First deer ever for this old man

[basshappy]

Great story and a fine buck, congratulations sir and enjoy the best part——the fine meals that are to come…

Thank you and yes the meals have been delicious. I have gardened since a young child and homegrown has always tasted better and more satisfying. I find this to be true for this vennison as well. I am a believer if more people gardened, harvested and hunted we'd have a lot less waste in our country.

 

[Jim Thompson]

So I am pretty close to 50 years old and just started hunting with firearms recently. No one in my immediate family hunted so it wasn't an activity I got involved in or exposed to until three years ago. Lots of fishing, hiking, climbing, tracking, etc. though.

Two years back I was fortunate to go deer hunting but over that three day weekend I got nothing but awesome alone time in the woods. NW GA, cold air temperature, rain and windy, walked the woods for 3 days, jumped a few does, bur failed to harvest a buck. I didn't mind the wind, rain, nor the lack of a kill. I love being outdoors in the woods. Last year Covid rained on my plan to try deer hunting again. No chance to go. This year I was lucky to receive another opportunity to go deer hunting and the three day weekend was shaping up to be a carbon copy of the first adventure - lots of signs of deer but no shot opportunities. Droppings, rubbings, game trails, even saw a few doe. No buck though. Friday and Saturday the 60-plus degree air temperature and wet ground made for an easy hike through the property. Here's a kicker - Saturday after the big storm blew through and moved on leaving drizzle for a bit I fell asleep in a tree. Yes indeed - the wind rocking the tree back and forth, the sounds of the forest, alseep I went. I awoke to a doe off to my right! I had wanted a buck, on foot, with my revolver without a scope, offhand, had this all in my mind how it would play out. LOL So I am watching this doe and wondering if I should take a shot should it present the window of opportunity. After all I wanted the meat for our family. And I had been target shooting, reading about deer, etc. Well I never got that doe as good light was only maybe 25 minutes and if I didn't have a drop on spot shot and she ran tracking her as a first timer at dusk in drizzle ... no thank you.

I woke Saturday to 64 degrees air temperature and Sunday to 31 degree air temperatures! However, Sunday morning I was presented with an opportunity and everything paid off. I watched this buck come up over a ridge, walk toward me, turn broadside, look at a squirrel eating an acorn, then walk forward a few steps. I had a Waltee Mitty moment as I thought about yelling "BOO!". Then I took the shot and harvested my first deer - an 8 pt buck from about 20 yards using my Ruger Redhawk chambered in .41magnum. To top it off my buddy taught me how to remove the hide and process the deer. Then back home I deboned and cut up the meat. What a great adventure all of it was! We have ate a sampling of cuts and everything has tasted delicious!

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Good stuff

 

[basshappy]

Congratulations. Great buck, story, and knowledge earned.

I love to learn and finally the pay off is so rewarding. Years ago I started studying whitetails - online, printed material and in the field. I knew I wanted to hunt one day but I wanted to learn as much as I could before entering into the woods with the intent to harvest a deer. I spent an equal amount of time working with my Redhawk - standing, prone, kneeling - shot after shot in attempt to best be prepared to take a kill shot. And I am fortunate to have access to land where these practice shots mimic the environment where I would hunt deer.

 

[basshappy]

Great buck BH, much bigger than my first. Its bigger than anything Ive shot in 3 years. But Im still out there trying to learn thier ways after 40 something years of trying.
Hunting never gets old or boring to me.

Thank you BMM. My buck was beautiful. Great symmetry. I am going to try my hand at tanning his hide. I spent a few years studying deer - books, online and in the field before I ever walked into the woods with a firearm to hunt them. I will continue to study and learn and really enjoy this.

 

[basshappy]

Great first deer basshappy ! Congrats ! Did you head shoot him ?

Thank you and yes head shot. But please know I am 100% aware of head shots and the variables and possible consequences. I would never take any shot, head or body, lightly. I was 100% confident in the shot before I squeezed the trigger. I spent a few years training with my Redhawk - standing, prone, kneeling etc. Even used helium balloons on our land to understand how even small changes in position might affect intended targets. I was confident the projectile would enter the left ear canal and travel to the brain, and it did. The buck dropped instantly. In the future a different shot might be best and I will take the shot that is best given the factors at play then. BTW I only mention all of this because I don't want you to think I was careless or uneducated and got lucky. I know some folks are just against head shots.

 

[pjciii]

All i can say is WOW. Congratulations On your buck.

 

[antharper]

Thank you and yes head shot. But please know I am 100% aware of head shots and the variables and possible consequences. I would never take any shot, head or body, lightly. I was 100% confident in the shot before I squeezed the trigger. I spent a few years training with my Redhawk - standing, prone, kneeling etc. Even used helium balloons on our land to understand how even small changes in position might affect intended targets. I was confident the projectile would enter the left ear canal and travel to the brain, and it did. The buck dropped instantly. In the future a different shot might be best and I will take the shot that is best given the factors at play then. BTW I only mention all of this because I don't want you to think I was careless or uneducated and got lucky. I know some folks are just against head shots.

Yes I agree , some people are against head shots and I’m not one of them . I usually don’t attempt them but my dad does often . Congrats again , and one heck of a shot

 

[Jim Boyd]

An absolutely wonderful story!!

Giant congrats!!!!!

 

[Dart]

What a Great story!! Congrats on the Buck that was a Good One.

 

[basshappy]

Bullet retrieved from inside skull of deer.

 

[basshappy]

I got my mount last weekend. I still have the front legs I want to make as a holder. Going to set my Redhawk revolver in them and have the bullet on display as well both under the mount.

 

[splatek]

CONGRATS!!!

 

[blood on the ground]

Really cool

 

[Railroader]

Don't know how I missed this....

Hat tip ? to a fine tale of success!

 

[Pig Predator]

Dadgum. I dont know how I missed this but congrats on your first deer kill there... I woulda thought you were a seasoned hunter from all the other posts with advice and such the past couple years before I ran up on thisn'... Eyereckon I know how you got that title now too.. "Shot placement master"

 

[Jim Boyd]

Well done sir.


don’t think it can be done any better than that.

You are a discriminating man and should be held up for others to see.

 

[basshappy]

Dadgum. I dont know how I missed this but congrats on your first deer kill there... I woulda thought you were a seasoned hunter from all the other posts with advice and such the past couple years before I ran up on thisn'... Eyereckon I know how you got that title now too.. "Shot placement master"

@Pig Predator Nah, ya didn't miss it - you "Liked" my original post back on Dec 20 2021, and ya "Liked" another of my follow up posts on May 19 2022. Been a while though, we all forget things.

 

[basshappy]

Well done sir.


don’t think it can be done any better than that.

You are a discriminating man and should be held up for others to see.

Thank you kindly, Sir. Your words here mean a lot. Much appreciated.

 

[Pig Predator]

@Pig Predator Nah, ya didn't miss it - you "Liked" my original post back on Dec 20 2021, and ya "Liked" another of my follow up posts on May 19 2022. Been a while though, we all forget things.


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Actually, I like pictures of all dead deers and often flip through pages of novels in hopes of getting to see a picture every once in a while before I actually read the book.