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"Success"

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
That's TOO Good! Congrats to you two. Come on with the pics though man! Don't make me call Bill, I don't have that kinda time on my hands. Lol
 

buckstar25

Junior Member
691
81
T-county
IMG_20161120_173255809_TOP.jpg



 

finelyshedded

You know what!!!
Supporting Member
31,855
260
SW Ohio
Again, I don't post much and since this post was important to me I didn't want to add another topic when it pertained to everything every member added to this thread.

Youth season found me finishing up my week long bow vacation with out filling my tag. My middle daughter was itching to get in the woods. A crazy Saturday put us late getting to my cabin, but the excitement was amplified for her when (during the drive down) we saw 2 huge bucks chasing does. After a little pep talk, telling a few stories from my childhood I could tell she was getting tired so we turned the lanterns off and tried to sleep.

4:00 a.m. and I was wide awake so I made us the usual camp breakfast. We ate, talked some more about where her shots would be and how many hand warmers she was going to need. She layered the clothes on, strapped the Carhartt bibs, added the oversized orange coat (loaded with more hand warmers) and finally put on the Rocky Snowstalkers that have to be the most dilapidated boots on the face of the earth, but they are 1200 grams and offered enough room for hand warmers in the toe.

We set out into the snow lit woods around 6:00 headed for my dad's blind. On the way up the cam snapped our picture. We got to the blind, got situated and watched the woods wake up. To my surprise she was more into watching the woodpeckers and squirrels than the screen of a phone (which I offered). 5 hours in the cold blind and we didn't lay eyes on a deer but she never got discouraged, she truly enjoyed our time together, her time "alone".
View attachment 49929
View attachment 49930


I decided to head back to let her warm up and then do a couple little drives to give her some time with my dad. Again, both pushes ended with no deer. But the pictures of her and my dad, the stories he told her about taking me, and the advice a 50 year deer hunting veteran gave her are all freaking awesome!

At around 2:00 we decided to head to another property to hunt. This property has a permanent box blind on it, and is in a great section of the county. The blind is situated in a way that if deer come from the right side it puts you in a hard spot because of the lay of the land. I adjusted the side window with some paracord so I had just enough opening to watch our right. I was in a hurry and forgot to grab a chair, my knees were creaking, back was aching, so rather than the youth hunter being unable to hold still, it was me!

As the afternoon grew shorter, she kept intently watching the "tunnels", always saying that sooner or later they gotta show up "right dad"? We talked about patience and about different scenarios that would play out depending on where the deer were and, if the deer didn't show up, how would she define her day. Would it be "successful"?

At 5:06 she asked me what time it was, and then asked how much time we had. My knees were killing me so I stood up and moved to the back corner of the blind. I pulled my sleeve back and told her the time and I peeked out the right window. I heard her say something. I looked at her and asked what she said. With her head down (cause that's what I said had to happen if deer came from the right) she said excitedly...."deer, dad there's a deer". I couldn't believe it, so I asked again. She said even more excited....."DEER, KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN". She told me exactly where it was, I kneeled back down slowly and looked up the hill to the right. Sure enough there he was, a young 8 point, standing in one of the tunnels looking out into the field if forage radishes.

At this point she had the Circuit Judge laying across her lap. She is right handed so we had our work cut out for us to try and get a shot. I calmly told her that we were gonna be ok as long as she moved when the buck wasn't looking. The buck came into the field, grabbed a radish and ate it. She moved a little bit. He then walked another 10 yds and started making a rub. I told her "now", she swung the gun, and her body to the right to get ready for me to out the shooting sticks under the rifle. After he made the rub, the buck walked another 10yds and turned to look up the hill. I didn't even have to tell her, she had the rifle shouldered, but the barrel was too low. The buck looked back, then turned to look up the hill again. I slid the shooting sticks under the rifle, she touched her cheek to the stock and said "I can see him". I reminded her to put the cross hairs "behind the shoulder".

The buck started walking right to left never out of her scope. I said when he stops again kill him. He stopped, I heard the hammer click, "breath"..."breath"...."squeeze" the buck disappeared! She freakin dropped him, and I mean he never took another step!

What happened next has played out over and over in every hunters lifetime. She was ecstatic, I was screaming, she gave herself the nickname "dead shot" and we sat there in disbelief. She said, "you said it only takes a second for your day to change". The whole thing lasted less than 3 minutes!

For me, another day going home without a deer would have been success. I think for her it would have been a success too. Things happen for a reason, we gave thanks, dressed the deer out, and she helped me drag him back to the house. What an awesome day....

What a great everything!!!!

Post
Read
Hunt
Ending
Lesson
Memories


:smiley_clap:

So very happy for you guys!!! Thank you for sharing your story! What it's all about!:smiley_coolpeace:
 

Gordo

Senior Member
5,515
121
Athens County
I'll echo everyone elses thoughts...

Ive had a slow year. Numbers are down in terms of sightings. Way down. Alot of down time.

That being said, any time in the woods is good time. Put it in perspective....

How many folks get to 'be a part' of a sunrise or sunset like we do?

How many folks ever experience that meditative 'zone' we fall into while sitting on stand forever? The one where you have no idea where your mind was for the past couple hours.

How many folks ever experience that clarity of thought that sitting in the woods can bring you during times when life is overwhelming?


There's a shit ton more to a successful hunt then killing. If there wasnt, there is no way this forum even exist.

Bottom line: the act of being able to go on a hunt is success in itself. People who dont truly feel that dont last long as hunters. We'd have all of quit a LONG time ago if there was not more to it then killing.

Back to counting leafs for this guy! Over and out

That's was some 'Gordo 2:16' stuff. Been a solid year!


 

Gordo

Senior Member
5,515
121
Athens County
Again, I don't post much and since this post was important to me I didn't want to add another topic when it pertained to everything every member added to this thread.

Youth season found me finishing up my week long bow vacation with out filling my tag. My middle daughter was itching to get in the woods. A crazy Saturday put us late getting to my cabin, but the excitement was amplified for her when (during the drive down) we saw 2 huge bucks chasing does. After a little pep talk, telling a few stories from my childhood I could tell she was getting tired so we turned the lanterns off and tried to sleep.

4:00 a.m. and I was wide awake so I made us the usual camp breakfast. We ate, talked some more about where her shots would be and how many hand warmers she was going to need. She layered the clothes on, strapped the Carhartt bibs, added the oversized orange coat (loaded with more hand warmers) and finally put on the Rocky Snowstalkers that have to be the most dilapidated boots on the face of the earth, but they are 1200 grams and offered enough room for hand warmers in the toe.

We set out into the snow lit woods around 6:00 headed for my dad's blind. On the way up the cam snapped our picture. We got to the blind, got situated and watched the woods wake up. To my surprise she was more into watching the woodpeckers and squirrels than the screen of a phone (which I offered). 5 hours in the cold blind and we didn't lay eyes on a deer but she never got discouraged, she truly enjoyed our time together, her time "alone".
View attachment 49929
View attachment 49930


I decided to head back to let her warm up and then do a couple little drives to give her some time with my dad. Again, both pushes ended with no deer. But the pictures of her and my dad, the stories he told her about taking me, and the advice a 50 year deer hunting veteran gave her are all freaking awesome!

At around 2:00 we decided to head to another property to hunt. This property has a permanent box blind on it, and is in a great section of the county. The blind is situated in a way that if deer come from the right side it puts you in a hard spot because of the lay of the land. I adjusted the side window with some paracord so I had just enough opening to watch our right. I was in a hurry and forgot to grab a chair, my knees were creaking, back was aching, so rather than the youth hunter being unable to hold still, it was me!

As the afternoon grew shorter, she kept intently watching the "tunnels", always saying that sooner or later they gotta show up "right dad"? We talked about patience and about different scenarios that would play out depending on where the deer were and, if the deer didn't show up, how would she define her day. Would it be "successful"?

At 5:06 she asked me what time it was, and then asked how much time we had. My knees were killing me so I stood up and moved to the back corner of the blind. I pulled my sleeve back and told her the time and I peeked out the right window. I heard her say something. I looked at her and asked what she said. With her head down (cause that's what I said had to happen if deer came from the right) she said excitedly...."deer, dad there's a deer". I couldn't believe it, so I asked again. She said even more excited....."DEER, KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN". She told me exactly where it was, I kneeled back down slowly and looked up the hill to the right. Sure enough there he was, a young 8 point, standing in one of the tunnels looking out into the field if forage radishes.

At this point she had the Circuit Judge laying across her lap. She is right handed so we had our work cut out for us to try and get a shot. I calmly told her that we were gonna be ok as long as she moved when the buck wasn't looking. The buck came into the field, grabbed a radish and ate it. She moved a little bit. He then walked another 10 yds and started making a rub. I told her "now", she swung the gun, and her body to the right to get ready for me to out the shooting sticks under the rifle. After he made the rub, the buck walked another 10yds and turned to look up the hill. I didn't even have to tell her, she had the rifle shouldered, but the barrel was too low. The buck looked back, then turned to look up the hill again. I slid the shooting sticks under the rifle, she touched her cheek to the stock and said "I can see him". I reminded her to put the cross hairs "behind the shoulder".

The buck started walking right to left never out of her scope. I said when he stops again kill him. He stopped, I heard the hammer click, "breath"..."breath"...."squeeze" the buck disappeared! She freakin dropped him, and I mean he never took another step!

What happened next has played out over and over in every hunters lifetime. She was ecstatic, I was screaming, she gave herself the nickname "dead shot" and we sat there in disbelief. She said, "you said it only takes a second for your day to change". The whole thing lasted less than 3 minutes!

For me, another day going home without a deer would have been success. I think for her it would have been a success too. Things happen for a reason, we gave thanks, dressed the deer out, and she helped me drag him back to the house. What an awesome day....

Just read the whole right up!

That was awesome! Congrats


 

buckstar25

Junior Member
691
81
T-county
Thanks again everyone!

Just finished grinding up the burger. We just got a Cabelas meat mixer and sausage/burger attachments for the grinder. Made mixing up the seasoning alot easier on the hands! It'll do up to 7 pounds at a time. The bag stuffer worked ok but I think it would be just as easy to vacuum seal everything.