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We all know something, but.......

Quantum673

Black Hat Cajun
Supporting Member
Back at the office this morning so I decided to take a few minutes and share the hunt.

Gun camp for me has always been more about getting together with a few buddies and sharing the woods. None of us gets TOO worked up about killing a deer ourselves as long as someone in camp gets a shot.

We got to camp Sunday afternoon. I had to stop by Wal-Mart on the way to get a battery for the red dot. Murphy's law! It worked great checking it a few days before but of course was dead when I checked it again Sunday morning. Wal-mart was out of the size I needed. Radio shack next door was out as well. Told my one buddy let's stop at home depot and if they don't have it then screw it I will use the muzzleloader. Home depot had it. Got to camp and we got everything set up and organized. We all decided we better take a stroll to our stands to make sure everything was good to go. We ended up moving 2 stands to better vantage points and freshened up a few corn piles.

Monday morning we were up and out right before first light. It was a very quiet sit for me. As I always do the first hour or so I spent most of the time talking to Connor. I always talk to him about the setup, where I think the deer will come from, where I hope I can stop them, and go through several what if situations. After that I sat back and enjoyed the woods.

About 10am I hear a shot close by. I grab the gun and get ready hoping one will be coming by. A few seconds later I hear another shot in the other direction. Get a text that 2 buddies have deer down. I sat until 11:30 then climb down to help the guys get their deer out.

1:45pm I hit the stand again. It was a quiet night on the farm. I was skunked again.

Monday night we enjoy a nice dinner on the grill and kick back playing cards and enjoying a few cold ones. This is the time that makes this a special camp. Six buddies telling stories, remembering old hunts, and laughing for hours. We called it a night about 11 and hit the bed.

Tuesday morning I was a little late waking up but managed to get in the stand right after first light. There was a fog rolling in the bottom I was in. Visibility at one point was probably 40 yards.

I am hunting a creek bottom that has another ravine that feeds right in to an intersection. My stand is right where they intersect. Knowing after the rain we had monday night and with water still dropping from the tree tops I would have to see the deer because I wasn't going to hear them. I kept scanning the creek bottom and every few minutes I would scan the other ravine. I was having to really scan hard through the fog. About 8am I had been watching the creek bottom for a few minutes and turned to check the ravine. As I scanned to my right I see a deer in the bottom feeding. It is probably 50 yards off to my right and I can barely make it out in the fog.

I decided it was a big doe and I would get ready to take the shot. It lifted it's head to check the ravine and I saw it was actually a buck. The fog was disguising his rack when he had his head down. Every couple seconds he would lift his head and check around. I had to get my gun up and turn about 90 degrees to get a shot. He froze me as I was lifting my gun. I had to wait for him to drop his head again. That's when I decided there was no way I was going to be able to turn and get my gun into position. Only chance I had was to shoot left handed. Luckily for me I am fairly proficient with a gun left handed. As he put his head back down i was able to lift my gun and shoulder it left handed. Looked through the vortex site and settled the green dot behind his shoulder. I had to settle for a few extra seconds. The fog was messing with me but once I was sure of the placement and his position I squeezed the trigger. The gun sounded off. I saw he was hit hard. He ran right under my stand and headed towards the creek. He stopped about 60 yards to my left and was just standing there. I waited a few seconds and decided to shoot again. He dropped in his tracks on the second shot. I climbed down and headed over to him. He was lying about 10 feet from the creek.

The emotions of the hunt hit me like a sack of potatoes. He is not a big deer and will not score. He is a trophy to me. A culmination of over 2 years. The sentimental value this deer will always hold is priceless. Yesterday was my dad's birthday. The man that introduced me to hunting and taught me right and wrong. He passed away January 15, 2001 in a big rig accident. He went doing what he lived to do. On the open road. This also marked the third gun season that one of us wasn't there. Connor had been a part of our gun camp since he was 8 or 9 years old. We both had shot deer out of this same stand just 3 years ago his last hunt with me.

I will get a euro mount done so that I will always have a reminder of this very special day.

Thank you all for your congratulations. It means a lot to me.
 

Quantum673

Black Hat Cajun
Supporting Member




 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,743
274
North Carolina
We are safe from the fires as of now. Hopefully they stay to the south east.

The cabin we stayed in down there in September, the area was hit hard and the ski resort just below it was a total loss.... I have a sickening feeling the cabin is a loss as well....


 

Gordo

Senior Member
5,515
121
Athens County
I was just down in Asheville for turkey day. Heavy smoke on our drive just before hitting Tennessee and was there the rest of the drive to Asheville. I've never seen anything like it before.

Pisses me off to hear they think a large part of the fire were arson.


 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
I was just down in Asheville for turkey day. Heavy smoke on our drive just before hitting Tennessee and was there the rest of the drive to Asheville. I've never seen anything like it before.

Pisses me off to hear they think a large part of the fire were arson.

One guy arrested for setting two of the fires.