Blues Buck Down!

[CoryTDF]

Last night was normal like any other night of the hunting season.  I ate my sandwich, took a shower, and put on my camo.  I gathered all my gear and started to head for the door.  As I started to pass the threshold my wife, who was holding my daughter, called my name.  I turned to see my little girl waving at me and my wife smiling.  My wife “TDFGroupie” said to my daughter, “Say bye to Daddy, tell him good luck.”  With that I left my house with a smile and the obvious “I love you.”  When I turned the key and heard the engine fire up I made a quick decision to change my plan and hunt my closer stand.  I was not really in the mood for a long mountain walk and it would be nice to make it home to see my little girl off to bed.  So with that in mind I drove the fifteen minutes to my “low land stand.”  As soon as I got out of my truck the sun sent a message through my exposed skin that it was going to be a “warm” walk.  I only made it about twenty yards and was already starting to sweat.  The expression “sweating like a pig” seems to be a very accurate portrayal of the state I was in as my stand came into view.  “At last some shade,”  I thought as my hands reached for the first step on the tree.  The fifteen vertical feet seemed harder to negotiate than the walk through the hot afternoon sun.  With my feet planted firmly on the deck of my stand I took off my pack and prepared the area that would be my home for the next four hours.  I hung my bow and all manner of hunting “accessories” making the tree resemble a Christmas Cottonwood adorn with very expensive ornaments.  When my backside finally made contact with the soft seat my relaxation was to be trumped by the sound of a falling pack.  “Thump,” it hit the ground and moments later so did my feet, and then, back up the tree.  At last I was hunting.  The cool breeze hit my brow and dried my sweat.  It made the Cottonwood leaves dance.  I watched as a small doe pop out from the wood line and walk in my direction.  It is a conundrum for some people to understand how as hunters we can respect and cherish the sight of an animal that we are also willing to kill.  The hand of god has never been so clear a vision as that of the tree stand view.  This we as hunters, admire and understand.  After watching several does walk under my stand eating, playing, living, I drifted off to my daughter and how excited I was to show her this world when she is old enough.  An hour went buy watching does at a distance and then I saw him.  Not the deer I had been after but a suitable candidate for the dinner table.  He emerged from the tree line and paralleled my stand.  His current heading would leave him just out of range and there was nothing I could do.  In moments like this it is my belief that the only option is to ask for help from a higher power.  I prayed a silent prayer and looked onward to await the results.  The buck took a few more steps and made a ninety degree turn in my direction.  This decision would cost him his life.  He walked to my stand and paused at fourteen yards.  I fought back the bowling ball in my throat and drew my bow.  My twenty yard pin came to rest on his vitals and I balked. “Should I kill this deer?” I asked myself. There is a much nicer buck in the mountains. “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush” I heard my father say and with that I let my arrow fly. Confused by what just happened the buck only trotted away stopping at fifty yards. Confident in my shot, but prepared for disappointment, I knocked another arrow and looked through my binos at the red dot behind the shoulder. Moments later the deer lay dead. In ritualistic fashion I hung my bow thanked god for the gift and took down the expensive ornaments. As I approached my trophy my face smiling and my heart pounding the unmistakable smell of success was strong in the air. Now, down to a knee, out with a camera, and moonlight shining on a brand new knife I begin to work.

[CoryTDF]

BBD and my Bump Custom knife!

[Woodchuck]

great job man, seems like it is your year

[thearcherykid]

Congrats on a great buck down. Should be great eatin.

[Dipsnort]

Very nicely done, congrats!

Looks like you rubbed the velvet off him.  How did you do it?

[Hornseeker]

Cool story man! Same buck in the pics right? one pic got inversed? the one in the truck has velvet stripped???

Way to GO!!!!

[lostcat]

Awsome deer grats.

[Hornseeker]

And I see that Kings is reversed on the field photo.... 

[rezboy]

Awesome job man!  Hell of a nice buck!  Congrats 

[tlbradford]

Great story and buck.  After reading your post I need to find a creative editor for my stuff. 

[Pathfinder101]

Congrats Man!!  Great buck!  Looks like all that pre-season work paid off.  I'll swing by this afternoon and take a look.

[MtnMuley]

Congrats!  Nice Whitey!

[MuleySniper]

Nice one! Man, that bow is really spilling the blood this year!!
MS

[CoryTDF]

Wow, that is weird how it reversed the Kings logo! Yes i did take off the velvet it was all messed up from thrashing around and it was starting to come off anyway. It was really easy to take off i just grabbed it and pulled. I( rubbed blood and dirt on the horns when i was done. Thanks for your comments guys this really is a great year for me!

[Pathfinder101]

That second photo makes it look like you killed him with your knife.

*censored*!!  (...doin' it the Barta way...)