It was very windy and warm but I saw more than I have so far and almost got my second target buck this evening but the cows ran him off. A doe did make a bad decision this evening coming back in.
Nice evening last night after the wind died down.
It was really still this am. Buddy was covered up in bucks. I had a lone doe. Almost sent an arrow but you could see her ribs. Thought she might be nursing so she got a pass.
Dad and I weren't planning to hunt this weekend, but we decided to head down to the lease to hunt the cold front. It was ON!
We saw loads of whitetail and axis. Saw the first fallow we've seen on our place - a big chocolate buck. We got rained out from the hillside we were hunting Friday morning, so we were driving out of the place about to head to the feed store. Dad told me to stop to look at a sika standing broadside about 60 yards away. Our landowner's only rule is don't shoot sika, so Dad didn't shoot. I couldn't really see him through the rain on the window. I rolled the window down and instantly said, "Fallow! Shoot him!" just as the buck ran into a bunch of trees. It was a big chocolate fallow - same color as a sika. Dad couldn't get a shot. I got my gun out just before the buck was running toward a small opening. I shot as he flashed through it, but missed him. DANG IT.
But the story ended well. Dad got a really nice axis this morning - his first big axis buck. He's been wanting one for a few years, but he spent most of the 2017 and 2018 summers in the hospital and couldn't hunt the rut. When he did get to hunt, he seemed to always have bad luck with axis. It all finally came together today. We watched several whitetail, axis, and a big sika come in to the feeder. We were in my Krivoman blind that's set up for bow hunting. Dad had his .257 Weatherby. His shoulder won't let him draw his bow lately.
The big axis came in and took over the place. He has one side that's super long. The other side has a huge caudle, but the main beam is a few inches shorter than the long side. Dad thought about waiting to see if one of the other bucks that is a true giant might come in. I told him it was his call. I REALLY wanted him to shoot though. I've been doing everything I can do over the last 3 years to get dad on a big axis. We've had several really close opportunities that just didn't work out. I wanted him to get a big one - BAD. But I tried not to pressure him and let him decide.
He decided to shoot. He eased the window open, and I handed him the rifle. He eased it out the window, and a whitetail that was about 12 yards away saw the movement and spooked. All the other deer jumped and ran off a little ways. The big axis didn't spook bad, but he jumped about 10 yards away. Now he was at 30 yards and quartering away. Dad put one through the near side shoulder, through the heart, and out the front of the offside shoulder. The buck just about hit the ground but regained his footing and stumbled a few yards into the brush and died right next to the road nearby. No dragging necessary.
We finally had his trophy axis. That's a good day right there. A little over a year ago I didn't think Dad was gonna make it home from the hospital. God answered a lot of prayers though. What a blessing to be able to hunt with my Dad again!
Out in Gillespie county since Thursday evening and the weather has been great. Winds were a bit high Friday, but the temps got them moving. 41 degrees when I got on the stand Friday morning was a shock to the system; but one I can’t wait for every year. We got light rain so far every day which was much needed. Took a doe Saturday morning and felt good to put down the first deer of the season.
Saw a fantastic cull last night but he wouldn’t give me a shot. Right side just had 2 wicked blades that went almost straight up. Left side a big typical 8 with trash.
Had a couple nice young bucks and like 20 does as well. May take a doe today.
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