to the deer and to my surprise a perfect neck shoot before he saw the wound I ask were was he aiming ? He quickly replied behind the shoulder. Only Tony could’ve been that lucky I questioned how he was sighted in and he replied with a bore sight!

Great story and welcome back, I saw your post on the other thread.

With me it was my very last hunt with my Dad. He had always hunted with the gun I do now, a pre-Garcia Sako Finnbear .270 my Uncle brought back from Germany in 1969. We were hunting the last year at our lease near Yorktown outside Victoria before my parents were moving back to Lubbock where I had been born. This was 21 years ago and back then around that part of the state most people shot anything with horns. So when a 15" or so 8 point walks out it's both a bit unusual and the best deer my father ever took. I had already shot a buck that year as he always let me shoot first. So he goes to take the shot. In these last years my Dad hunted, we always hunted together in the same blind and I'm glad we did. The memories will last me the rest of my life. Dad had never missed with the Sako (nor have I). It's a tack driver. He shoots at the buck as it's standing near the fence - and it just stands there. He chambers another round and shoots again - again the buck just stands there looking around like Joe Biden at the podium looking for the teleprompter..That dumb stupid buck didn't even budge until the 3rd shot at least, then it crossed a creek bed and started running for the fence/brush line...the Finnbear holds 5 rounds in the magwell. Dad had shot at that buck 3 or 4 times before the final shot hit his spine and brought him down.

We go to recover the buck and there are at least 4 holes that I remember in him....one thru each ear, one in the stomach, and the final shot to the spine - I can't remember for sure, there may have even been a 5th. That buck had stood there for half the volley....me, one shot and all you see are white flags as they run away.

It wasn't until he went to clean his gun that he found what the issue was - you could turn the scope inside the mount/rings, it had come loose and he hadn't retightened it...it's a wonder he hit the deer at all.

It was his best deer and his last, so he had a shoulder mount done. Every year till this day Mom wraps garland around the poor thing at XMAS and hangs ornaments from his ear holes..Dad is 85 now and every year may be his last now. One day, that buck will have a cherished spot in my home. I have more and better memories of it then I do those that I shot.

Earl

Daddy had a friend and his sister was married in to a large ranch in comstock We were invited down for a week hunt every year for around 25 years I was a young stud with a 25 gibbs had to fireform case and hand load , Daddy shot an old pump 06 remmy and our host we will call him Bob, any way on the way to the ranch Bob needs ammo so we stop at some store in Hondo or Uvalde, Bob takes a box of shells off the top of each stack of 06 shells , I said you know those all all different weights of bullets, He says what do you mean , any way we get to the ranch Bob needs to shoot his gun, Im of course ready 3 inches high around inch group, Daddys hits a paper plate at 75yds off hand , Bob shoots at a plastic feed bucket at aroud 75 yds hits all around it says thats close enough lets go , any way we would ride the jeep along side the canyons start rocking and eventially the deer would start running up the other side and we would start hulling , I know that sounds bad but thats the way it was in the early 70s any way we all eventually get our bucks 14 or 15 in 8 poinjts and of course Bob hits his in the kneck Daddy hits his in the sholder ,and me I hit mine in the butt Mr expert rifleman, I could write a good book about our hunts on that place so many memorys

Awesome story we put so much time in our spots to hunt and sometimes neglect to get the rifle some needed attention. Reminds me of my nephews slightly off target experience. My younger and only brother is meticulous with reloading shooting trapping hunting especially varmits. He has ran hunting leases all over for groups and some of the best pheasant hunting in Kansas. When He brings the group of hunters from Texas to Kansas the town of Liberal would host a large banquet in his honor. I’m glad I had the privilege to attend. So his younger son Trent is white tail hunting hunting in Goldwathe still to young to hunt alone so sitting with his Dad the deer begin to come into range they pick a large doe as their target Trent takes aim and boom goes the ole 2.43 . The deer runs and my brother sees a flash of something flying. They go to look for blood but there is none my brother can’t believe that Trent could miss at the range 100 yards. They keep looking and finally to my brothers dismay they find 2/3 of the does tail. He still has the trophy to this day Steve test fired the rifle and it is dead on. Go figure!

Hunting with my dad on a dark dim day. Right at last legal light a good buck comes in. The deer from that blind were very wary of movement. It was also a large metal blind with no insulation, so every magnified greatly. He freehanded his 7 mag and pulled the trigger. In his haste he forgot to get the end of the barrel out of the window. We couldn’t hear or see from the muzzle blast for a while. Hearing a few days lol. Never found the deer either. I blame me being deaf on him.

With my grandfather it was very cold and we were using a propane heater before daylight. Now My grandfather would spray paint his Velcro tennis shoes black every night so they would be shiny, and new looking. He wouldn’t spend the money on hunting boots to keep his feet warm. He had put the bottoms of his shoes ion the heater. We had both fallen asleep, and I had awoken to a putrid smell right before sunup. I woke up to purple flames coming from feet. I casually woke him up and when he woke, all hell broke loose in the 4x4 blind. He was dancing and stomping trying to get flames out. His shoes stuck to the floor and everything they touched. Knocked me over and ruined Bono’s. It was a catastrophe. The smell of burning rubber and paint was so strong we were gagging and coughing. Opened up every window. I don’t know how, but we saw more deer that morning then we ever did. I guess they wanted to see the train wreck first hand.

That’s a good one. Reminds me of the time I took three of my sons hunting in Ranger Jarrod Nick and Jake Jarrod and Jake would hunt all day but Nick not so much he would get in the corner of the stand and sleep. Before we left my Wife said you be careful she couldn’t go this time so I had a 15 and a 12 and 9 year old boys with me. Had a nice big stand we get to Ranger really closer to Strawn right on Palo Pinto creek comfortably in the stand we are all watching for deer Nick falls asleep in the corner close to the heater. We are having a great time until that burning smell hits us Nicks coat is on fire so all 4 of us started trying to put him out . Screaming and hollering no room to drop and roll. Got him extinguished no injuries fortunately when things calmed down I said Boys you don’t have to tell Mom it’s our secret all agreed. We get home and before we were outside the truck the youngest is spilling the beans. That was last trip just the Boys and me took for several years!

First deer hunt I was ever on. Sat in the blind for a couple hours around sunrise all nervous and jittery. I was out with a friend who took me. I saw a couple does and one buck walk in. Looking through binoculars and got the adrenaline started pumping when I spotted the right doe (I was a guest filling a doe tag). It started to drizzle a bit as I waited for my shot. Eventually it was clear to fire and I took the shot. Surprised as hell when I saw some guac go flying and the doe jump and run. I was so nervous thinking it was a gut shot. She only made it about 50 feet before collapsing. Turns out she was just chewing cud and thew up when she got hit! Bullet went right through lungs. Just a deer that vomited. Never been so embarrassed or scared as in that minute when I thought it was a gut shot.

Hate those gut shots it’s been awhile