First buck stories?
07-08-2003, 06:36 PM
#31
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Va Beach, VA
Posts: 28
RE: First buck stories?
Killed my first doe at age 15 after three or four years hunting with my father with his .308. (I' m now 38.)
Didn' t hunt much during the turbulent teen years, then young married years. Started hunting again, mostly with my father, at about 26 years old, and just " harvested" my first buck last year on the final day of ml season. I bought the
front stuffer three years ago, and carried it on every hunt in hopes of using it. (My first real firearm purchase on my own.) I have that original .308, and an 1100 shotgun, passed down from my father. Where I usually hunt, it' s shotgun only or a muzzle loader.
The thrill of sitting in my climbing stand and actually seeing a small doe walk right below me, not knowing I was there, was incredible, then having a buck follow by 5 minutes later was even more so. It was a forkhorn with tines about 7 inches or so.
A perfect shot from about 40 yards, and I had my first buck. Then I realized the work had just begun. The guys in the camp all said I did a perfect job field dressing it. I was very proud of myself.
Not exciting, I know, but the memory will last a lifetime. Now that' s behind me and I' ll let the young ones pass in hopes for a bigger one.
Didn' t hunt much during the turbulent teen years, then young married years. Started hunting again, mostly with my father, at about 26 years old, and just " harvested" my first buck last year on the final day of ml season. I bought the
front stuffer three years ago, and carried it on every hunt in hopes of using it. (My first real firearm purchase on my own.) I have that original .308, and an 1100 shotgun, passed down from my father. Where I usually hunt, it' s shotgun only or a muzzle loader.
The thrill of sitting in my climbing stand and actually seeing a small doe walk right below me, not knowing I was there, was incredible, then having a buck follow by 5 minutes later was even more so. It was a forkhorn with tines about 7 inches or so.
A perfect shot from about 40 yards, and I had my first buck. Then I realized the work had just begun. The guys in the camp all said I did a perfect job field dressing it. I was very proud of myself.
Not exciting, I know, but the memory will last a lifetime. Now that' s behind me and I' ll let the young ones pass in hopes for a bigger one.
07-09-2003, 11:42 AM
#32
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Hamburg, Pennsylvania
Posts: 28
RE: First buck stories?
My first buck was a gift from God. It was my second year of rifle and I was sitting at the edge of the woods waiting for the drive. My uncle and I were about 50 yards apart each at the corners of the woods. About 30 minutes had past into the drive and I turned my head and looked up the woods. When I looked back at the woods there it was. A buck about 30 yards away trotting. Right inbetween me and my uncle. While I quickly got the gun up and aimed my uncle started to wave his hands to get the deer to stop for me. I shot one shot then two. The deer started to run and my gun got jamned after fixing it then the third shot then 4 and 5. On the fifth shot the buck toppled over. Went up to it after it fell. It was a 3x4. All five shots hit and all in the vitals. Luckily when I looked at it, it had an infected foot and it couldnt walk on it. This enabled me to be able to get five shots in. This is why I consider it a gift from God because if it hadnt had the infected foot I might have not have got it.
07-09-2003, 03:13 PM
#33
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: stroudsburg pa USA
Posts: 434
RE: First buck stories?
It was in the afternoon over the hill from where we were building the family house, My brother a friend and I were set up about 100 yds apart across the hill. After a while a shot that scared the heck out of me came from my left, I ran over to see my friend standing over a decent spike with that my brother comes running over the hill snapping on rubber gloves saying he will gut it. Here we are 15 yrs me, 14 my brother, 13 our friend, the first deer either of us has killed but we made out all right with the gutting. Now it starts to downpour so we drag it up over the hill to the trailer we were using while building the house. we sat around for awhile and it stopped raining so I decided to go back out but my boots were soaked, but my brothers rubber boots were nice and dry so I stole them and went back to my spot which was on the ground between a bunch of rocks. I wasn' t there long and I heard a deer coming from my left it crossed 10 yds in front of me, 1 shot from my 12ga dropped the small 8 in it' s tracks. Now I know how to gut a deer from helping do it a couple of hours before so I get that done drag it back to the trailer and tell my brother and friend which they didn' t beleive me at first , then they came to see it and when they did my brother flipped out because I stole his boots and he couldn' t go out and hunt .. He thought he would have shot the buck ... Maybe maybe not ...
07-16-2003, 09:32 PM
#34
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Columbus, OH
Posts: 380
RE: First buck stories?
I didn' t want to let this die without one last effort, so I' ll provide one more story before I let it slip into the depths.
Last season, I went with my father and brother to White Oak Plantation in Alabama. Every year since I graduated high school, my dad has sprung for a ritzy hunt in Alabama during the Christmas holiday my brother and I have from school. I had hunted three previous years, at Pushmataha Plantation, White Oak once before, and Southern Sportsman Lodge, and all I got out of those hunts was a doe (Pushmataha) and a bunch of great memories. This year would be different, though. I promised myself that.
So the first night, we go out and have a relatively uneventful hunt. Next morning, more of the same. The second evening of the hunt, my brother knocked down an old 8-pointer with a great spread. Still, nada for me and Dad. The next morning passed uneventfully, and I just knew this night would be mine.
I was sitting on a large hill in planted pines above a serious swamp. On the top of the hill was a nice greenfield, which my guide warned me was frequented from the back-right corner. There was an abandoned logging road back there, and it provided a great thoroughfare for deer. About 45 minutes before the end of shooting light, I started seeing does. I saw does nonstop for the next 45 minutes, and, as always happens as I' m staring at does as shooting light fades, I get antsier and antsier. Finally, it' s possibly the last thirty seconds of shooting light, and I catch a faint grey ghost sliding out of the treeline. I put my scope on the grey blob, and it immediately becomes a nice buck. It' s an 8-point + spread lodge, so I start counting points, before I come to my senses and realize - it' s a shooter, just take it!
So, I put the crosshairs just behind the shoulder and touch the gun off. It was seriously late, because this is the first time I' ve ever shot my rifle and actually seen the muzzle flash through the scope. The buck hit the ground like a rock.
Then, the shakes. Oh my Lord, why is it nobody can put the shakes down on paper? It' s the slow-creeping buck fever, I guess, that doesn' t keep you from taking the deer, but immediately after the shot, it threatens to throw you out of the stand. I' m lucky I was in an elevated box, or I might have fallen out of my tree. As soon as I saw it wasn' t moving, I safetied and slung my .270, and darned near flew out of the box. I sprinted across 175 yards of absolute muck, completely oblivious, to my buck. I was so excited I couldn' t even bend to pick up the head - I just stood up straight and pointed to the points on the antlers. I was pretty sure I' d counted 9 when I started off back towards where the truck was meeting me.
I' m really not sure what my logic was on this... I had the best buck of my life dead in a field, but in my excitement, I lost focus on the deer and just walked the 300 yards back to the road. By the time I had waited 30 minutes for the truck that wasn' t showing, I was absolutely kicking myself for not staying with the deer, trying to drag it, something.
Finally the truck showed, and they crept up the horribly slick wet-clay road toward the greenfield I was sitting on. They couldn' t drive through the greenfield, though, because it was so mucky, so three of my fellow hunters hopped out of the truck and ran across the 200 yards to my buck with me, grabbed a piece of antler, and the four of us dragged that big ol' boy to the truck. Loading it onto the back of the truck, I grabbed his tarsal gland, so for the rest of the night I smelled like buck.
It was nice.
The buck' s in my profile.
Last season, I went with my father and brother to White Oak Plantation in Alabama. Every year since I graduated high school, my dad has sprung for a ritzy hunt in Alabama during the Christmas holiday my brother and I have from school. I had hunted three previous years, at Pushmataha Plantation, White Oak once before, and Southern Sportsman Lodge, and all I got out of those hunts was a doe (Pushmataha) and a bunch of great memories. This year would be different, though. I promised myself that.
So the first night, we go out and have a relatively uneventful hunt. Next morning, more of the same. The second evening of the hunt, my brother knocked down an old 8-pointer with a great spread. Still, nada for me and Dad. The next morning passed uneventfully, and I just knew this night would be mine.
I was sitting on a large hill in planted pines above a serious swamp. On the top of the hill was a nice greenfield, which my guide warned me was frequented from the back-right corner. There was an abandoned logging road back there, and it provided a great thoroughfare for deer. About 45 minutes before the end of shooting light, I started seeing does. I saw does nonstop for the next 45 minutes, and, as always happens as I' m staring at does as shooting light fades, I get antsier and antsier. Finally, it' s possibly the last thirty seconds of shooting light, and I catch a faint grey ghost sliding out of the treeline. I put my scope on the grey blob, and it immediately becomes a nice buck. It' s an 8-point + spread lodge, so I start counting points, before I come to my senses and realize - it' s a shooter, just take it!
So, I put the crosshairs just behind the shoulder and touch the gun off. It was seriously late, because this is the first time I' ve ever shot my rifle and actually seen the muzzle flash through the scope. The buck hit the ground like a rock.
Then, the shakes. Oh my Lord, why is it nobody can put the shakes down on paper? It' s the slow-creeping buck fever, I guess, that doesn' t keep you from taking the deer, but immediately after the shot, it threatens to throw you out of the stand. I' m lucky I was in an elevated box, or I might have fallen out of my tree. As soon as I saw it wasn' t moving, I safetied and slung my .270, and darned near flew out of the box. I sprinted across 175 yards of absolute muck, completely oblivious, to my buck. I was so excited I couldn' t even bend to pick up the head - I just stood up straight and pointed to the points on the antlers. I was pretty sure I' d counted 9 when I started off back towards where the truck was meeting me.
I' m really not sure what my logic was on this... I had the best buck of my life dead in a field, but in my excitement, I lost focus on the deer and just walked the 300 yards back to the road. By the time I had waited 30 minutes for the truck that wasn' t showing, I was absolutely kicking myself for not staying with the deer, trying to drag it, something.
Finally the truck showed, and they crept up the horribly slick wet-clay road toward the greenfield I was sitting on. They couldn' t drive through the greenfield, though, because it was so mucky, so three of my fellow hunters hopped out of the truck and ran across the 200 yards to my buck with me, grabbed a piece of antler, and the four of us dragged that big ol' boy to the truck. Loading it onto the back of the truck, I grabbed his tarsal gland, so for the rest of the night I smelled like buck.
It was nice.
The buck' s in my profile.
07-17-2003, 11:20 AM
#35
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Caledonia, NY
Posts: 773
RE: First buck stories?
Okay Ill share
Its maybe my fifth year hunting, and my first kill. On an awesome stand location at the point of a woods overlooking a large soy bean field. Looking the other way, something made me turn around and I couldnt tell you why, but there was a deer coming out of the woods on the other side of the field, it was so far away that you could just make it out. I knew it was a buck, it had to be, opening day, 830 am and its my luck right? Well out of all the options it could have went it went straight towards the point across the field, doing a half jog/walk.
It seemed like an eternity, but I never moved thinking itd pick me out as I was vulnerable from his direction of sight, since it was never planned to have the deer cross the open section of the woods. I could see a GOOD rack, and to me at the time it was a HUGE rack.
It was time, time to move. 75yds out quartering to me, I set up the shot, safety off, sights lined up, and then he froze looking right at me. The stare lasted maybe a whole 2 seconds, but it seemed like forever. I was eye to eye with this buck, like a shared moment Ill never forget, like he knew what the next couple moments in our lives had in store for us.
BANG! I let her rip. The rear of the deer drops a bit as he starts running parallel along the woods im in. At fifty yds. Im reloaded and zeroed in on the deer running from my right to left, BANG! I never saw such a sight, the head and rack of the buck nose dived into the soil spraying dirt everywhere and it lands back towards me. I cannot see any blood but it is still moving on the ground, and I wont let him get away, the third shot I carefully aimed all my might and tried to make the best shot in the world like I needed it to be, and it went through the buck' s heart, and it stoped moving.
Ill never forget that day. It was a nice 8pt, and after examining, I hit the deer all three times. 1st shot skimmed his back making his rear drop when he began to run. The second shot amazed me. I lead him well I thought. The bullet went through the small area between his antler base and the ear of the head, and exited through the ear canal of the opposite ear, causing the deer to nose dive and dig its antler into the soil. The Third shot got the heart.
And my best friend saw the whole thing from another stand adjacent to the action.
That made me a hunter for life.
Its maybe my fifth year hunting, and my first kill. On an awesome stand location at the point of a woods overlooking a large soy bean field. Looking the other way, something made me turn around and I couldnt tell you why, but there was a deer coming out of the woods on the other side of the field, it was so far away that you could just make it out. I knew it was a buck, it had to be, opening day, 830 am and its my luck right? Well out of all the options it could have went it went straight towards the point across the field, doing a half jog/walk.
It seemed like an eternity, but I never moved thinking itd pick me out as I was vulnerable from his direction of sight, since it was never planned to have the deer cross the open section of the woods. I could see a GOOD rack, and to me at the time it was a HUGE rack.
It was time, time to move. 75yds out quartering to me, I set up the shot, safety off, sights lined up, and then he froze looking right at me. The stare lasted maybe a whole 2 seconds, but it seemed like forever. I was eye to eye with this buck, like a shared moment Ill never forget, like he knew what the next couple moments in our lives had in store for us.
BANG! I let her rip. The rear of the deer drops a bit as he starts running parallel along the woods im in. At fifty yds. Im reloaded and zeroed in on the deer running from my right to left, BANG! I never saw such a sight, the head and rack of the buck nose dived into the soil spraying dirt everywhere and it lands back towards me. I cannot see any blood but it is still moving on the ground, and I wont let him get away, the third shot I carefully aimed all my might and tried to make the best shot in the world like I needed it to be, and it went through the buck' s heart, and it stoped moving.
Ill never forget that day. It was a nice 8pt, and after examining, I hit the deer all three times. 1st shot skimmed his back making his rear drop when he began to run. The second shot amazed me. I lead him well I thought. The bullet went through the small area between his antler base and the ear of the head, and exited through the ear canal of the opposite ear, causing the deer to nose dive and dig its antler into the soil. The Third shot got the heart.
And my best friend saw the whole thing from another stand adjacent to the action.
That made me a hunter for life.
07-17-2003, 01:18 PM
#36
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Gambrills Md US
Posts: 6,080
RE: First buck stories?
I get 4 deer magazines, but prefer stories like those in this thread to any one of them (Rack magazine is close though)!
It was 1996 or 1997, I believe. I was either 30 or 31 at the time, and hadn' t gotten a buck before them because I was never introduced to it until several years before, and had to pretty much teach myself how to hunt.
Anyway, a buddy of mine took me with him to an area where he had shot a buck the year before on opening morning of shotgun season. We had struck out into the woods an hour or so before light, winding through a trail that he had somewhat trimmed to make walking through easier. Anyway, a hundred or so yards short of where he was going to set up (same place he shot the buck the year before), he told me to go over a hundred or so yards to the left and find a place for my climber.
At first light, I heard shots ringing out in the direction of my buddy, then saw a nice sized deer parallel me about 70 yards or so ahead. It was still a little dark, and I couldn' t get on the deer to see what it was and possibly shoot. I then heard another shot from my buddy' s area, after which he came over the radio saying " How does a 6 pointer sound!"
Apparently, the first volley of shots that morning were from him and another guy who were shooting at the same buck that was travelling with the deer I saw but couldn' t get on. Just after he had gotten set up, while it was still completely dark, another hunter came from the opposite direction we came in and set up not far from him (50 yards?). When the two deer came through, he took the first available shot, since he realized that the other guy would probably shoot at any time. Anyway, the buck ran toward him as the other guy shot several times at it. Finally, it stopped behind a tree for a minute or so only 10 yards or so from him. When it nervously stepped out to where he could shoot, he dropped it in the neck.
...so I' m still in my tree probably 120 or so yards away, as he and the other guy hashed out whose deer it was for a few minutes (I don' t think I could hear them talking). He won the argument, and proceeded to gut the deer. As he is probably halfway done (several minutes after he started), I heard something walking in the woods ahead of me. I strained to see a spike buck ambling toward me. My first thought was " Oh God, he' s going to see or hear my buddy and run off!" But as he came near, he stopped about probably 15 yards away quartering to me, and I aimed above the shoulder and squeezed one off. Immediately following the shot, the buck bolted toward my tree. Thinking I missed the first time, I cranked two shots at him as he ran beneath me. The last shot was made in haste, and I didn' t have it butted against me well. So it jolted the gun from my hand where it fell 20 feet to the ground. Stunned at the whole ordeal, I glanced back at the buck which was bounding away behind me now. It got about 30 yards or so, they staggered and fell. I found out after inspecting the buck that my first shot was good, and my others while he was hauling didn' t hit him.
The coolest thing was that me and my buddy both got bucks (my first!) by 8:00 AM or so on opening morning. We dragged them out and took back the double header to the check station. Incidentally, we both connected on bucks from the same stands (within yards) on the opening morning of each of the next two years.
It was 1996 or 1997, I believe. I was either 30 or 31 at the time, and hadn' t gotten a buck before them because I was never introduced to it until several years before, and had to pretty much teach myself how to hunt.
Anyway, a buddy of mine took me with him to an area where he had shot a buck the year before on opening morning of shotgun season. We had struck out into the woods an hour or so before light, winding through a trail that he had somewhat trimmed to make walking through easier. Anyway, a hundred or so yards short of where he was going to set up (same place he shot the buck the year before), he told me to go over a hundred or so yards to the left and find a place for my climber.
At first light, I heard shots ringing out in the direction of my buddy, then saw a nice sized deer parallel me about 70 yards or so ahead. It was still a little dark, and I couldn' t get on the deer to see what it was and possibly shoot. I then heard another shot from my buddy' s area, after which he came over the radio saying " How does a 6 pointer sound!"
Apparently, the first volley of shots that morning were from him and another guy who were shooting at the same buck that was travelling with the deer I saw but couldn' t get on. Just after he had gotten set up, while it was still completely dark, another hunter came from the opposite direction we came in and set up not far from him (50 yards?). When the two deer came through, he took the first available shot, since he realized that the other guy would probably shoot at any time. Anyway, the buck ran toward him as the other guy shot several times at it. Finally, it stopped behind a tree for a minute or so only 10 yards or so from him. When it nervously stepped out to where he could shoot, he dropped it in the neck.
...so I' m still in my tree probably 120 or so yards away, as he and the other guy hashed out whose deer it was for a few minutes (I don' t think I could hear them talking). He won the argument, and proceeded to gut the deer. As he is probably halfway done (several minutes after he started), I heard something walking in the woods ahead of me. I strained to see a spike buck ambling toward me. My first thought was " Oh God, he' s going to see or hear my buddy and run off!" But as he came near, he stopped about probably 15 yards away quartering to me, and I aimed above the shoulder and squeezed one off. Immediately following the shot, the buck bolted toward my tree. Thinking I missed the first time, I cranked two shots at him as he ran beneath me. The last shot was made in haste, and I didn' t have it butted against me well. So it jolted the gun from my hand where it fell 20 feet to the ground. Stunned at the whole ordeal, I glanced back at the buck which was bounding away behind me now. It got about 30 yards or so, they staggered and fell. I found out after inspecting the buck that my first shot was good, and my others while he was hauling didn' t hit him.
The coolest thing was that me and my buddy both got bucks (my first!) by 8:00 AM or so on opening morning. We dragged them out and took back the double header to the check station. Incidentally, we both connected on bucks from the same stands (within yards) on the opening morning of each of the next two years.
07-26-2003, 11:25 AM
#37
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Canby, Minnesota USA
Posts: 174
RE: First buck stories?
my family hunts together... in this part of mn driving deer or i should say walking for deer is the most popular method...
my family was gonna walk a slew about 7-8 acres big... and i' m in track so i got sent around the far corner... cause the deer run out that end alot... and i was just getting there when i saw a deer pop its head up out of the weeds in the corner... and i dropped down into a draw that was conveniently there...i stuck my head up as well and noticed it had a little basket rack... after checking that i wouldn' t hit anyone if i shot i took aim and pulled the trigger... all i had for a target was the head... so i aimed a little low... well it was windy and i happend to miss
... the deer just sat there and didn' t move so i loaded another shell and aimed just a tad to the right... being as i missed to the left the first shot.... and pulled the trigger... and all of a sudden the head disappeared... i had shot it in the middle of the forehead...
i was pretty happy cause i had shot a doe the day before after missing another buck
07-26-2003, 12:52 PM
#38
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: East Central Wisconsin
Posts: 162
RE: First buck stories?
My first buck was 19 years ago....Wow! Time sure flies!
My first year I was hunting with my Dad near the WI/MI border. I got " Buck Fever" so bad, I screwed up on a basket six-pointer at about 50 yards. I was using my Dad' s old model 12 Winchester with slugs.
My first buck came the next year. We were hunting on a ridge overlooking a ravine below that the deer funneled through between a field and their bedding area. My Dad filled his tag earlier in the morning with a beautiful 200 yard shot with his ' 06. Since he was done, he gave me his rifle to use in case I needed the extra range. All of a sudden, I see movement coming down the ravine....my Dad says " Buck" , and I snap the rifle to my shoulder to shoot. I fire and the deer just jumps forward a few feet and stops. I shoot again, the buck circles and comes back to where he was originally standing. My dad whispers, " Aim lower, I can see your bullets hitting in the snow on the opposite ridge over his back!" I put the x-hairs right in the middle of his chest and fire...he goes right down. I was so excited, I started running towards thew deer. My dad yells, " STOP!!!" I turn to him and he says, " Is the safety on?" I check it and sheepishly tell him, " It is now." He tells me not to run, the deer isn' t going anywhere.
I start looking for the deer, my Dad is behind me. I search for a while and my Dad says," Try a little to your left." I take about 5 steps and there he is. You could have knocked me over with a feather. Dad knew he was there all the time...just wanted me to find him. My third shot hit him right in the spine, severing it. He was dead before he hit the ground.
He ended up being a spike, but any Buck for a 12 year old is a trophy! Having Dad right there with me made it all the more special. My Dad has since given up hunting due to health reasons, but every time I shoot a deer, I remember his patience and all he taught me. Thanks Dad!
My first year I was hunting with my Dad near the WI/MI border. I got " Buck Fever" so bad, I screwed up on a basket six-pointer at about 50 yards. I was using my Dad' s old model 12 Winchester with slugs.
My first buck came the next year. We were hunting on a ridge overlooking a ravine below that the deer funneled through between a field and their bedding area. My Dad filled his tag earlier in the morning with a beautiful 200 yard shot with his ' 06. Since he was done, he gave me his rifle to use in case I needed the extra range. All of a sudden, I see movement coming down the ravine....my Dad says " Buck" , and I snap the rifle to my shoulder to shoot. I fire and the deer just jumps forward a few feet and stops. I shoot again, the buck circles and comes back to where he was originally standing. My dad whispers, " Aim lower, I can see your bullets hitting in the snow on the opposite ridge over his back!" I put the x-hairs right in the middle of his chest and fire...he goes right down. I was so excited, I started running towards thew deer. My dad yells, " STOP!!!" I turn to him and he says, " Is the safety on?" I check it and sheepishly tell him, " It is now." He tells me not to run, the deer isn' t going anywhere.
I start looking for the deer, my Dad is behind me. I search for a while and my Dad says," Try a little to your left." I take about 5 steps and there he is. You could have knocked me over with a feather. Dad knew he was there all the time...just wanted me to find him. My third shot hit him right in the spine, severing it. He was dead before he hit the ground.
He ended up being a spike, but any Buck for a 12 year old is a trophy! Having Dad right there with me made it all the more special. My Dad has since given up hunting due to health reasons, but every time I shoot a deer, I remember his patience and all he taught me. Thanks Dad!
07-27-2003, 05:36 AM
#39
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: ************************** LOUSIANA USA
Posts: 233
RE: First buck stories?
opening day for rifle season 2001 down here in louisiana i was hunting in a box stand with my dad on a pipeline i was eleven and i was tired and decided to take a nap andmy dad shakes me and says theres a deer and i wake up and scream were and the deer takes of running strait down the pipe line and i get my gun out the window and my dad whistles and the deer stops and turns and i drop him in his tracks it was a button buck
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