My “Traditional Buck” - Deer Hunting - Deer Hunting

My wife and I have been together for about 18 years now (terrible way to start a hunting story, I know) and I started deer hunting once we started dating. Every year we’d be at her parent’s farm over Thanksgiving so I could hunt and every year, my mom would ask if we’d be around for Thanksgiving. I’d always tell her if I can get my buck opening weekend we’ll be there. 17 out of those 18 years it never happened and and it wasn’t until last year that I finally broke the streak and got one opening day. She ended up traveling to my brother’s so I missed out on her homemade pumpkin pie once again. CRIPES! Anyway, I mentioned to my wife that regardless if I get a buck or not, we’re going to her Thanksgiving this year and I was going to hunt public near her place that morning.

A couple weeks back she asked me what she should do with all of Dad’s blaze orange (he passed away a few years back). I told her I would take it home with me and hang onto it. I have no use for it, but there is a lot sentimental value in that barrel of clothing. To back up a bit, my dad never took me hunting, not one time and it sucked since my older brother always got to go with. same deal with fishin but that’s for another site. Regardless, those old blaze orange clothes reminded me of the times I anxiously awaited their arrival back home to see if they had any luck and being super excited to greet them and hear all the stories. Over the years, I think my dad only got 1 or maybe 2 deer (does) and I remember having to sit out in the garage and pick fat off one of em thinking to myself “this is no fun”.

I ended up taking hunter safety around 20 on my own and learned everything I know about hunting from spending time in the woods by myself. One good thing about being left behind as a kid is that it gave me a rabid desire to hunt and fish. I’ve shot some nice deer over the years with both bow and gun and my Dad was the first one I’d call to tell the news. Looking back, I’m sure part of the reason was to gloat a little bit, but nonetheless he was always excited for me. and really…who doesn’t brag just a little bit about a nice buck they shot. I got to thinking earlier this fall that I’ve only shot 1 buck over 16″ wide and he was maybe 18? Nothing to sneeze at but… 16, 16, 16..all really nice bucks, but damn do I want a wider one. I ended up having the worst bow season I’ve had in a long time. I spent a ton of time in the woods and had not one single encounter with a decent buck and can count on 1 hand the amount of small ones I saw. Saw about as many does as well. Just a bad year for me that wasn’t happenenin. Gun season coming up gave me renewed faith that I was going to get my buck this year one way or another.

Opening weekend found me sitting at the in-laws as usual and I was very fortunate to shoot a pretty nice one on Sunday. Another 16 incher! Told everybody he wasn’t the wide one I was hoping for, but I don’t regret taking him for a second. I’m not a guy who gets all that much into score (although I do score them)and I just shoot what makes me happy, but it’s usually going to be a good one. Having a buck tag for the CWD zone as well, I’ve been excited all week about getting out today. Even though I never took part in hunting with my family, I felt like I was going on the traditional Thanksgiving deer hunt that my dad, brother, uncles and cousins all went out for since I was going to be hunting in the same general area and would finally be celebrating Thanksgiving with my immediate family again.

Last night while getting my stuff ready, I decided to go through dads blaze orange and take a look to see what was in there. Going through it all brought back a lot of old memories and seeing his back tag still attached to his coat from the last time he hunted just got me thinking about it all. I came across some sort of Blaze orange Jack Daniels ball cap with a funny saying on it, complete with ear flaps which I just had to put on for a quick sec that ended it all with a laugh as I stuffed it back away.

Got into the woods at a decent time this morning and I was going to be sitting in a tree that I scoped out the last time I was in there bowhunting. I was as excited to be in it as I was when I found it. I could see a long ways, I was right in the middle of a nice funnel and holding a rifle. It was cold, it was windy, it was drizzly and thinking it was going to be warm, I was not dressed for it. I didn’t let it bother me, since I was busy scanning the surrounding area waiting for something to pop out of the brush. I just happened to turn around at 8AM and off in the distance about 150yds away I finally spotted a deer. I’m pretty sure I said something out loud that had to do with his size and then again when he turned his head to look directly away from me. My wind was blowing right to him, he just came out of some thick brush and was heading into some other thick stuff. I had no idea which direction he was going to take once he was in there and I was standing there talking to myself in awe over this thing. I finally came to my senses, rested the 30.06 on a limb, settled the crosshairs and fired away. The deer never knew what hit him and I finally got my wide one.

It’s just too bad my Dad wasn’t there to help me drag him out but that’s a whole nother story!