Last week I bought Whoopbass (Bobby)'s backpack off the classifieds. When I went to pick it up, we chatted about our three favorite things: hunting, fishing, and beer. Long story short, he invited me out for a D16 sesh. He's knackered so he asked me to post the story.
I met Bobby at his house this morning, at o-dark thirty. He opened the door and said, "We could get one today bud, it's cold out." I'm the noob, only been on ten deer hunts so far and never seen a legal buck in the field. So I told him, "He man, it's your spot, it's your shot. You tell me where to move."
We loaded up and headed to a hilltop he likes. He was sure we'd see something there. We glassed all morning as the sun came over the mountains but not a single thing stirred. Disappointed, we packed it in around 10 am. Back at the truck, he said, "Let's go check another spot I like. We passed on one there the other day." The sun was high and it was getting hot; I was skeptical we'd see anything.
We arrived at the new spot and started slow walking and glassing. Bobby was 20 yards ahead of me and we walked down a gentle hill glassing the surrounding hills and canyons. Suddenly I gasped when I saw a deer skylined on the next hill, 200 yards away. But then I watched it and it didn't move a single muscle. It was tiny and shiny, like a plastic archery target. I said, "Crap, someone left an archery target there to screw with me." Bobby chuckled and kept moving.
But something bothered me. It just didn't fit, why haul an archery target into the hills, and then leave it there. I just kept watching and watching. The damn thing never moved a single muscle. Then suddenly a spike popped its head up 3 feet away. I couldn't believe it. "Bobby, there's a buck!" I hissed and we both dropped low and hit the glass. In the next few seconds 2 does and a forky all appeared around my 'decoy' and I realized it was a fawn, transfixed by the sight of us. We sat glassing this weird family group and they all stared right at us.
I was about to chamber a round and take aim at the forky, but then I remembered my earlier promise. I also realized I didn't know what was over the hill. Bobby said wait and the deer slowly sauntered over the hill. Then Bobby jumped up. "That forky's legal," he said, "let's go get him!" So we ran up our hill and then slowly crested the top. We were carefully looking into the valley they would have entered and slowly scanning the terrain for the herd. Then Bobby pointed far to my right, I saw the deer moving away from us with increasing speed. I looked back to see Bobby was taking aim off-hand. I dropped low, put in some earplugs, then got back on the glass.
By this time the deer were starting to sense danger. Bobby hissed, "EARS!" then "YO". The forky made a slight hesitation in his gait and Bobby let one go. I saw the impact through my binos, the deer spun, his far side already red, and then he flopped down 3 ft from where he was hit. It was an awesome shot: 150 yards offhand at a trotting deer. We ran up and he was down. I dropped into the canyon after the rest of the deer to make sure we hadn't missed another legal buck in the group. They were staging in a bush 100 yards away. When they saw me again the does and fawn took off. The spike stood staring at me, then with one leap was over a bush and out of sight down the canyon.
The rest of the story unfolded like any other. Fairly easy haul to the truck: gutting, skinning, and ice. I learned more today than I have in 2 years of deer hunting. But these deer seemed to break all the rules. Bucks, does, and fawns running together, in broad daylight, and with little concern for the pack of humans they encountered.
Also I want to make two controversial points:
1) hydraulic shock is real yo. He was hit in one lung but both lungs, and the heart, were jelly. Various blood bruising around the body as further evidence. (If anyone wants to argue this point, bear in mind that I am a physicist, with some expertise in both ballistic impact and fluid pressure. I will cite scientific papers if challenged.)
2) carriage returns are critical to a readable story; see how mine just pulled you through? all the people posting a whole novel in one paragraph hurt my brain. hit return once in awhile for pete's sake.
Here he is with his deer. He was fairly pleased.
I met Bobby at his house this morning, at o-dark thirty. He opened the door and said, "We could get one today bud, it's cold out." I'm the noob, only been on ten deer hunts so far and never seen a legal buck in the field. So I told him, "He man, it's your spot, it's your shot. You tell me where to move."
We loaded up and headed to a hilltop he likes. He was sure we'd see something there. We glassed all morning as the sun came over the mountains but not a single thing stirred. Disappointed, we packed it in around 10 am. Back at the truck, he said, "Let's go check another spot I like. We passed on one there the other day." The sun was high and it was getting hot; I was skeptical we'd see anything.
We arrived at the new spot and started slow walking and glassing. Bobby was 20 yards ahead of me and we walked down a gentle hill glassing the surrounding hills and canyons. Suddenly I gasped when I saw a deer skylined on the next hill, 200 yards away. But then I watched it and it didn't move a single muscle. It was tiny and shiny, like a plastic archery target. I said, "Crap, someone left an archery target there to screw with me." Bobby chuckled and kept moving.
But something bothered me. It just didn't fit, why haul an archery target into the hills, and then leave it there. I just kept watching and watching. The damn thing never moved a single muscle. Then suddenly a spike popped its head up 3 feet away. I couldn't believe it. "Bobby, there's a buck!" I hissed and we both dropped low and hit the glass. In the next few seconds 2 does and a forky all appeared around my 'decoy' and I realized it was a fawn, transfixed by the sight of us. We sat glassing this weird family group and they all stared right at us.
I was about to chamber a round and take aim at the forky, but then I remembered my earlier promise. I also realized I didn't know what was over the hill. Bobby said wait and the deer slowly sauntered over the hill. Then Bobby jumped up. "That forky's legal," he said, "let's go get him!" So we ran up our hill and then slowly crested the top. We were carefully looking into the valley they would have entered and slowly scanning the terrain for the herd. Then Bobby pointed far to my right, I saw the deer moving away from us with increasing speed. I looked back to see Bobby was taking aim off-hand. I dropped low, put in some earplugs, then got back on the glass.
By this time the deer were starting to sense danger. Bobby hissed, "EARS!" then "YO". The forky made a slight hesitation in his gait and Bobby let one go. I saw the impact through my binos, the deer spun, his far side already red, and then he flopped down 3 ft from where he was hit. It was an awesome shot: 150 yards offhand at a trotting deer. We ran up and he was down. I dropped into the canyon after the rest of the deer to make sure we hadn't missed another legal buck in the group. They were staging in a bush 100 yards away. When they saw me again the does and fawn took off. The spike stood staring at me, then with one leap was over a bush and out of sight down the canyon.
The rest of the story unfolded like any other. Fairly easy haul to the truck: gutting, skinning, and ice. I learned more today than I have in 2 years of deer hunting. But these deer seemed to break all the rules. Bucks, does, and fawns running together, in broad daylight, and with little concern for the pack of humans they encountered.
Also I want to make two controversial points:
1) hydraulic shock is real yo. He was hit in one lung but both lungs, and the heart, were jelly. Various blood bruising around the body as further evidence. (If anyone wants to argue this point, bear in mind that I am a physicist, with some expertise in both ballistic impact and fluid pressure. I will cite scientific papers if challenged.)
2) carriage returns are critical to a readable story; see how mine just pulled you through? all the people posting a whole novel in one paragraph hurt my brain. hit return once in awhile for pete's sake.
Here he is with his deer. He was fairly pleased.
