My morning started out eventful, right from the get-go. The moment I sit down, I get the urge to "go". Not good, I thought to myself, I don't want to get down. This was a battle I fought the whole morning!
It no sooner got light out that I saw a bunch of antlers in the brush about 160 yards in front of me. I couldn't see the deer's head, only tines, and they looked LONG. I started to get excited, just watching this buck, bedded, in front of me for nearly an hour. When he finally stood up, to my disappointment, he was a young buck (but very excited to see what he looks like next year).
A bit later, a doe, with fresh bullet graze across her back, started from behind me and worked her way all the way to that young buck. They fed in front of me for an hour or so with a spike that joined them.
At about 9:45am, I saw a long-beamed and tall 9 pointer come charging from my right, heading right towards the other deer. He quickly exited and headed right back to where he came from.
A few minutes later, a new doe came from where all the other deer were, but was heading right towards me. As the doe approached. young bucks started to come out of the woodwork and were hot her trail. Then the 9 pointer joined in on the pursuit. This parade of deer got to about 90 yards from me and they all stopped and started staring to my left, across a fence. I knew something was coming and I was doing my best to look through the trees while trying not to spook the deer in front of me.
Then, I see him. A large-bodied deer working his way through the thick brush and saplings, on the other side of the fence. I can see a large antler frame with long tines. My heart starts pumping. One of the young bucks runs over to the fence to greet him, as if he was buddy he happy to see joining the party. He jumps the fence and starts strutting straight towards the doe, who has remained motionless the entire time.
Once he gets 20 yards from the doe, the 9 pointer charges him and they crash together for a split second. The 9 pointer retreats and the big buck is hot on his tail, chasing him out of sight, grunting and snort-wheezing the whole way. My heart sinks as they disappear, but I knew there was still a chance, as the doe was still 90 yards in front of me.
Sure enough, only a few seconds later, I finally get a good look at this large 10 pointer. He returned to tend to this doe and was standing broadside at 95 yards. I aim, I fire. The first thing I notice is how QUIET this .308 was with my SilencerCo silencer. I had only shot it at the range, with hearing protection. I see the buck fold on top of himself in the scope, not taking a single step. The other deer standing around remained at attention, not knowing what just happened. I kept my scope trained on him for about 5 minutes, watching for movement, but he was down for good. I called my dad and he jumped on the quad and headed my way to help me get this brute cleaned up and out of the field.
I haven't been with him for all the bucks he's killed since I've started hunting, but he's been there with me for all of mine. That's what it's all about!
