Seth’s Eight Pointer

We went out Friday afternoon to set up the blind to hunt from opening day, Saturday, for the youth hunt. We found a nice pinch point on the overhead maps that we decided to hunt, and when we got there it looked even better! I took my bow with us when we set up the blind just in case. About an hour after getting all set up, this buck trotted up within 20 or so yards from the blind. We were sitting right on his trail. We watched him as he stared at us. I was just happy Seth got to see him before he bolted, but the buck just stared at us! He dropped his head and started walking out in front of us!! I had my bow in hand and as he passed behind a few large trees clumped together I got to full draw. I thought for sure my son was going to get to see me shoot this buck with my bow!! When he stepped into the clearing, still only 20 yards away, I let it fly! I thought I drilled it. The big buck trotted off about 75 yards away and just snorted and stomped its hoof over and over. We could see him the entire time. Snot and mucus blowing out of his nose looking as if it was zero degrees outside, but it was 60!! Seth asked if he was going to charge us! After 10 minutes of him wandering back and forth, he eventually trotted off leaving me really doubting I hit him at all. I sneaked out of the blind to check for blood where I shot at him and found my arrow stuck at the base of the tree, clean miss, not a hair!! I tried to re-create what happened and believe my arrow had been snagged on the blind window hanging inside the blind pushing it down into the whiskers of my whisker biscuit rest. (At least that's my story and I'm sticking to it!) I told Seth it happened for a reason... He was to get him tomorrow!!

The alarm rang at 4:45am. Seth jumped right up! After a breakfast sandwich and a cup of coffee we made our way to the blind. We drug scent rags and hung scent bombs and was ready before first light. Nothing!! No deer!! A couple hours went by before we got to watch a few turkeys, but no deer were moving. Around 9am Seth wanted to try and grunt one in. He sounded pretty descent as he was trying to copy my sequence I had done several times that morning, trying to sound like a buck chasing a doe. I'm not sure he really thought it would work, and before he was done grunting he had a spike buck run right up to us exactly where the big buck had been standing the day before. Before he could grab his gun (20 gauge single shot) all we saw was tail. He was bummed out, but excited he called it in. Seth was excited enough to sit another three hours before showing signs of wanting to leave. We had a decision to make... sit it out or leave and try to get back in time for the evening hunt. We stuck it out. It took a nap and several pep talks to stay positive, but at about 4:30 the wind completely stopped. I told him we need to hunt with our ears because we will hear him coming a mile away. Seth sat like a statue. Ten minutes later I saw this big buck 50 yards away. He was not making a noise!! He was just walking a couple steps and stopping, walking then stopping. Seth was ready. It looked as if he was coming right in front of the blind. It seemed forever before he wandered close enough to even think about shooting, then it turned... turned away walking down a different trail! I grabbed my grunt call and made a couple grunts. It stopped, turned his head, and continued walking away. I grunted a little louder a few more times and it just ignored them!! Just as it seemed it was not going to cooperate, I changed the tone of the grunt to the tone of a doe. He immediately turned, and came right to us!!!! It came down a trail that led him broadside to us about 35 yards away. Seth had his gun up waiting for me to give him the green light to shoot. I gave it to him. He took careful aim and pulled the trigger!! It looked as if he hit it, but the buck walked a few steps and just looked right at us!! I gave him another slug. He quickly reloaded!! He took aim again and shot again!! This one dropped him in his tracks!! What a moment! One I will never forget!! The buck was a bonus. It capped off a lesson in attitude, persistence, mental toughness, and that all good things come with patience!! Thanks HSP!! I'm looking forward to many more hunts with my son!!

On the way home Seth made me take off my orange hat so everyone that drove by us knew he was the one who shot it!! HA