First a little background and context...
I'm not a trophy hunter. I like a full freezer over a full wall. Not that I don't admire large bucks and appreciate the time, effort, skill, etc that goes into consistently bagging the big boys. I love seeing them and respect guys who are very selective in what they will take. But my priorities are 1) family time, and 2) meat in the freezer. That may change in the future. (I do my own euro-mounts for all our deer - big or small. Just to help preserve the memories.)
This year we nailed those 2 priorities, and I couldn't be happier.
So, back to the story.... this year I was able to take my 2 favorite hunting and fishing buddies - my twin 17-year-old daughters. Of my 8 kids (4 boys and 4 girls), these 2 love the adventures with me the most. They have been going with me for many years but have never been able to get their first deer. Our time is always significantly limited as they are both varsity athletes in basketball, soccer, and track. This is their senior year - and both are likely playing 1 or more sports at the college level. So, this was our last trip as my "little girls" before they go off to college, get married, etc etc. So, I was REALLY praying it would be a special hunt.
We also had a bet going. I've always been against tattoos. Not religiously or anything. Just never saw the point in them and had better things to do with my time and money. I told my kids they had to wait until they were 18 for anything like that. Tattoos, piercings, etc. And definitely would need to be their own money. But my girls made a deal with me - if all 3 of us managed to get a buck this year, we would all three get tattoos to remember the occasion. Given that I've only been hunting for about 10-12 years and really not all that great at it, I figured this was very (very) safe bet and agreed to it with a handshake. Deal. Laughed it off. I really just like the idea of giving them a goal that they can focus on when things get tough or boring - just a reminder to keep grinding.
Neither girl has killed large game to this point. They have both killed grouse, but that's it. They are fishing machines though. And can catch, clean, and cook their fish better than most kids their age. But I really wanted them to finally fill a deer tag and be rewarded for all those years they came with me.
I hunted this same area during the general season in October by myself and had a spike that kept showing up - but I was looking for something bigger. The little fella was doing all he could to volunteer to come home with me for dinner. On more than one occasion, I was within 10 yards of it in my blind. Needless to say, I was pretty confident one of the twins would get a shot at that little buck when we returned for the November hunt, but you never know.
Some seasons we head to the high country to strap up the boots and look for mule deer. But this year we headed east to hunt whitetail and turkey. A mix of private (my buddy's cabin), timber company, and public lands.
We came in late Wednesday night to set up our ground blind about a half mile from my buddy's cabin in his private land that backs to timber company land.
We got a late start in the morning. Girls were moving in slow motion.... We were about an hour behind what I'd like to be, but they were getting over colds and I didn't want to push them too hard.
We headed out for the 1/2 mile walk to the blind as legal shooting light was fast approaching. Our quiet steps often betrayed by the crunch of snow and ice. About a hundred yards in, still in sight of the cabin, we spot a pair of reflecting eyes watching us. We all shine our lights and see that it is a small spike. Instead of just waiting a few minutes for shooting light, we decide to pass on it. But agree he doesn't get a second chance.
We get settled in the blind as the forest is waking. The black sky is turning purple, and soon we can start seeing our shooting lanes and making out details despite a bit of fog. The birds and squirrels start chattering as they welcome the new day. I have my binos handy and the girls are armed with the .243 and .270. I forgot the shooting tripod, so any shot will need to be offhand. No big deal - typical shots from this spot are within 80 yards and my girls are well trained 'snipers'. Within a few minutes a deer walks out. Bino check. It's a spike. About 60-70 yards away. We wait about 5 to 10 minutes for a good broadside shot, while also hoping maybe a larger buck would step out. It's on Hope's side. It is her turn anyway - we wanted her to get first chance since Halle got more grouse than her last time. She's eager to take it, but I'm pushing her to remain calm, breath, and be patient. Finally, it turns, slightly quartered, but close enough. I give Hope the green light.
Zero hesitation. BOOM! Solid hit. It jumps up, then bolts for the thick brush and creek bottom.... but suddenly it does a 180 and runs toward us, crashing right in front of us about 10 yards as we all gasp and brace as it seemed to want to kamikaze us. Her first deer down after all these years! She's shaking and wants to rush out to it, but I force her to wait a few minutes - even though it is clearly done for. We finally approach and inspect the results. It's my 'volunteer' buck I saved for her. Heart shot. Took out a bit of the shoulder as well, unfortunately. But we are all thrilled.
Hope helps me gut it and we head back to get the truck. On the way back, I remind them: "remember, we are ALWAYS in hunting mode as long as we still have tags. You never know if it a nice buck is going to just appear, so as long as we are in legal hunting areas, we need to be vigilant and have a rifle at the ready."
We come to a spot I have often seen deer in the forest where the underbrush has been cleared, so I slow us down and tell them to look carefully. Sure enough, we spot a couple of deer - but they spotted us first and we only see their tails flash and they slip away. Probably does. It's a little before 8am now and we are within a few hundred yards of the cabin. Suddenly the girls spot a deer just ahead and to our left through the trees. "Deer!" they say in unison with hushed but excited tones. "It's a buck!"
I can't see it at first. It's about 30 yards away and moving along a trail paralleling us. Probably on the trail of the 2 does we spotted a few minutes earlier.
Halle doesn't have a clear shot but I will once it moves another 5 yards. She tells me to take it. It comes into a clear shooting lane, and I see that it is a pretty decent buck for this property. I put the cross hairs behind the shoulder, give a short "mehh" to make it stop. It stops and looks over at me. Boom! - perfect double lung. No damage to heart or shoulders. It bolts about 40 yards and piles up right on the gravel driveway less than 100 yards from the cabin. It all happened so fast and unexpectedly - it felt a bit surreal. High fives all around. 2 deer before 8am!! We wait a few, then go find it right by the gravel driveway by the cabin. Young buck, but still not bad for my second whitetail. 4x4 with good eye-guards and some interesting character.
We spent the next few hours hanging and skinning the 2 deer under the second story cabin deck.
After lunch I took Halle to the blind again for the afternoon/evening hunt. We sat for about 2.5 to 3hrs and had a few solo does and a doe + tiny fawn come out, but no bucks.
The next day we headed to another spot I know in the area to target turkeys and then try to get Halle's deer on some public land. I wanted to let the cabin and blind area rest a bit after taking the 2 deer.
We spot turkeys pretty quickly and I come up with a plan of attack. Not a huge group. 5 or 6. We surround them - with the girls stationary in good/safe shooting spots while I flanked them to drive them towards the girls. Hope gets a shot opportunity first and pops one with her 20 gauge. Perfect neck shot. No meat damage. First turkey down!
It took a while and a few failed frustrating attempts where the turkeys outsmarted us and slipped away through the thick brush long a creek, but eventually we found another small group in a more open field along a small creek. This time we set Halle up at a choke point, then Hope and I flanked the group and herded them towards her - a little finessing was required as they didn't want to cooperate at first. Then 2 smaller turkeys leave the group and bolt in Halle's direction. (We prefer the smaller ones for the more tender meat) I can't see her, but I shout, "here they come - take one or both if you can!!"
BOOM! Second turkey tagged. Another perfect neck shot and her first turkey!
Next, we headed off to hike a new area in search of Halle's buck. We spot a couple deer up a steep slope as they bolt off. No idea if they were bucks. Lots of sign. Good area. We even found a game camera and posed for a family picture. But weather was turning fast, and we packed light. So, we headed back to the truck.
At this point Halle was getting a bit discouraged because her twin had a deer and she didn't. She's trying to have a good attitude, but I can see it's a struggle. So, with some daylight remaining, we drop off Hope at the cabin and do one more hike near our usual spot instead of sitting in the blind again. I really wanted to let the area rest, but for some reason, I was feeling optimistic.
Within 5 minutes I spot the first deer as it crashes away. Big white tail waving goodbye as it bounded out of sight... Not sure if it was a buck. We continue. 10 minutes later, a doe and fawn up ahead. We have no choice but to keep walking toward them. They spook, she snorts at us, and they disappear. Welp that may have alerted any buck in the area. Oh well, keep going.
We head up another trail to a small clearing I know of. Light is starting to fade quickly, and this is our last bet before legal shooting light is over and hiking back to the cabin.
We walk as quietly as possible. Each step carefully selected as we approach the area. We are cautiously scanning the edges of the clearing looking for any indication of deer. In my peripheral, I see Halle suddenly freeze then motion me to stop. "Deer. Right there." she whispers and raises her rifle to her shoulder. I don't see it. I move a little closer, bit by bit, holding my breath as I don't want to spook it. "Is it a buck?" I managed to whisper as I snuck up behind her. Then, I suddenly spot it clear as day, just off to our left down a trail - less than 20 yards away! Doe? Can't tell. I can only see the back half up to the shoulder. It's getting too dark and there are branches in my view as well as hers. I raise my binos... body, up neck, face looking at me, ears... then brown antlers behind both ears!! I quietly but urgently hiss, "Antlers. Shoot. Shoot it". I hear a click. No boom. Dud bullet. Crap! "Rack another!" I whisper in a panicked tone.
Somehow the deer is still just staring at us. But shifting and clearly about to bolt. My heart is pounding. I hear the rifle slide open and close. It starts to raise a front leg to stomp at us or perhaps jump and run. Come on - just hold! I give a quick "mehh" and it works. He's frozen and staring.... BOOM! Deer jumps and bolts into the brush away from us!
What!!!?
She's shaking and super excited. We are both in shock. I give her a huge hug. We wait few minutes, but light is fading, and I didn't bring my headlamp - so we move in. Only a few steps and we are at the spot it was standing. No hair or blood. Hmmm. "You sure you had a good clearn shot?" I ask her. "Yes, definitely." She assures me. We split up and look for 10 minutes with no luck. I'm moving fast trying to find it before dark. We are both worried now and begin the routine of second guessing everything we knew had just happened. Then I hear her call me. "Dad!! I found it!!" It was piled up right in the middle of where we split up. Maybe 30 yards from the spot she shot it.
High fives and hugs. Maybe a tear or two. And huge glowing smiles I'll remember forever.
We worked until almost midnight on the 3 deer and two turkeys. Hope has Raynaud’s syndrome (her fingers turn blue and become just about useless in the cold), so Halle and I spent hours on the deer and turkeys. Halle was a champ and skinned her own deer mostly by herself and did her own turkey without even being asked while watching me do the other. Exhausting work but amazed at what all transpired. 2 days in on a 4-day hunt! Such a blessing. We'll never forget this trip. My heart is full and I'm so grateful!
The next day we decided to hop the border to Idaho and see if we can find a place to fulfil the bet. I'm a man of my word and a deal is a deal. 3 matching tattoos. Crazy. But there it is.
I told the girls that going forward, no more spikes. Or at least we have to work VERY hard and only settle if it is the last day. And also, if we do archery (we've been working on it and almost there), then I'll let them take any buck for that first as well. Maybe even a doe if legal. But again, life is going to come fast, and I don't know that we'll have the chance. So, I'm just going to bask in this moment for now!! It really doesn't get much better than this!
Pics to follow.
