My daughter outdid me this year---
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My daughter outdid me this year---
I have really been waiting to post this. Hopefully you guys don't mind me posting it here.
Last fall I posted how my daughter was drawn to hunt at Sandhill Wildlife Refuge on October 26. This is a short run down on what happened that day.
-Friday the 25th we showed up at my Uncle's house ready to hunt. We were not able to do any scouting due to the time and the fact that Sandhill somewhat limit's when and where you can scout. I grew up in the area and have been to Sandhill many times. I had done a doe hunt there in 2004. I was not happy about not scouting, but accepted things were out of my control and I needed to accept it.
-Saturday the 26th we showed up at 0700 (this was the set opening shooting time). I figured there was no need to stumble around in the dark since we didn't really know where we were going to end up. Here is a map of where we decided to go (note-you have a quadrant you are given to hunt in. This quadrant is roughly a 3.5 sq. mile area).
-We picked a funnel just right of the marsh in the center of the map. We walked in at daylight and set up on the ground (Sandhill somewhat discourages stands and doesn;t allow ground blinds). There was a stiff wind coming from the northwest which made hearing anything very difficult. As soon as we sat down doubt entered my mind. I felt like the loser dad. I kept telling myself I was an idiot for not scouting. What kind of model was I being for my daughter? This was going to be a long, hard day in bad weather with nothing to show for it. In fact at 0800 hrs. I had sent a text to friend of mine telling him how discouraged I was with what we were up against.
-At 0803 hrs. I heard a crash off to my right. It sounded like a bunch of scrub oak leaves falling off of a tree in the wind. I looked in that direction to see a nice buck trotting our direction. I immediately got the attention of my daughter. The buck was moving quickly and got directly behind us. Luckily that put a tree between us which hid our presence and have my daughter time to get set for a shot. I will save you the details, but being the first time she was actually pulling up on a deer it was not as smooth as you might imagine. I had stopped the buck with a mouth bleat and he stood looking around a mere 50 yards away. After what seemed like an eternity she fired. "Bam!" and he was gone. He didn't look like anything had touched him. He didn't hunch. He just ran away.
-I was shaking so bad I could hardly stand up. I have never been so jacked in all of my life. I was trembling. I made myself stay seated for ten minutes. I told my daughter to sit still while I went to investigate for blood. I knew exactly where that deer was standing when she shot, but made her stay in place just for reference. I went to the spot and found nothing. Nothing. No hair. No blood. No tracks. Nothing. I looked and looked. I went back to the spot she shot from and directed her to where I thought the deer was standing. Nothing. I couldn't believe it. A huge buck at 50 yard and nothing? I looked for 45 minutes straight. I just couldn't believe it. I was sick.
-I picked a spot to sit. While looking for blood I had found a scrape and rub line. We were right in the middle of an area that was being heavily used by this buck. We sat in silence. I was sick to my stomach. I wished it had never happened. I kept replaying it. I told myself it would have been better to never see a deer than to have her go through this. She broke the silence, "Dad, that was my buck. That buck was mine. What happened?". I didn't have words for her.
-At 1000hrs. I decided to go back to the truck for something to eat. I told my daughter that we should follow the edge of the marsh that led back to the truck. I secretly hoped the buck would be bedded along that marsh. We had gone only 200 yards when I saw a whole mess of white up ahead.
-I let out the biggest yell I have ever let out! I started crying. Yes, I cried. I was so, so, so happy. I could not believe we found this buck. And yet there it lay dead. A little investigation showed some dried blood behind the rib cage. The buck had been angling slightly when she shot. The shot entered a little far back on the side pictured. The shot destroyed the liver. The bullet continued and exited just in front of the opposite shoulder. Fat clogged both holes and the deer never lost a spot of blood to the ground.
-My daughter yelled, "Dad look" . When I looked I could see my truck through the brush. It was not more than 50 yards away. That buck died right in front of my truck.
-And of course I had to have this guy mounted. I have never shot a deer worthy of mounting. My daughter outdid me. I had to do it. Randy Tomlinson did a great job. Can't say enough about how good he is.
-Beast style? Not in the least. My words to my daughter when it was all done, "Girl, quit now. You haven't learned a thing about deer hunting today and you will never see a day like this again" .
Thanks for listening.
chris
Last fall I posted how my daughter was drawn to hunt at Sandhill Wildlife Refuge on October 26. This is a short run down on what happened that day.
-Friday the 25th we showed up at my Uncle's house ready to hunt. We were not able to do any scouting due to the time and the fact that Sandhill somewhat limit's when and where you can scout. I grew up in the area and have been to Sandhill many times. I had done a doe hunt there in 2004. I was not happy about not scouting, but accepted things were out of my control and I needed to accept it.
-Saturday the 26th we showed up at 0700 (this was the set opening shooting time). I figured there was no need to stumble around in the dark since we didn't really know where we were going to end up. Here is a map of where we decided to go (note-you have a quadrant you are given to hunt in. This quadrant is roughly a 3.5 sq. mile area).
-We picked a funnel just right of the marsh in the center of the map. We walked in at daylight and set up on the ground (Sandhill somewhat discourages stands and doesn;t allow ground blinds). There was a stiff wind coming from the northwest which made hearing anything very difficult. As soon as we sat down doubt entered my mind. I felt like the loser dad. I kept telling myself I was an idiot for not scouting. What kind of model was I being for my daughter? This was going to be a long, hard day in bad weather with nothing to show for it. In fact at 0800 hrs. I had sent a text to friend of mine telling him how discouraged I was with what we were up against.
-At 0803 hrs. I heard a crash off to my right. It sounded like a bunch of scrub oak leaves falling off of a tree in the wind. I looked in that direction to see a nice buck trotting our direction. I immediately got the attention of my daughter. The buck was moving quickly and got directly behind us. Luckily that put a tree between us which hid our presence and have my daughter time to get set for a shot. I will save you the details, but being the first time she was actually pulling up on a deer it was not as smooth as you might imagine. I had stopped the buck with a mouth bleat and he stood looking around a mere 50 yards away. After what seemed like an eternity she fired. "Bam!" and he was gone. He didn't look like anything had touched him. He didn't hunch. He just ran away.
-I was shaking so bad I could hardly stand up. I have never been so jacked in all of my life. I was trembling. I made myself stay seated for ten minutes. I told my daughter to sit still while I went to investigate for blood. I knew exactly where that deer was standing when she shot, but made her stay in place just for reference. I went to the spot and found nothing. Nothing. No hair. No blood. No tracks. Nothing. I looked and looked. I went back to the spot she shot from and directed her to where I thought the deer was standing. Nothing. I couldn't believe it. A huge buck at 50 yard and nothing? I looked for 45 minutes straight. I just couldn't believe it. I was sick.
-I picked a spot to sit. While looking for blood I had found a scrape and rub line. We were right in the middle of an area that was being heavily used by this buck. We sat in silence. I was sick to my stomach. I wished it had never happened. I kept replaying it. I told myself it would have been better to never see a deer than to have her go through this. She broke the silence, "Dad, that was my buck. That buck was mine. What happened?". I didn't have words for her.
-At 1000hrs. I decided to go back to the truck for something to eat. I told my daughter that we should follow the edge of the marsh that led back to the truck. I secretly hoped the buck would be bedded along that marsh. We had gone only 200 yards when I saw a whole mess of white up ahead.
-I let out the biggest yell I have ever let out! I started crying. Yes, I cried. I was so, so, so happy. I could not believe we found this buck. And yet there it lay dead. A little investigation showed some dried blood behind the rib cage. The buck had been angling slightly when she shot. The shot entered a little far back on the side pictured. The shot destroyed the liver. The bullet continued and exited just in front of the opposite shoulder. Fat clogged both holes and the deer never lost a spot of blood to the ground.
-My daughter yelled, "Dad look" . When I looked I could see my truck through the brush. It was not more than 50 yards away. That buck died right in front of my truck.
-And of course I had to have this guy mounted. I have never shot a deer worthy of mounting. My daughter outdid me. I had to do it. Randy Tomlinson did a great job. Can't say enough about how good he is.
-Beast style? Not in the least. My words to my daughter when it was all done, "Girl, quit now. You haven't learned a thing about deer hunting today and you will never see a day like this again" .
Thanks for listening.
chris
- Jackson Marsh
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Re: My daughter outdid me this year---
Awesome
Story of the year right there
Congrats to your daughter, what a great trophy
Story of the year right there
Congrats to your daughter, what a great trophy
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Re: My daughter outdid me this year---
Jackson Marsh wrote:Awesome
Story of the year right there
Congrats to your daughter, what a great trophy
HUNT LIKE A BEAST
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Re: My daughter outdid me this year---
BTW, they aged the buck at 4.5 years old. He was 19", 9pts. and weighed 165lbs after dressed.
chris
chris
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Re: My daughter outdid me this year---
christian1 wrote:BTW, they aged the buck at 4.5 years old. He was 19", 9pts. and weighed 165lbs after dressed.
chris
What a great experience for the both of you! Does she rub it in that she out did you ?
Mine sure would
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Last edited by Jackson Marsh on Thu Feb 20, 2014 2:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: My daughter outdid me this year---
That's a great story!! A toad of a buck! Sounds like a good shot too, been there when you don't find a drop of blood till the deer. Chalk another one up to going in blind and setting up on a hunch
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Re: My daughter outdid me this year---
Awesome. Congratulations to you and your daughter for the great buck and for the great memories.
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Re: My daughter outdid me this year---
What a fantastic memory that no amount of money could ever buy!! Way to go!
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Re: My daughter outdid me this year---
I love this story. Sometimes they just don't bleed.
Awesome awesome awesome.
Awesome awesome awesome.
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Everybody's selling dreams. I'm too cheap to buy one.
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Re: My daughter outdid me this year---
What a great story... thx for sharing
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Re: My daughter outdid me this year---
Thanks for posting
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Re: My daughter outdid me this year---
Spectacular !
Expect the Unexpected when you least Expect it...
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Re: My daughter outdid me this year---
Awesome!!!!!
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