Well the end of the rifle season is here and it was a decent one. I was able to get a nice 4 year old 9 point on the first Saturday of the season. Not the one I’ve been chasing all fall, but a new one that showed up looking for ladies.
Dad was not able to make it on opening weekend as he was being inducted into his college hall of fame for hockey and football. He absolutely insisted that we go deer hunting and not come to his event. He got up to the farm with my BIL on Wednesday night and hit the stand Thursday morning. Shortly after day break a big 8, the one we call heavy 8 crosses the field in front of Dad. He got 2 good shots off and the buck runs into our sanctuary. Unfortunately after 4 hours they lost the blood trial and couldn’t find the deer 
The next day they spent another couple hours looking to no avail.
My son and I got up there friday night and after a short sit in stand in the morning, we met for a search party. Just me and my son going into the sanctuary as scent free and quiet as we could moving real slow and using our binos to scan the area. About 20 minutes in we spotted the deer. It was bittersweet, because the deer had spoiled and bloated, but it was very good find him and get closure. Dad was very happy to tag this deer, but sorry that the meat went to waste. At 78 years old he still enjoys the hunt and is able to get out every weekend in the fall for ducks and deer.
We ended the season with 2 mature deer hitting the ground, lots of new memories, and had a great time doing it. The deer will get a break for a week or 2 and then we will be after them again with muzzys then bows.
Dad’s deer was a heavy wide 8 point that was at least 4.5 years old and I am guessing more like 5.5 from looking at the teeth. My son and I passed this buck last year several times thinking he would be a good one next year. I rough scored this deer at 128″ with an 18″ inside spread. Mine was a 4.5 year old 9 point that rough scored 133 2/8.
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