Excited doesn’t cover it! I’ve been hunting for about 10 years. Taken a lot of does. Switched to BP only hunting 4 years ago. Finally got my first buck!
Rifle is a TVM kit I built in Jim Parker’s class in 2017. Roughly a southern mountain style in .50 cal. Also my first build.
A friend invited me up to his camp up on the Mississippi delta, weekend before Christmas. Beautiful place. The main camp house was the plantation home, built in 1850. We milled around the map at 0530 Saturday morning with the other hunters, waiting to sign in and head out. I joked to Richard that my plan was to go out, shoot a deer, come back for breakfast, and take a nap. One of the days when the Lord smiled and agreed with my plan.
Richard dropped me off at a ladder stand down a draw, looking into a creek bottom about 70 yards away. Nice cool morning, though plenty damp from all the recent rain. I settled in, watching the sun start to peek through the hardwoods. Saw the buck about 125 yards but he was staying in the thick stuff. Figured he was gone when he wandered up the draw, sticking to thick cover.
About 10 minutes, or an eternity later, 3 healthy does started down towards me from the general vicinity I’d last seen him. I figured I’d at least get meat in the freezer. As they edged down, following the creek, the last doe kept looking back. So I took a deep breath, relaxed, and let them keep walking. A minute or two later he came in, trailing the ladies hard.
The does split up as the buck came into the clearing. He paused about 55 yards away, trying to decide which one he wanted. I was ready. Dropped him right there.
Again, I was blessed that day. I pulled the shot a bit right. Instead of the lungs, behind the shoulder, clean shot to the neck. Broke his spine.
Thanks for letting me share - it has been a good year!
Paul
