| As with every deer hunting season I have | | | | over looking the valley and had a clear shot. He |
| participated in the 30 years, this one was eagerly | | | | uses a Remington Model 700 in .270 with a Nikon |
| anticipated. Re-reading some hunting books, | | | | 3-9x so he has plenty of gun. There was a |
| watching deer hunting shows on the Vs and OLN | | | | narrow alley through which to shoot and the deer |
| channels, getting the rifles out and cleaned up and | | | | was going to pass through it. Gramp has always |
| sighted in. All that stuff really gets the hunting | | | | been an excellent marksman and that hasn't |
| juicing flowing. | | | | changed. The buck ran maybe 30 yards and that |
| This deer season started like last season from a | | | | was about it. The second shot was just to end it |
| weather standpoint. The Northeast was unusually | | | | for deer as quickly as possible. |
| warm and that typically make hunting whitetails | | | | Dads 68 and still in excellent condition, but he |
| tougher. Not that we really need it to be tougher. | | | | didn't mind the middle aged guy and young buck |
| The first Saturday of the season was forecast to | | | | dragging his venison for him. We got the deer |
| be a nice sunny day, with temperatures in the | | | | checked in at the State check station and over to |
| morning about 30 or so and rising into the mid to | | | | the butcher. Then we got us some lunch at local |
| high forties by noon. The wind was dead still. We | | | | joint and relived the mornings' success. Three |
| got in early and it was still pretty dark. My son | | | | generations of hunters just enjoying life. |
| and I were to setup on a high ridge, and my | | | | A couple of days later dad and I went out, my |
| father was going to go into the valley west | | | | son didn't make as he had band practice. We're |
| behind a 5 acre wetland we refer to as the | | | | walking in the dirt road like we always do a little |
| swamp. | | | | after 6:00 up to a part of the property we refer |
| The plan was for us to stay in our stands until | | | | to as the north 40. It takes a good 20 minutes of |
| nine, at which time my father would make a still | | | | walking to get there. We're about 10 minutes in |
| hunt in a wide arc hoping to drive any deer in the | | | | and just east of the swap when two deer spook |
| area toward my son and me. | | | | and go running across the road but offer no shot. |
| The deer sign was hot and heavy again on our | | | | A third runs parallel to the road. I took off up the |
| property. Scrapes and rubs all over the place. | | | | road running like a nut until I got to a turn in the |
| Deer droppings that were very fresh were all | | | | road. It was cold and my eyes were all watery, |
| around us. As we got on stand all of us were full | | | | so it took a few moments to be able to see. As |
| of the hope and optimism the first hours of the | | | | any experienced deer hunter knows many a deer |
| hunting season absorb us in. | | | | will stop and turn around after it has been |
| As things lightened up with the rising sun the | | | | spooked and this buck did the same thing. It was |
| woods came alive with squirrels, wood peckers, | | | | still twilight but legal shooting hours has begun. He |
| chipmunks, and various other critters that are | | | | was about 40 yards away. I put the crosshair of |
| always fun to watch. Shots starting to ring out | | | | my Leupold on the boiler room and squeezed off |
| from far away which is always a good sign | | | | a shot out of my Winchester. It was an obvious |
| because someone, somewhere was getting some | | | | hit and he took off over a small hill. |
| action and that meant the deer were probably | | | | Dad and I went to go pick up the blood trail and |
| moving this morning. | | | | found zip. No blood, no hair. I was certain I hit him. |
| Nine oclock was quickly approaching and I had not | | | | Well, we figured we'd spread out and still hunt |
| seen nor heard anything resembling a deer. I | | | | slow in the direction he ran. It wasn't three |
| knew my father would be on the move soon so | | | | minutes and dad spotted him. I finished him off |
| it was time to sharpen the senses a little extra to | | | | and walked up to him. Much to my horror I'd gut |
| get ready. No sooner am I thinking this and a shot | | | | shot him. I've killed plenty of deer in my life, and |
| rings out from the valley. I knew my father had | | | | never had gut shot one. |
| just loosened a round and that's almost always | | | | I was lucky he lay down after only about 100 |
| good news. My cell phone rings and dad tells me | | | | yards. With no blood trail and a million tracks |
| he got a long shot at a buck and was going to | | | | already in the woods we never would have found |
| look for blood. He'd call back if he needed help | | | | him if he was able to go much further. I don't |
| tracking. Maybe five minutes later another shot | | | | know what went wrong with the shot. But the |
| rings out from the valley. This time the phone call | | | | lesson learned was observing the deer following |
| is asking for help dragging, not tracking! | | | | the shot allowed me to know he was hit hard |
| I call my son and we make our way to Gramp, | | | | even though there was no blood trail. We followed |
| as he's known to my son. Gramp shows us | | | | up and collected the venison when a less |
| where the deer was when he shot. It's hard to | | | | experienced or motivated hunter never would |
| believe in the thick woods we hunt that he | | | | have. |
| actually got off a 200 yard shot. The spike horn | | | | We have two in the freezer, now its time to get |
| was going right to left coming off a ridge into the | | | | my son his! |
| valley. My father was setup on the opposite hill | | | | |