Sometimes it’s not about antler size
- WV Bowhunter
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Sometimes it’s not about antler size
My oldest son has really started getting the hunting bug. He killed his first two does last year and this past spring killed his first gobbler. He was all fired up for the opening of WV gun season so he could try to take a buck.
It was a really slow day for us, I had a pop up blind setup since in the past he has had a hard time sitting still. The blind was setup on the top of a ridge between a good buck bedding point and some good doe bedding. Problem was the wind was really inconsistent and about 7:30 I had one blow at us from exactly where I figured a buck would be slipping back to his bed. We saw a few does in the morning and got to watch 5 hens and 2 jakes work through the woods. At one point the jakes even gobbled. It was a pretty good morning in the woods. We headed back to the house for soup and pb&j sandwiches and headed back out to the blind early for our evening sit.
Just like the morning it was pretty slow. I was glad that we were in the blind as it began to rain for about 2 hours. After a pretty uneventful evening and with dark quickly approaching, he told me he wanted to walk back out to the pasture field to see if any deer were in it.
When we got out there he spotted 4 deer about 400 yards away. A little too far for his 44 mag and the 50 yard range that he had practiced for. Haha. I told him we could try to slip out the top of the ridge and see if any deer were in the low spot above a draw where I knew they like to enter the field from years of seeing it happen.
As we crested the ridge I saw a doe 100 yards off and then a decent buck right at the edge of the woods about 150 yards off. I told him that that’s a decent buck and asked him if he wanted me to shoot it. He had never seen a buck get shot. He said yes and I had to do something quick, we were standing in the middle of a wide open field and he was one jump away from the woods. I pulled my rifle up and asked him if he was ready, I steadied the crosshairs and touched the trigger. He dropped in his tracks.
It was a fine ending to a great day in the woods with my son. He was pretty excited when we got up to the deer and he got to grab the antlers. It’s the smallest buck I can remember shooting for quite some time but sharing the memory with my son made me realize that getting the next generation fired up for hunting and not thinking it’s all about killing a wall hanger every time, it was well worth putting my tag on him.
It was a really slow day for us, I had a pop up blind setup since in the past he has had a hard time sitting still. The blind was setup on the top of a ridge between a good buck bedding point and some good doe bedding. Problem was the wind was really inconsistent and about 7:30 I had one blow at us from exactly where I figured a buck would be slipping back to his bed. We saw a few does in the morning and got to watch 5 hens and 2 jakes work through the woods. At one point the jakes even gobbled. It was a pretty good morning in the woods. We headed back to the house for soup and pb&j sandwiches and headed back out to the blind early for our evening sit.
Just like the morning it was pretty slow. I was glad that we were in the blind as it began to rain for about 2 hours. After a pretty uneventful evening and with dark quickly approaching, he told me he wanted to walk back out to the pasture field to see if any deer were in it.
When we got out there he spotted 4 deer about 400 yards away. A little too far for his 44 mag and the 50 yard range that he had practiced for. Haha. I told him we could try to slip out the top of the ridge and see if any deer were in the low spot above a draw where I knew they like to enter the field from years of seeing it happen.
As we crested the ridge I saw a doe 100 yards off and then a decent buck right at the edge of the woods about 150 yards off. I told him that that’s a decent buck and asked him if he wanted me to shoot it. He had never seen a buck get shot. He said yes and I had to do something quick, we were standing in the middle of a wide open field and he was one jump away from the woods. I pulled my rifle up and asked him if he was ready, I steadied the crosshairs and touched the trigger. He dropped in his tracks.
It was a fine ending to a great day in the woods with my son. He was pretty excited when we got up to the deer and he got to grab the antlers. It’s the smallest buck I can remember shooting for quite some time but sharing the memory with my son made me realize that getting the next generation fired up for hunting and not thinking it’s all about killing a wall hanger every time, it was well worth putting my tag on him.
Luck is when preparation meets opportunity!!
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Re: Sometimes it’s not about antler size
I completely share your sentiment, congrats.
- Eddiegomes83
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Re: Sometimes it’s not about antler size
I dont think you should ever have to justify what you shoot. Its your right and your privilege. I shoot if i want and dont if I dont want. Most people that day something are typically just haters and they really just want to shoot and either havent had the opportunity or some rule is holding them back from doing so. On a side not....congrats on that buck. I am from Florida and would love to shoot at deer that size. Would be a trophy in my eyes and most other people i know. What is even better is that he has character. And best of all your son was there to see it go down and will never forget. Congrats to you both.
"Am I the Only One" - Aaron Lewis
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- PK_
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Re: Sometimes it’s not about antler size
Awesome hunt.
No Shortcuts. No Excuses. No Regrets.
Everybody's selling dreams. I'm too cheap to buy one.
Everybody's selling dreams. I'm too cheap to buy one.
Rich M wrote:Typically, hunting FL has been like getting a root canal
- UntouchableNess
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Re: Sometimes it’s not about antler size
Great buck there, Congrats!
- headgear
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Re: Sometimes it’s not about antler size
That is a pretty good buck, big congrats to your son!
- milkweed-militia
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Re: Sometimes it’s not about antler size
Great buck! Love that split brow!
Raise em right!
Raise em right!
- Jackson Marsh
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Re: Sometimes it’s not about antler size
Awesome hunt with your son WV Bowhunter! !
You'll both remember that hunt for the rest of your lives. Good stuff.
You'll both remember that hunt for the rest of your lives. Good stuff.
- greenhorndave
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Re: Sometimes it’s not about antler size
Congrats indeed!
I wholeheartedly agree with what the Florida Buck Slayer (Eddie Gomes) says. I know a lot of y’all are going for the behemoths, but I’d be happier than a pig in slop with a buck like that.
I wholeheartedly agree with what the Florida Buck Slayer (Eddie Gomes) says. I know a lot of y’all are going for the behemoths, but I’d be happier than a pig in slop with a buck like that.
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Sometimes when things get tough, weird or both, you just need to remember this...
https://youtu.be/d4tSE2w53ts
Sometimes when things get tough, weird or both, you just need to remember this...
https://youtu.be/d4tSE2w53ts
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Re: Sometimes it’s not about antler size
What a great hunt. Memories for a lifetime! Really enjoyed the story, thanks for sharing.
- Lockdown
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Re: Sometimes it’s not about antler size
That’s awesome. Congrats on the memory with your son! I can relate... I took my 3 year old daughter out a couple weeks ago and almost used my lone MN buck tag on a yearling 6 pointer
- Uncle Lou
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Re: Sometimes it’s not about antler size
Well looks like we have a chip off the old block WV. Congrats to your son and that is no small buck by the way
- Ridgerunner7
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Re: Sometimes it’s not about antler size
So awesome !
- Dewey
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- flinginairos
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Re: Sometimes it’s not about antler size
That’s what it’s all about! Very cool
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