Never too old!!! (long read)
Howdy Y'all!
Even at 45 yrs. old, I am not too old to feel like a kid!
First off, I must apologize to all my TBH brothers. This deer was not taken with a bow, but with a rifle. This is only my second deer ever, and my first true Buck, and I just had to share it with everyone. I killed a "button" buck 3 wks. ago with my bow - my first deer ever - but was too embarrassed to share it. I thought it was a doe.
I grew up in Colorado, the son of a preacher who loved to fish, and taught me well to be a fisherman, but never had time to take my brother and I hunting. Didn't start hunting until after I graduated from TAMU and moved back to Colorado back in 1994. Pursued Elk twice while living there, but never had any luck. Moved the family back to Texas in 1998, got hooked on Bass fishing, and spent all my free time pursuing a 10-pounder - still chasing that one. Ha! Got on my first lease 6 yrs. ago out near Franklin, but never saw anything. Hunted the SHNF for 2 years, also with no luck. Joined my current lease last year, and found a good one.
Headed up to my lease just outside of Diboll on Sunday afternoon, after working an OT shift Saturday night for MCHD. Running on 30+ hrs. of no sleep, grabbed me a Monster and a Mountain Dew and hit the road about noon. Got to the lease at about 2 pm, changed clothes in camp, then drove out to my usual parking spot about 1/2 mile from my stand. I started loading up my climbing stand, my backpack, my harness, an orange vest and orange cap (it's gun season now and I have no idea who's in the woods). I always carry my climbing stand in on the first day, and carry it back out when headed back home. Just my preference, but it's alot to carry sometimes. I truly wanted to take both my bow and my 30-30, but I couldn't carry both. So I opted for the boom stick, and would take both into the woods the next morning, when I had much less to carry in.
Saw lots of squirrel traffic, but no deer traffic, which was surprising to me. I had seen deer every time I went up this same tree. This is the same tree I shot a nig buck out of last year, but, as reported to my TBH brothren, I hit him high with a Rage 2-blade, and I never recovered him. This is also the same tree I shot the button buck out of - my Honey Hole!
Finally, about 5:20, just as the light was fading and getting close to being too dark, I hear something moving through the woods behind me. I had my climber facing North, expecting that the deer traffic was goint to be coming from the North, headed South for the Nueces River for the night. Was not expecting the deer to be coming from the South headed North, but also had a Southerly wind. I peeked around the tree, saw that it was a buck, and quietly stood up. I raised my gun up and put th crosshairs on him as he had his head up in the air eating some leaves off a branch. I had a small opening, but had a clear shot at his right shoulder. While contemplating taking the shot, he dropped his head, and moved just enough that I lost my window of opportunity - at the time. This buck turned and walked directly under my stand! All I had to do was point and pull the trigger. Got him right through the heart.
He ran about 20 yds. and piled up in the creek bed, which is dry this year (thank God!). I walked over to make sure he was down, thinking he was an 8-pt. Rolled his head and saw that he was a 10-pt and I dropped to my knees, thanking the Good Lord for such a beautiful trophy. I certainly didn't deserve it, but God provided and I took advantage of it. Snapped a couple of pic's with my phone to send to my wife, just in case the coyotes beat me back to my prize.
Carried my rifle back to the truck, moved the truck as close as I could get, got my knifes and all the flashlights I had, then headed back down the hill to where my deer lay. Had to gut him where he fell, in the dark, then hauled him out of the creek bed. I could tell how out of shape I was (am) from that one little haul, even with 10 lbs. of guts removed, and this "big" deer was much more than I could drag up the hill to the truck. I decided to cape him out right there and take the front quarters as well. Carried the head and front quarters to the truck, then went back and drug the rest of the carcass up the hill. Finally finished hauling about 9:30, went back to camp, hung the carcass and got the rest of the hide and rear quarters off about 11:00. Finally got everything iced down about midnight. Well worth all the sweat!!!
The first 2 pic's are the LDP's from my phone. The other 3 are my bragging pics with a few of my buddies (after replacing the dead batteries in my real camera).
Again, I apologize for the use of a boom stick, but I just had to share my Buck with my fellow Hunters - those who share a kindred spirit and a respect for all that God has given us to enjoy!
Thanks, and have a great day!
Terry C.
Even at 45 yrs. old, I am not too old to feel like a kid!
First off, I must apologize to all my TBH brothers. This deer was not taken with a bow, but with a rifle. This is only my second deer ever, and my first true Buck, and I just had to share it with everyone. I killed a "button" buck 3 wks. ago with my bow - my first deer ever - but was too embarrassed to share it. I thought it was a doe.
I grew up in Colorado, the son of a preacher who loved to fish, and taught me well to be a fisherman, but never had time to take my brother and I hunting. Didn't start hunting until after I graduated from TAMU and moved back to Colorado back in 1994. Pursued Elk twice while living there, but never had any luck. Moved the family back to Texas in 1998, got hooked on Bass fishing, and spent all my free time pursuing a 10-pounder - still chasing that one. Ha! Got on my first lease 6 yrs. ago out near Franklin, but never saw anything. Hunted the SHNF for 2 years, also with no luck. Joined my current lease last year, and found a good one.
Headed up to my lease just outside of Diboll on Sunday afternoon, after working an OT shift Saturday night for MCHD. Running on 30+ hrs. of no sleep, grabbed me a Monster and a Mountain Dew and hit the road about noon. Got to the lease at about 2 pm, changed clothes in camp, then drove out to my usual parking spot about 1/2 mile from my stand. I started loading up my climbing stand, my backpack, my harness, an orange vest and orange cap (it's gun season now and I have no idea who's in the woods). I always carry my climbing stand in on the first day, and carry it back out when headed back home. Just my preference, but it's alot to carry sometimes. I truly wanted to take both my bow and my 30-30, but I couldn't carry both. So I opted for the boom stick, and would take both into the woods the next morning, when I had much less to carry in.
Saw lots of squirrel traffic, but no deer traffic, which was surprising to me. I had seen deer every time I went up this same tree. This is the same tree I shot a nig buck out of last year, but, as reported to my TBH brothren, I hit him high with a Rage 2-blade, and I never recovered him. This is also the same tree I shot the button buck out of - my Honey Hole!
Finally, about 5:20, just as the light was fading and getting close to being too dark, I hear something moving through the woods behind me. I had my climber facing North, expecting that the deer traffic was goint to be coming from the North, headed South for the Nueces River for the night. Was not expecting the deer to be coming from the South headed North, but also had a Southerly wind. I peeked around the tree, saw that it was a buck, and quietly stood up. I raised my gun up and put th crosshairs on him as he had his head up in the air eating some leaves off a branch. I had a small opening, but had a clear shot at his right shoulder. While contemplating taking the shot, he dropped his head, and moved just enough that I lost my window of opportunity - at the time. This buck turned and walked directly under my stand! All I had to do was point and pull the trigger. Got him right through the heart.
He ran about 20 yds. and piled up in the creek bed, which is dry this year (thank God!). I walked over to make sure he was down, thinking he was an 8-pt. Rolled his head and saw that he was a 10-pt and I dropped to my knees, thanking the Good Lord for such a beautiful trophy. I certainly didn't deserve it, but God provided and I took advantage of it. Snapped a couple of pic's with my phone to send to my wife, just in case the coyotes beat me back to my prize.
Carried my rifle back to the truck, moved the truck as close as I could get, got my knifes and all the flashlights I had, then headed back down the hill to where my deer lay. Had to gut him where he fell, in the dark, then hauled him out of the creek bed. I could tell how out of shape I was (am) from that one little haul, even with 10 lbs. of guts removed, and this "big" deer was much more than I could drag up the hill to the truck. I decided to cape him out right there and take the front quarters as well. Carried the head and front quarters to the truck, then went back and drug the rest of the carcass up the hill. Finally finished hauling about 9:30, went back to camp, hung the carcass and got the rest of the hide and rear quarters off about 11:00. Finally got everything iced down about midnight. Well worth all the sweat!!!
The first 2 pic's are the LDP's from my phone. The other 3 are my bragging pics with a few of my buddies (after replacing the dead batteries in my real camera).
Again, I apologize for the use of a boom stick, but I just had to share my Buck with my fellow Hunters - those who share a kindred spirit and a respect for all that God has given us to enjoy!
Thanks, and have a great day!
Terry C.
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