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A Buck to make my Dad proud!

hickslawns

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39,721
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Ohio
It has been a long couple of days. Thanksgiving last week. Got sick Thursday night and been trying to shake this cold since. Saturday night, well 3am Sunday morning my Mom called me. She was taking Dad into the hospital with chest pains. 3 of my sister's kids were over there spending the night so I headed over to stay with the kids. Sunday afternoon I found myself meeting my brother to drop off my sister's kids halfway between Lima and Columbus. My sister and BIL have been out of town at a convention or something. Dad? Well, the doctors weren't offering any definitive answers but had him scheduled for a heart cath today. Holidays, head colds, juggling kids, hospitalized father. . . .just a long several days. It makes days like this seem a little sweeter.

Slid in under cover of darkness to a fence row stand with neighboring CRP field to my west which was mowed down this fall, overgrown CRP like field directly in front of me to the east, and standing corn roughly 100yds beyond it to the east. In the darkness I heard footsteps of a single deer. Too dark to make out even a silhouette. Single deer, sounds as if dragging it's feet? Hopefully a buck. The deer stop in front of me roughly 50yds. I prayed it was bedding. I sat there pondering why I was even hunting with this cold and fighting off the urge to cough. I thought mostly of my Dad awaiting his heart cath at 2pm. I wished I could be there, but with a cold, I know better than to enter the heart ward of the hospital. I knew I could only be there in spirits and prayers so I prayed to make my Dad proud today. He is not a hunter. As a father, I know parents are proud simply to watch their children succeed. I don't attend my son's soccer games because I like soccer. It is to watch him give it his all which brings a smile to my face.

As daylight broke, I feverishly scoured the field with my binoculars. I see no deer. For an hour I glassed the field hoping to see the flicker of an ear or tail, or a deer to move behind some brush. For an hour I saw nothing. I was starting to cool down and was ready for a jacket. I figured the deer I heard earlier I simply didn't hear it leave. I looked around 360 degrees and saw nothing so decided it was safe to put my pull over 1/4 zip up jacket over my head. I disconnected my safety harness, slid my arms into the bulky sleeves, looked one last time, and pulled it over my head. Before I could pull the bunched up jacket down and reconnect my harness a deer stood up directly in front of me. The sun rising glistened off his antlers and I froze. I knew immediately he was a shooter despite only seeing his white throat patch and rack. He fidgeted and looked away. I turned to pull my muzzle loader off the hook. I kept an eye on him and he turned to me again. Finally he looked away long enough to shoulder the 50 caliber. I had the crosshairs on his shoulder but had to wait as he was moving slowly behind some brush. I cocked the gun. I could only see the top of his back as he was clearing the brush. I knew better than to look at the antlers. He was quartering away hard as I prepared to squeeze the trigger. He seemed to be getting more nervous and appeared ready to bolt any second. I kept the crosshairs on him and began to apply pressure to the trigger. As I made my decision to take the shot he flinched and so did I! I was not quite ready to squeeze the trigger but his flinch made me tense up releasing the bullet. I watched him run roughly 20yds straight away then curl around some trees towards the corn. His tail was sort of half mast and he was not moving right. He looked almost hunched up like a liver shot as he slowly trotted off and out of view. I didn't know what to think. I knew the look of his run told me he was hurting, but my logical mind said "You idiot! Why did you punch that trigger? You don't know exactly where you hit him!"

I calmed down as much as possible. Sent out my texts and phone calls to a handful of friends and family members. After an hour I slid down out of the stand. I saw no blood at the impact site. Not good. I glassed down into the bottom and saw no deer. Not good. I headed home to eat breakfast again. I chatted with my Mom and everything was still on schedule with Dad. No changes. I waited until close to noon and took a drive around to see if any hunters were out on neighboring properties. Last thing I wanted to do was send a wounded buck their direction.

Once on location, I climbed back into the stand. I went thru the chain of events which took place this morning. I visualized everything as best as I could remember in the blur of adrenaline. I made some mental landmarks and hit the ground. Still saw no blood but did find hoof prints in the mud which verified I was in the spot the buck stood when he took off. I followed this path with an occasional hoof print telling me I was on course. Still no blood. I got down to an old pond and didn't know if he went right or left. Earlier in the day, while waiting, I watched two bucks come out of the area to the right. It hit me like a ton of bricks. It made sense why they were acting funny there around 9am. There was a dead or dying buck not 30-40yds from where they came out. I continued to the right. Another heavy hoof print told me I was on track. I continued and glassed the area as I slowly walked. I went this direction and saw a white belly AND antlers! I took a quick step, then stopped. I pulled my muzzle loader up to my shoulder and proceeded slowly on in the last 10-15yds. I knew I was blessed. The first thing I did was hit the dirt with my knees and say "Thank you Jesus!" I marveled at the sight of this buck and took a few moments to revel in the sunlight hitting him. There were so many prayers for my Dad and for God to lead me to this buck today. I won't begin to guess how many times the "Big Man" was talked to by myself today. It only seemed right to take a moment to give thanks for the food for my family, the memory of the hunt, and to ask once again for the doctors hands to be guided in my Dad's heart.

I took some pictures and texted one to Mom just before Dad was to be taken in for his heart cath. It said "Tell Dad it is a good day to be a Hicks man. Everything is going to go fine. Love you guys". I attached this picture to it.



I won't bore you with any more details of the hunt. I will say, it was a good day to be a "Hicks man." Dad ended up having a stint (stent?) inserted into one of the previously bypassed arteries. I realize overall, this isn't the greatest news. However, in talking with my Dad yesterday, it is good. His spirits were up, and he was ready to find out the cause of his recent issues. He said "If I need a stent, I need a stent. I would much rather have a stent and fix this than to have a heart attack sneak up on me." I haven't spoken directly with Dad since he came out this afternoon. I was busy dragging this buck out and listening to my phone blow up. My wife and Mom kept me up to speed. This evening while talking with my Mom, I heard Dad in the background talking. I asked if he was okay or if she needed to go. Mom's reply: "Your Dad wants to know how many points that thing has?" I knew I had made my Dad proud. Despite my cold and inability to be in the hospital with him, I felt as though I was there for him by making him proud. I truly cannot take the credit. I prayed a lot. I made a less than perfect shot. The Lord led me to that deer just like he brought my Dad thru his heart catherization and stent placement today. I got lucky today. I have been lucky my whole life. Why? Not everyone has parents like mine. Not everybody has hunting "luck" like mine. I won't take credit. I will just keep emulating the examples my parents have shown me, and try to be the same good examples for my children. I am blessed.

I want to add one more note: You guys are the best. The responses on the forum, the text messages, the FB messages, the phone calls. . . .you all brought huge smiles to my face today. You folks know how to make someone feel very special and it is truly appreciated. This website is more than a hunting website. It is an extended family. I am fortunate to have met quite a few people from TOO and look forward to meeting many more. I cannot thank you enough. You guys humbled me. I don't feel I deserved all the kudos and commotion you made over me. I truly do appreciate it and wish you all the best of luck in the rest of the hunting season. It doesn't get any better than this place for a home away from home. Thank you!







 

brock ratcliff

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Very nice deer, great write up too, Phil! I certainly hope all continues smoothly for your dad!
 

Hoytmania

Dignitary Member
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11,518
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Gods Country
Phil this deer is so deserved by you. Congrats not only on the harvest of a true Ohio trophy but also on the good news of your dad.

Did you have any history with this deer?
 

hickslawns

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39,721
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Ohio
1734 (1024x768).jpg

Great question Hoytmania! I had seen this deer from the stand chasing within the last couple weeks. Good to know he was chasing does. Hopefully he bred a good handful of them the last few years. Had been getting trail camera pictures of him. Just wasn't sharing them on TOO. Sorry people. :smiley_couch:
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
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48,879
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Appalachia
You've definitely logged some hours in the search for a big buck. Congrats on making it happen Phil. That's a buck of a lifetime and it is just icing on the cake having a good story to go with it. Enjoy it.

Now tell us how you got that golden horseshoe up your ass! lmao