EMPyre Tags Out!!! Finally!!!

[EMPyre]

It ain't big, but its my first and I'm excited to have finally put one down.

[Muleyslyr]

Nice.....Congrats on your first buck.  Smile says it all. 

[billythekidrock]

Congrats.....looks like all the hardwork and questions panned out for ya!

[EMPyre]

Here's the story...

We went out east Thursday night, the wife and I.  Made camp at 12:30.  We made great time until I hit every damn stop light in Spokane trying to get North!  Were asleep by 1AM.  

The alarm didn't go off at 5, and we didn't get out of bed until 6:30.  I wasn't really happy about that but whatcha gonna do?  Found the road we were planning on walking and started off from the gate.  Did about 3 miles and sat in a nice clearing. Plenty of sign, and a couple of rubs, but no deer.  Got up and walked another bit farther up.  Jumped a group in thick cover but never saw them.  Ended up walking out empty handed.
Hunted the evening closer to camp, great clearing and LOTS of rubs and beds, but again no deer.

Rain came in Friday night.  We waited in the warm sleeping bags a bit that morning and hunted first close to camp, same spot as the night before.  Again nothing.  So we jumped in the car, to scout and look for a spot to sit.  There were 2 cars parked on gate from the day before so we passed by.  About a mile up the road my wife yells "there's one!"  I squealed the brakes and thought for sure he'd bolted.  Nope. There he was about 50 feet off the road looking at me.  I glassed him up, saw the forked tines, and the brown tail.  He turned broadside and I raised up on him.  

Took a neck shot, and he didn't even know he was hit, right throught the spine.  Dropped him in his tracks.  The wife shed a tear, and that's fine by me, all part of the hunt.  We got to work and had him and camp packed by 9AM.  

I had to take an easy one, after all the miles I've walked, and troubles I've had this year, that's how it ends.  We took him back to my cabin up by Stampede Pass, and I got it skinned out last night, and dressed this morning.  Woke up to snow today!
Gonna be a busy week after work!  Thanks again everyone for your help this season, time for some waterfowl now!

PS, the wife really enjoyed herself, although I don't think she'll be picking up a rifle yet, she may be a constant companion in my deer camp in the future.

[boneaddict]

All that good advice paid off.    I'm glad you guys had a fun trip. Congrats.

[huntingnut]

Sounds like a good time, congrats on the buck.

[Ridgerunner]

Congrats on gutting it out and getting it done.  The first one is the sweetist.

[HuntingFanatic]

Always nice to have a deer spotter with ya!! Way to go! It ain't big. But ill tell ya what. IM JEALOUS!!!!

[Hunting Cowboy]

EMPyre, Way to go! Nothing quite like setting a goal and then accomplishing it. Congratulations!
Mike

[Slider]

Congrats!!! Nice first Buck

[jackelope]

way to go bud...glad you got it done.

[runningboard]

good photo, great story, plain awesome, congratulations! like your wife I've seen a few beginner's have a change of heart at the moment of truth, couldn't pull the trigger 'cause "he's looking at me!" like you said, all part of the hunt. congrats again!

[Dman]

 Congrat's Erich, pretty cool to bag one with the Mrs. along.

[ICEMAN]

Great story. Having the wife along can be great. My wife has packed deer and elk out before, really enjoyed the special time we shared. She never pulled the trigger, and that is OK with her and me. She wants both our kids to get into the hunt, and is totally supportive. You are a lucky man. Others may envy the special time you had with your wife, as unfortunatley many other wives are not as understanding, and do not want to get involved. Congratulations.

[GoldTip]

Congrats on your first deer, that will be the one you'll never forget!  Good Job!