This is long. I do this to preserve for myself and my kids. Once drafted, I always want to share it.
We're fortunate to have a lease within 30 minutes of our driveway. It doesn't take much to convince us to go hunting. Dane, my 17 year old, had missed most of the school day Friday for a doctor's appointment and when I mentioned heading to Blanco to hunt, he was all for it.
We needed to put a card in a camera and drop a couple of chairs into some blinds before hunting, so we left early. Two chairs were put in the new Krivoman setup and then we headed to the Ridge to put a card in the camera and drop another chair in Les' Xenek tent located there. The trip around the 700 acre property can be painful for someone riding shotgun, due the number of gates that might be opened and closed. Dane hates it. He really hates the trip to the Ridge because of one gate that is an *** kicking to get open and closed. Regardless, he grumbled quietly and did the honors as we pulled in and out of pastures.
We decided to park near the world's worst gate instead of driving back to our typical parking spot near the barn. This cut our walk to the Bomb Shelter in half. The Bomb Shelter is a Krivoman setup overlooking an All-seasons 300 lb ladder fill feeder that the land owner insisted I use when I got on the place. It's been in place longer than any other feeder and has produced my daughter's first buck as well as a doe and buck for me. It's also been the stand where my daughter missed a buck in 2017 and my son and I missed the SAME buck last year. We love the spot and hunt it alot.
Trailcams have shown tons of activity with several good bucks frequenting and even a 5x5 elk showing up in the summer. This season, every hunt has been a little more interesting knowing an elk may drop in. Regardless, we have some great target bucks and on this night, Dane and I hoped one of those would show.
We settled in a little later than we had hoped. It was around 5:00 p.m. and the feeder was set for 6:00. Deer might come into this spot at any time so we sat quietly, waiting. The afternoon dragged on as not even a bird or squirrel made their way to the feeder. At 6:00, the feeder rattled and Dane got ready.
We didn't see a deer until about 6:15 when the typical, over-cautious doe with youngsters started to squeeze in. I don't think the doe on this place know how to walk without stomping. They're the most cautious deer I've hunted. A couple came in from down wind of us and had me a little surprised with what we seemed to be getting away with there.
While Dane and I discussed him taking an opportunity on a doe, I looked out the left window to see antlers moving between the live oaks. It was the Big 8!! The other deer had settled so he marched right into the feeder. Dane readied his bow and I started the video camera. This deer likes to eat right under the feeder, based on trailcam pictures, so I was certain he'd make his way there. He did. Dane and I made some adjustments so that Dane could possibly get a shot sooner than we had planned. I wanted the shot to happen and didn't want to wait for the deer to get the the originally planned shooting lane. As the deer fed facing us, I reached over and put my hand on Dane's chest to make sure his heart was pounding like mine was. It was. He was excited!
As we continued to watch, one doe spooked for some reason and all the deer made a hasty retreat for a few yards. I told Dane to get ready because it was about to happen. In my experience, if deer spook and stop, when they return everything will be better for the shot as they typically move further in than where they were before. Sure enough, that happened. With the Big 8 standing broadside, Dane drew perfectly quietly, took his time aiming (more time than I could stand) and released.
The big buck high-kicked and retreated straight from us as the arrow fell to the ground beyond him. My eyes saw a somewhat low shot that had me concerned. Where the buck had been standing lay a golfball-sized piece of light pink tissue. Was this lung? Was it fat from the brisket or belly? With what I thought I had seen of the shot and this sign on the ground, I was worried we had a glancing gash on the buck.
We waited about 25 minutes before deciding to go look at the sign at the feeder. My confidence wasn't as high as I would have liked it and I needed confirmation one way or another. We sneaked out of the blind. As we got to the front of the blind, we saw deer crossing to our north. I told Dane not to take his eyes off those deer in case the buck was with them. He watched as I inspected the tissue and his arrow. The arrow had clearly passed through the buck as it was moist from point to nock. However, it was not covered in red blood, just moist.
We were now beyond 30 minutes post-shot so we began looking for additional sign near the feeder. Nothing. I told him I think we better review the footage to make sure we knew exactly where he had fled. Both of us had remembered him running to our right a bit before leaving. We went back to the blind, grabbed the video camera and found the footage of the shot. We were mistaken. He fled straight away.
Armed with the better idea of where he went, we walked to the spot and began picking up blood. I was still not certain where he had hit the deer as the tiny video screen playback was inconclusive. Dane admitted he hit low. We found drops of blood, then splatters on leaves and eventually some small puddles. After about 15 yards of trailing through frostweeds and their very helpful, broad green leaves, we were in a clearing without the sign we needed to keep going. Just as I had resigned to the fact we were going to have to get down close to the ground, I looked ahead from the clearing. Seeing what I thought was just a large chunk of Edwards Limestone, I picked up my binoculars and focused on what was clearly the white belly of a downed hill country buck!!!
Now, at this point, I wish I had kept my mouth shut and just kept on tracking, allowing Dane to find the buck. But, I don't have that in me. I'm an excitable nutjob and I completely lost my mind standing there knowing the big buck was down while Dane looked for sign. I gave him a hug and told him to look in the clearing by the cedar. A big grin ensued. We paused long enough to shoot a little video for documentation purposes and then made our way to his first bow kill.
I can't really explain how exciting it is to watch my kids get the job done from the deer blind. I've killed big deer myself and I think that excitement pails in comparison to what I experience with my kids in the field. Dane is a reserved guy, always calculating his next move and never overly excited. I just have to trust that the ear to ear grins represent the enthusiasm I hope compares to mine.
We prepared the tags, took LDPs, and loaded up the buck to head home. Our work on the deer went late into the night. I think we were both pretty tired when we hit the pillow. These are the greatest days in a Father's hunting life. I was beyond excited until I dozed off.
Below are the LDPs and the priceless footage. Thanks for reading.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXfggkZTwGQ&t"]Danes Big 8 - YouTube[/ame]
We're fortunate to have a lease within 30 minutes of our driveway. It doesn't take much to convince us to go hunting. Dane, my 17 year old, had missed most of the school day Friday for a doctor's appointment and when I mentioned heading to Blanco to hunt, he was all for it.
We needed to put a card in a camera and drop a couple of chairs into some blinds before hunting, so we left early. Two chairs were put in the new Krivoman setup and then we headed to the Ridge to put a card in the camera and drop another chair in Les' Xenek tent located there. The trip around the 700 acre property can be painful for someone riding shotgun, due the number of gates that might be opened and closed. Dane hates it. He really hates the trip to the Ridge because of one gate that is an *** kicking to get open and closed. Regardless, he grumbled quietly and did the honors as we pulled in and out of pastures.
We decided to park near the world's worst gate instead of driving back to our typical parking spot near the barn. This cut our walk to the Bomb Shelter in half. The Bomb Shelter is a Krivoman setup overlooking an All-seasons 300 lb ladder fill feeder that the land owner insisted I use when I got on the place. It's been in place longer than any other feeder and has produced my daughter's first buck as well as a doe and buck for me. It's also been the stand where my daughter missed a buck in 2017 and my son and I missed the SAME buck last year. We love the spot and hunt it alot.
Trailcams have shown tons of activity with several good bucks frequenting and even a 5x5 elk showing up in the summer. This season, every hunt has been a little more interesting knowing an elk may drop in. Regardless, we have some great target bucks and on this night, Dane and I hoped one of those would show.
We settled in a little later than we had hoped. It was around 5:00 p.m. and the feeder was set for 6:00. Deer might come into this spot at any time so we sat quietly, waiting. The afternoon dragged on as not even a bird or squirrel made their way to the feeder. At 6:00, the feeder rattled and Dane got ready.
We didn't see a deer until about 6:15 when the typical, over-cautious doe with youngsters started to squeeze in. I don't think the doe on this place know how to walk without stomping. They're the most cautious deer I've hunted. A couple came in from down wind of us and had me a little surprised with what we seemed to be getting away with there.
While Dane and I discussed him taking an opportunity on a doe, I looked out the left window to see antlers moving between the live oaks. It was the Big 8!! The other deer had settled so he marched right into the feeder. Dane readied his bow and I started the video camera. This deer likes to eat right under the feeder, based on trailcam pictures, so I was certain he'd make his way there. He did. Dane and I made some adjustments so that Dane could possibly get a shot sooner than we had planned. I wanted the shot to happen and didn't want to wait for the deer to get the the originally planned shooting lane. As the deer fed facing us, I reached over and put my hand on Dane's chest to make sure his heart was pounding like mine was. It was. He was excited!
As we continued to watch, one doe spooked for some reason and all the deer made a hasty retreat for a few yards. I told Dane to get ready because it was about to happen. In my experience, if deer spook and stop, when they return everything will be better for the shot as they typically move further in than where they were before. Sure enough, that happened. With the Big 8 standing broadside, Dane drew perfectly quietly, took his time aiming (more time than I could stand) and released.
The big buck high-kicked and retreated straight from us as the arrow fell to the ground beyond him. My eyes saw a somewhat low shot that had me concerned. Where the buck had been standing lay a golfball-sized piece of light pink tissue. Was this lung? Was it fat from the brisket or belly? With what I thought I had seen of the shot and this sign on the ground, I was worried we had a glancing gash on the buck.
We waited about 25 minutes before deciding to go look at the sign at the feeder. My confidence wasn't as high as I would have liked it and I needed confirmation one way or another. We sneaked out of the blind. As we got to the front of the blind, we saw deer crossing to our north. I told Dane not to take his eyes off those deer in case the buck was with them. He watched as I inspected the tissue and his arrow. The arrow had clearly passed through the buck as it was moist from point to nock. However, it was not covered in red blood, just moist.
We were now beyond 30 minutes post-shot so we began looking for additional sign near the feeder. Nothing. I told him I think we better review the footage to make sure we knew exactly where he had fled. Both of us had remembered him running to our right a bit before leaving. We went back to the blind, grabbed the video camera and found the footage of the shot. We were mistaken. He fled straight away.
Armed with the better idea of where he went, we walked to the spot and began picking up blood. I was still not certain where he had hit the deer as the tiny video screen playback was inconclusive. Dane admitted he hit low. We found drops of blood, then splatters on leaves and eventually some small puddles. After about 15 yards of trailing through frostweeds and their very helpful, broad green leaves, we were in a clearing without the sign we needed to keep going. Just as I had resigned to the fact we were going to have to get down close to the ground, I looked ahead from the clearing. Seeing what I thought was just a large chunk of Edwards Limestone, I picked up my binoculars and focused on what was clearly the white belly of a downed hill country buck!!!
Now, at this point, I wish I had kept my mouth shut and just kept on tracking, allowing Dane to find the buck. But, I don't have that in me. I'm an excitable nutjob and I completely lost my mind standing there knowing the big buck was down while Dane looked for sign. I gave him a hug and told him to look in the clearing by the cedar. A big grin ensued. We paused long enough to shoot a little video for documentation purposes and then made our way to his first bow kill.
I can't really explain how exciting it is to watch my kids get the job done from the deer blind. I've killed big deer myself and I think that excitement pails in comparison to what I experience with my kids in the field. Dane is a reserved guy, always calculating his next move and never overly excited. I just have to trust that the ear to ear grins represent the enthusiasm I hope compares to mine.
We prepared the tags, took LDPs, and loaded up the buck to head home. Our work on the deer went late into the night. I think we were both pretty tired when we hit the pillow. These are the greatest days in a Father's hunting life. I was beyond excited until I dozed off.
Below are the LDPs and the priceless footage. Thanks for reading.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXfggkZTwGQ&t"]Danes Big 8 - YouTube[/ame]
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