mikecatt13
AH fanatic
After a record bad drought several years ago, the area I've hunted in Texas for over a decade now has struggled with buck quality, most theories lean towards a mix of die off and no fawns for at least one season. It's been getting better since then, slowly but surely, and this year has been the first with real varying age structure and some promising bucks. But with this, comes tough decisions.
I knew the night before when the frost was already forming that the next morning was going to be both cold and the deer would be on the move after a few slow days. Sure enough, 6 does show up at first light followed by some young bucks, and a pretty good one. I think it's the same deer my wife has passed with her bow a few days earlier but a deceiving trail cam picture, that makes a very small kicker on his right side seem more obvious than it is in person, has me a bit confused. This is when I start to get a little stressed out, pulling up trail cam pics and ones my wife had sent the other day, trying to figure it out. I finally decide it's the same deer and she said at 20 yards from the bow stand, he looked too young.
Just when I start to relax, a 9 point steps out. Hey, that's the deer we got a unclear picture of a while back that might be worth a look. Hes nice, at least at a year older in my estimation than the respectable ones we've decided to pass, but not a "no brainer shooter". As I watch him feed, take a little video and evaluate him, hes had his fill and runs off all the other bucks and goes on to freshen his scrapes. Now that I'm interested after having decided hes defintely older and dominant in the area, hes moving off and the shot would be rushed. So he walks.
Fast forward a couple days of the same bucks weve seen showing back up on camera, playing that video I took quite a few times, kicking myself and struggling with the decision to let these young but fairly nice deer walk (im very blessed with the situation we have to deer hunt in texas but it is still a paid hunt 1200 miles from home)...theres a deer I can see at first light. As it gets lighter, I see hes a half rack and the remaining side looks a bit like the deer I'm after and my heart sinks a little. Finally, its light enough to really see and I'm relieved to find out that it's a different deer.
Cell trail cameras are a blessing and a curse, it looks like the deer i want is at another stand. Oh well I guess. Checking in on what my wife is seeing and updating her, she says "they usually come to you from that stand". Dont tell her I said she was right, haha. Sure enough, a deer walks out that looks like him. I set the S2 on the blind window and zoom in the Leopold and verify it is indeed him 100%. I never get buck fever until I decide I'm shooting. Dialing the scope back to increase the field of view, my heart starts pounding. "You know better and you better practice for that leopard, take your time" I tell myself. Deep breaths, safety off, steady the gun fully, and squeeze just like it's supposed to happen. I've had some "experiences" hunting over the years and I hate to see animals suffer, so when I shoot an animal I'm back on them as fast as I can and if they're up they get shot again. Just as I set my finger on the other trigger, I see him pumping blood and he crashes into a ditch. Stay in the scope for a minute to make sure theres no surprises, and that's that. Bullet went precisely where I wanted at 137 yards with a double rifle. Did I mention I love my Blaser?!
I passed deer with more inches of antler this year, but I doubt any had more battle scars. Couldnt be happier with this warrior and I cant wait to see what these deer become the next year or two or three when those hard choices will undoubtedly pay off.
I knew the night before when the frost was already forming that the next morning was going to be both cold and the deer would be on the move after a few slow days. Sure enough, 6 does show up at first light followed by some young bucks, and a pretty good one. I think it's the same deer my wife has passed with her bow a few days earlier but a deceiving trail cam picture, that makes a very small kicker on his right side seem more obvious than it is in person, has me a bit confused. This is when I start to get a little stressed out, pulling up trail cam pics and ones my wife had sent the other day, trying to figure it out. I finally decide it's the same deer and she said at 20 yards from the bow stand, he looked too young.
Just when I start to relax, a 9 point steps out. Hey, that's the deer we got a unclear picture of a while back that might be worth a look. Hes nice, at least at a year older in my estimation than the respectable ones we've decided to pass, but not a "no brainer shooter". As I watch him feed, take a little video and evaluate him, hes had his fill and runs off all the other bucks and goes on to freshen his scrapes. Now that I'm interested after having decided hes defintely older and dominant in the area, hes moving off and the shot would be rushed. So he walks.
Fast forward a couple days of the same bucks weve seen showing back up on camera, playing that video I took quite a few times, kicking myself and struggling with the decision to let these young but fairly nice deer walk (im very blessed with the situation we have to deer hunt in texas but it is still a paid hunt 1200 miles from home)...theres a deer I can see at first light. As it gets lighter, I see hes a half rack and the remaining side looks a bit like the deer I'm after and my heart sinks a little. Finally, its light enough to really see and I'm relieved to find out that it's a different deer.
Cell trail cameras are a blessing and a curse, it looks like the deer i want is at another stand. Oh well I guess. Checking in on what my wife is seeing and updating her, she says "they usually come to you from that stand". Dont tell her I said she was right, haha. Sure enough, a deer walks out that looks like him. I set the S2 on the blind window and zoom in the Leopold and verify it is indeed him 100%. I never get buck fever until I decide I'm shooting. Dialing the scope back to increase the field of view, my heart starts pounding. "You know better and you better practice for that leopard, take your time" I tell myself. Deep breaths, safety off, steady the gun fully, and squeeze just like it's supposed to happen. I've had some "experiences" hunting over the years and I hate to see animals suffer, so when I shoot an animal I'm back on them as fast as I can and if they're up they get shot again. Just as I set my finger on the other trigger, I see him pumping blood and he crashes into a ditch. Stay in the scope for a minute to make sure theres no surprises, and that's that. Bullet went precisely where I wanted at 137 yards with a double rifle. Did I mention I love my Blaser?!
I passed deer with more inches of antler this year, but I doubt any had more battle scars. Couldnt be happier with this warrior and I cant wait to see what these deer become the next year or two or three when those hard choices will undoubtedly pay off.
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