I got me a nice buck this year and I wanted to tell my story and add some pictures.
First off it was December 23, and it had been a tough year for me so far.I had already missed a couple of deerduring bow season on what would have been my first kills(doe and a buck).I had a real nice buck within 25 yards of me during gun season and as Iwas getting ready to take my shot, allof the sudden a spike came busting down the mountain and off the bigger buck went after them.My heart sank!!Onanother day I had a pretty nice buck step out and I some how shot and missed it.I was big time down.It felt like I justcouldn't catch a break.I called my cousinwho is also my numberone hunting buddy and told him that this was killing me mentally and I was going to have a hardtime getting myself back into the woods with the way my luck was going.
I had been holding off on shooting any does early in the season in hopes of catching a nice buck before the bucks got spooky and nocturnal aside from bow season.I figured I'd killed enough does in the previous yearsto maybe wait on a buck,a nice one hopefully.After all the bad luck I said I got to get the monkey off my back buck or doe.December 23, I'm in the stand before light and asthe sun brings light to the small1 acre field there's patches of fog andI feel good.It was so nice.At 7:40am I see a small pack of does and I almost consider waiting on a buck again andI say to myself "What are you thinking?How exciting would it be to get a deer this morning either sex". So I shoot and she drops.Finally succes,relief,and meat on the table.I could'nt have been happier.I wait a half hour and start down the tree and hear something off to my left in the corner I'm closest to and it'sthefarthest cornerfrom the doe I shot.When I turn to look I see a rack buck bouncing off.Could'nt tell how big but a rack buck none the less.I decide to dragmy doeto the truck to dress her so the coyotes would'nt be in the fieldgetting afterthe gut pile and run any deer out of the area because I plan on hunting it tommorow after seeing the buck.
December 24, Christmas Eve.
I again get in the stand before light and feel good but I worry because I have to leave at 8:45am to get home so me and my wife can open one present a piece.It's after 8am and I'm a little worried because I haven't seen the first deer.At 8:15am I finally see three does to theleft and they come out in the field and step right on the trail I came in on.I can tell they smell me and they're a little cautious and don't seem to like it.They head right back in where they came from and I thought I'd watch them for as long as I could see them.Just when I started losing sight of them I heara loud racket of leaves scattering to my right and when I turn to look I see a big pack of does(Approxmiatley 10).Something startled them and they run a very small piece(35 yards or so).They stop and one by one enter the field.I'm counting them off as they step into the fieldand when I get to seven I see something out of my eye just in front of me 45 yards or so.It's a buck and he's trotting right over to the does.I immediately put the scope on him and seethe rightside of his rack and notice he has some mass and I'm going to shoot thefirst chance I get.He runs another 10 yards or so I and give him a baaaaaah.He stops and is still eye balling the does.The buck is perfectly broadside and I squeeze of the trigger.Baaam!!!!!He turns and starts running straight torwards me and I see he's a hell of a lot bigger than I ever thought.My eyes probably looked like golf balls and I went from being dead still and calm to 100 percent adrenaline pump trying to dump another round into the chamber of my 270 bolt and he stopped again so I gave it to him again.Baaam!!!!.He ran into the woods and I see him stop.I did'nt see him take off again but I didn't see him drop neither.I couldn't help but to be nervous and worry.I told myself I'd wait thirty minutes before I checked for blood.About ten minutes lateran old man who owns the adjoining land comes walking through the woods wearing a white toboggonand he says"having any luck?" I say "I hope so.If I find that buck I just shot atit'll be a good day." Since he came from where the deer ran to I figure I'd go ahead and climb down and go talk to him.We shook hands and introduced ourselves and he says I heard the shots I wanted to make sure you weren't a tresspasser kind oflaughing(I was close to the property lines.In fact it ran on his land).He said "well lets look around and see if we see him" and there hewas not twenty yards into the woods.The man probably thought I was crazy with the excitment I had since he was a non hunter.He couldn't have understood.It was the perfect Christmas gift for me.I lost my mother this yearand it was going to be my first Christmas without her.This buck sure helpedtake someof the edge offduring Christmas without herand help mekeep my mind off things.Seeing this buck on the wall for the rest of my life will always remind of these events and this Christmas.
Sorry for such a terribly long story.I really wanted to capture the moment.I love reading everyone else's stories and I hopesome ofyouenjoy this story cause I'm a terrible typer and I've been here forever typing this and now have a headache trying to find the right keys.
I know this thing not something for the record books but just out ofcuriousity what would you guess he'd score?
Thanks for reading.
James
Pics
My Christmas Buck?? Really Long
