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Thread: 81, and still gettin er done!

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    8,515

    81, and still gettin er done!

    Just came back from our annual MD hunt and it was a great weekend for my father and to also share the experience with
    his granddaughter.
    The years of construction work were not overly kind to my father physically, with both shoulders basically not having much if any of his rotator cuff muscles still attached and even biceps (long head) are detached.
    A knee that points out at a 15 degree angle that should have been replaced years ago, but he refused and now the doctors refuse to do now, as well as a vein that is trapped in his knee that can be repaired either.
    And on top of that, not too long ago, 2 stints put in last year right by his heart, and he is in the process of probably having a few more implanted soon as he once again has some major chest pains.
    So, needless to say, my father was strongly considering not going, as he did not see a way to hunt, as he always hiked all day long in the past, but has been a challenge now for 10 years.
    I told him he should come along, as a friend was bringing a truck he could use to get around in, and just sit and wait.
    To be honest, I sometimes think my hiking all over the place looking for MD, still hunting all day long can have it's benefits but at times I think it isn't always the most effective way either.
    Many a times I here that someone takes a buck just beside the road while driving around, and decent ones, while I am out bushwhacking.
    Over the years, my dad has had opportunity to take bucks, but he always passed on them as they just weren't big enough to take as the effort to get them down to camp was not worth it.
    So, he has gone quite a few years without harvesting one, with no regrets as he just likes to be "out there".

    Also, we got a new addition to the family, a rescue dog that we took for the first time with us.
    I doubt she had ever seen a pine tree and all the new smells were a little much for her senses at times.
    Also, I did not think I had purchased another husky, but soon realized that this dog pulls just as hard and all day long
    as dogs I had had in the past.
    Well, needless to say, all this pulling and being out all day had its toll on my daughter.
    I have to say she did a fantastic job keeping up with me while all the time having her hands full with the new dog.
    But the friendship is one I think will last for years to come and we really are enjoying the new dog.

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    4,594

    Re: 81, and still gettin er done!

    Your daughter will always have memories of “tough as nails grandpa” which is priceless. Good on him for still going for it as most give up too easy. Nice looking dog too.
    If you can pack it in, You can pack it out !!!

    UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL !!!


    BCWF
    WSSBC
    CCFR
    " The secret of change is to focus all your energy, not on fighting the old, but building on the new"
    Socrates.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Posts
    171

    Re: 81, and still gettin er done!

    Great looking dog! We adopted a 5 year old Doberman in April and have been finding the same thing with him, I doubt he'd ever been in the bush before. The sights and smells are so distracting for him that at times its difficult to get him to even take a pee because he's so wrapped up in smelling the next bush or trying to get that squirrel. Good to hear your dad is still able to make it out as difficult as it may be for him. I lost mine in 2014 and miss him a lot. Being out in the bush or in the boat brings back extra memories of him as he loved being out there.

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
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    8,515

    Re: 81, and still gettin er done!

    So, by the 3rd morning, I think my daughter was a bit pooped of the long hikes and either being dragged uphill or right or left, or having to put
    the brakes on going downhill, that she decided the day would be much better spent hanging out with Opa in the truck for a day of hunting and
    keeping him company.
    Plus, dad (me) didn't mind a day of getting out their for some true "quiet time"(lol).
    The night before had my dad picking up 2 of my friends off the road after they got off the mountain to take back to camp.
    Well, along that drive back to camp they spotted 15 Doe MD and then around one bend, a buck walked past their truck, but too dark to
    hunt or to fully tell if it was legal anyways.
    So, the next morning, my father, my daughter and 2 of my friends took off in the truck while I went up the mountain on foot.
    It was pretty obvious it was going to be a long day as the weather was not going to cooperate and things were starting to get socked in.
    Basically, by the end of the day had I not had a gps along, I too may have gotten lost for the evening.

    Anyways, the decision was made that my 2 friends would get out of the truck at a crossroad, while my father and daughter would go down
    this one road a ways, then turn around in an area they saw all the Doe the night before while my buddies would start in the area they saw the buck, one on either side of this road, walking in the timber in the direction my dad would be parked.
    Well, it wasn't too long before my dad and daughter had the truck parked and turned in a direction they could look up the road in hopes some
    deer walked across.
    And it wasn't too long either when over the radio my father says "there are 3 doe and a buck in pursuit crossing the road from the lake side
    to the camp side" which was to tell my friend on that side to keep an eye out as he made he way thru the timber.
    Then, only minutes later, I hear on the radio that the 3 Doe had again crossed the road to the lake side, but no buck.
    Minutes later, I hear that the buck has now come across the road in pursuit of the 3 Doe.
    Which was to tell my friend on the other side of the road that he should keep his eyes open.
    And he is a fellow still waiting to take his first MD (he had a great chance 2 years ago, but buck fever got a hold of him and his rifle was
    truly way out of whack and not sighted in properly...now taken care of!).

    Meanwhile, I am listening to all this chatter, and can almost hear one of my friends excitement, while the other seemed a little down, knowing
    that the buck had gotten ones hope up high, to only have that hope jump across the road to the next fella....lol.
    But, finally, I piped in and said to my dad over the radio, "how about not talking so much, pick up the rifle and put the radio down, just in
    case the buck crosses again".
    I got a reply only a son knows to "not say anything else"!...lol.

    Then, one friend asks my dad if it is legal, but my dad responds that he isn't sure, BUT, that my daughter keeps telling him it is, that it has 4 points.
    Now, my father was right to not take my daughters advice, but then again, at only 12, I have learned she is already starting to know her stuff.
    Just then, on the radio (what did I just say to him...…..), my dad says the buck just crossed the road again.
    Now, my one friend who was getting all excited, and was closing the gap, suddenly felt his dreams disappear, while my other friend, who had had his hopes dashed, was now once again, back in the game!

    Well.....not really.
    Suddenly I hear on the radio my daughter shout out "Shot it"!!!
    Now, I am quite a distance away, but know exactly where all this action is taking place and also know I should be able to hear the shots.
    So, I hear "shot it", and think to myself in that instance "I didn't hear the shot".
    Suddenly "kaboom"....I know hear the shot.
    Pretty cool I thought to have known the shot had happened before I actually heard it.
    Radio waves are obviously much faster then sound waves.

    Then I hear....."we got it"
    When I hear the buck is down I get on the radio and say I will be on my way down to help but it will take me sometime.
    I get the reply "It's ok, you can stay up there, I have 2 healthy guys to help me out"!!...lol
    I guess my dad knew what he was doing!
    Turns out that when the buck crossed the road the 3rd time, he was without the Does and once he got to the other side, he actually walked
    right towards my dad and daughter sitting in the vehicle.
    At that point my dad could se he was legal, got out of the truck, and yes, then loaded his gun all the time the buck still walked into him.

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Squamish
    Posts
    6,082

    Re: 81, and still gettin er done!

    Great post Bugle. I love the family stories. Glad to hear your dad made the trip. My dad's love was horseback riding and I've always regretted not doing more of it with him but the few times I went are memories I cherish.
    Is Justin Competent, or just incompetent?

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    8,515

    Re: 81, and still gettin er done!

    Goes to show that when the rut is at its peak, bucks really do lose their mind at times.
    Except when I chase them!...then they always know it's time to run????

    So, in the end, they got the buck out of the gulley, placed it on the truck and took else where to gut and clean.

    Turned out, later that night when I got back to camp, that it was in fact my daughter that got my father to shoot.
    Had he been alone, who knows...that buck may have crossed the road several more times.
    Maybe one of my friends would have taken him....or maybe neither would have?
    But, when the buck crossed the road for the 3rd time, it was my daughter repeatedly saying "Opa, take him...take him....take him"!!

    Have to say, being a Father now, it makes me proud that she is finding hunting something she enjoys thoroughly and something I hope we
    can share for many years to come.
    As a Son, I cant be any happier for the man who brought me into this lifestyle, as his passion for it is immense, and his respect for people
    and the wildlife around him is never questioned.
    Couldn't happen to a better guy, and a great bunch of friends to help him out!

    My father and his little sidekick!

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    langley
    Posts
    997

    Re: 81, and still gettin er done!

    ^^^^That's an awesome pic^^^^^^

    Lots to be proud of there Bugle M In, great story.
    Finland is a neutral country - but the guns point to the east.

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2018
    Location
    Fraser Valley
    Posts
    443

    Re: 81, and still gettin er done!

    Great job all, beauty buck. Wish I grew up in a more outdoorsy family, no matter, starting to create this for my family that wife and I have going, hope I can do it at 80+ with grand kids, can't think of anything more fun and the bonding that goes with it.
    Congrats and great writing

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Posts
    3,626

    Re: 81, and still gettin er done!

    Great buck,great story and great family.

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Squamish
    Posts
    6,082

    Re: 81, and still gettin er done!

    That photo is a wall-hanger. I've used bestcanvas.ca in the past and they were awesome. You upload the picture, pick your size and voila. If I recall correctly it arrived within 3 days of ordering and the prices were really good. Highly recommend.
    Is Justin Competent, or just incompetent?

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