Buckman18
Senior Member
Every now and then things come together. My oldest daughter and I had an excellent week of hunting. My work schedule and her schools 'fall break' actually lined up and we had several days to do whatever we wanted to do. The biggest decision we had to make was to try to kill a bear (ive had rotten luck this year so far bear hunting) or go deer hunting. We decided to go to the club in McDuffie County and spend a few days. My main goal was to let my kid be a kid and blast away and whatever walked out. They rut on our land about Halloween so its a great week to find some acorns and fire at will. The game cooperated.
We arrived Tuesday evening about 5:00. Just enough time to unload the guns, 4 wheelers, put on the orange and go check a bottom with white and willow oaks. The deer beat us there. There was a spike and doe chowing down. They didn't notice our arrival. I told her to pick one out and shoot it. I plugged my ears, and when the 243 sounded off the doe hit the ground. Already, my goal for the trip was met.
The next morning found us in a different bottom, this one with whites and reds. There were a few whites getting knocked out by the squirrel's, and plenty of feeding sign. She shoots southpaw, so we set up hammock seats accordingly so she could shoot 50 yards or less, and I could shoot further if the occasion called for it. Oh I reckon it took the deer 2 hours to come out to feed. They were about 70 yards out. She didn't feel comfortable with the shot, couldn't hold steady. She told me to shoot one. I told her I'd rather wait so she can if they come closer. She insisted. She wanted to see ME shoot one. I gave in. When the smoke cleared my doe was on the ground, and one of her little ones ran to within 20 yards of us. I plugged my ears just in time and she put it down. Fun morning.
That evening we saw a gorgeous 2 year old 8 point. I wasn't interested in burning a buck tag on him, but my daughter was! Unfortunately, he never closed the gap and she never felt comfortable with the shot. The next morning, we tried another bottom. This one has towering, beautiful white oaks and a couple of willow oaks. The amount of deer and hog feeding sign was just stupid. Interestingly, zero buck sign. We wasn't there long and a spike met the mean end of my daughters 243.
At this point my message to my daughter was, "OK, honey, we have PLENTY of deer meat now. Its important to pace yourself because we are blessed with a long season. Let's wait on a big buck or hog now."
She wanted to try for a big buck now. So we scouted a bit more, found some real fresh rubs. Several edges come together: pines, hardwoods, 3 year old clear-cut. Big, fresh rubs. Fresh scrapes. The topo also lined up conducive to how bucks travel. Morning number 3 found us in our hammock seats hunting for the Ol' Dad. It was a long, hot, boring morning with nothing stirring except the sweat running down my face. Finally at about 10:30, a doe and 2 fawns come through picking up acorns. We watched them maybe 10 minutes. My daughter videoed them on her I phone. About 15 minutes after they left, another doe stepped out and was acting normal, then she just started running. Here come a good buck and he started dogging her all around. Eventually, the doe led him about 50 yards from us. By now I had my daughter in position and told her that I was gonna stop him and she'd have to shoot quick. He wasn't stopping. Apparently the doe was in heat, and he only had her on his mind. Despite me bleating, and eventually yelling at him, he never broke stride. He was at full throttle and broadside at 50 yards when muzzleloader smoke blocked our view. I dont really remember aiming at him, but I vaguely remember the gun going off when the cross hair and front of his body met in the scope. The doe crossed back in front of us and disappeared. When the smoke eventually cleared, 11 pointer down. In a perfect world, he wouldve stopped so my daughter could shoot him. But it was still a great experience for her. Until this buck, she had never saw a buck chase.
How do yall like my camo?
Well, after we got him skinned and in the cooler, my daughter said she wanted to kill a hog. I asked her why in the world do you want to shoot one of those stinking things?? Her response was we haven't killed one yet this week. So, that afternoon we went down deep in the swamp where the cottonmouths, skeeters, and hogs live. Honestly I was hoping they wouldn't show. Honestly, when they showed up, all 20-something of them, I was hoping she'd shoot one of the 30 pounders. She didn't. She shot one of the bigger ones in the group, but it was only 125ish, so it i could handle it without help. She shot the boar perfectly.
Heckuva week. Daddy-daughter time at its finest. I lost my dad last year, and I do believe he was watching from above and grinning like a possum. Daughter killed 3 deer and a hog, I killed 2 deer with one of them being an 11 pt. All killed OTG woods hunting from our hammock seats. We slept in this morning. It felt dang good! And the only rifle opener I haven't hunted.
As @NCHillbilly says at the end of his trout fishing post: FIN.
We arrived Tuesday evening about 5:00. Just enough time to unload the guns, 4 wheelers, put on the orange and go check a bottom with white and willow oaks. The deer beat us there. There was a spike and doe chowing down. They didn't notice our arrival. I told her to pick one out and shoot it. I plugged my ears, and when the 243 sounded off the doe hit the ground. Already, my goal for the trip was met.
The next morning found us in a different bottom, this one with whites and reds. There were a few whites getting knocked out by the squirrel's, and plenty of feeding sign. She shoots southpaw, so we set up hammock seats accordingly so she could shoot 50 yards or less, and I could shoot further if the occasion called for it. Oh I reckon it took the deer 2 hours to come out to feed. They were about 70 yards out. She didn't feel comfortable with the shot, couldn't hold steady. She told me to shoot one. I told her I'd rather wait so she can if they come closer. She insisted. She wanted to see ME shoot one. I gave in. When the smoke cleared my doe was on the ground, and one of her little ones ran to within 20 yards of us. I plugged my ears just in time and she put it down. Fun morning.
That evening we saw a gorgeous 2 year old 8 point. I wasn't interested in burning a buck tag on him, but my daughter was! Unfortunately, he never closed the gap and she never felt comfortable with the shot. The next morning, we tried another bottom. This one has towering, beautiful white oaks and a couple of willow oaks. The amount of deer and hog feeding sign was just stupid. Interestingly, zero buck sign. We wasn't there long and a spike met the mean end of my daughters 243.
At this point my message to my daughter was, "OK, honey, we have PLENTY of deer meat now. Its important to pace yourself because we are blessed with a long season. Let's wait on a big buck or hog now."
She wanted to try for a big buck now. So we scouted a bit more, found some real fresh rubs. Several edges come together: pines, hardwoods, 3 year old clear-cut. Big, fresh rubs. Fresh scrapes. The topo also lined up conducive to how bucks travel. Morning number 3 found us in our hammock seats hunting for the Ol' Dad. It was a long, hot, boring morning with nothing stirring except the sweat running down my face. Finally at about 10:30, a doe and 2 fawns come through picking up acorns. We watched them maybe 10 minutes. My daughter videoed them on her I phone. About 15 minutes after they left, another doe stepped out and was acting normal, then she just started running. Here come a good buck and he started dogging her all around. Eventually, the doe led him about 50 yards from us. By now I had my daughter in position and told her that I was gonna stop him and she'd have to shoot quick. He wasn't stopping. Apparently the doe was in heat, and he only had her on his mind. Despite me bleating, and eventually yelling at him, he never broke stride. He was at full throttle and broadside at 50 yards when muzzleloader smoke blocked our view. I dont really remember aiming at him, but I vaguely remember the gun going off when the cross hair and front of his body met in the scope. The doe crossed back in front of us and disappeared. When the smoke eventually cleared, 11 pointer down. In a perfect world, he wouldve stopped so my daughter could shoot him. But it was still a great experience for her. Until this buck, she had never saw a buck chase.
How do yall like my camo?
Well, after we got him skinned and in the cooler, my daughter said she wanted to kill a hog. I asked her why in the world do you want to shoot one of those stinking things?? Her response was we haven't killed one yet this week. So, that afternoon we went down deep in the swamp where the cottonmouths, skeeters, and hogs live. Honestly I was hoping they wouldn't show. Honestly, when they showed up, all 20-something of them, I was hoping she'd shoot one of the 30 pounders. She didn't. She shot one of the bigger ones in the group, but it was only 125ish, so it i could handle it without help. She shot the boar perfectly.
Heckuva week. Daddy-daughter time at its finest. I lost my dad last year, and I do believe he was watching from above and grinning like a possum. Daughter killed 3 deer and a hog, I killed 2 deer with one of them being an 11 pt. All killed OTG woods hunting from our hammock seats. We slept in this morning. It felt dang good! And the only rifle opener I haven't hunted.
As @NCHillbilly says at the end of his trout fishing post: FIN.
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