To say this has been a crazy hunting season would be an understatement. Basically my first full hunting season without my mentor. I have been doing my best to hunt when and where I can but for the most part I have been coming up empty.
I have found a new friend and hunting companion in a man we call Doc. Doc has a bunch of land with a bunch of stands and a bunch of deer! Doc is a hunter! He has hunted most everywhere on the planet and has trophy upon trophy. Big game and exotic, he is an accomplished hunter and has taken several very large deer off of the land he lets me hunt with him.
Just last week I had a chance to hunt with little hunting buddy. It was the first time that she was going to be able to use her new Savage 25.06 rifle. We planned an afternoon hunt. We got up in a stand about 3:15pm and settled in. My only hope for the hunt was to at least see some deer even if they did not come into range, this is something that she had never experienced, seeing deer while hunting. At about 3:30 we heard a shot from a stand to our southeast. A welcome sound to tell us the deer were out and moving around.
Around 4:15 or so I hear "daddy, daddy, daddy! I see something small on the edge of the woods." I was looking forward over an area that looked like prime bedding area hoping something would stand up. But she saw her first deer while hunting! It was a good day! It was a fawn. We watched for a moment or two then I hear. "Daddy, daddy, daddy! I see another one!" It just keeps getting better! It was momma deer. We watched her for a few moments and discussed when she should take the shot. Momma deer gets into position..... Little hunting buddy gets into position....
BOOM!
Momma deer acts hit and heads into the woods where she came from. What excitement hits the stand! I can't describe it it is one you need to experience. So we celebrate a little then settle down after all there is plenty of shooting light left and I haven't pulled the trigger. In a very brief time I here crunching in the leaves behind us so does Little Hunting Buddy. I turn and see another doe coming in behind us. Unfortunately neither one of us can turn around to make the shot. 3 deer seen one shot at! What a great day. Wait what's that across the way? Rifle up scope set yes another deer maybe 175yds away moving through a field...into the woods..awww no chance at a shot. But that makes 4 deer! After about 45 minutes we get down and find some blood. As you know by now I am not the best tracker on the planet so....let's get the dog! Yes there is a dog that can find deer on the property
After a short time of looking Doc with the dog us with another awesome hunter it is over. We are following a great blood trail but Doc and the dog are on a scent trail and he hollers out "got it, hey that's a great doe!" She turned to me at those words and the joy in her face was something I wish everyone could experience. Here an accomplished big game hunter calls all for all to hear "great doe" in recognition of my 16 year-old's first deer ever! It doesn't get any better than this!
