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Thread: Waiting on a Whitetail

  1. #21
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Posts
    272

    Re: Waiting on a Whitetail

    After the mule deer my Dad expressed that he would like a whitetail for sausage so he came out for an evening tour. I told him he could take any buck except the 6x6.

    You guessed it. The only buck we saw that night was the 6x6. He wouldn't leave. He just kept showing up and tempting us but I stayed strong. As much as I wanted to get my Dad a deer, he understood why I was reluctant to let him shoot this buck. He told me even if I said he could shoot he wasn't going to. We just sat back and learned a bit more about whitetail behavior.

    The shed hunting last year was tough. There was a lot of crops left in the fields and the deer were spread out. With persistence and a lot of leg work we were able to find both side once again.


  2. #22
    Join Date
    Nov 2018
    Location
    Fraser Valley
    Posts
    443

    Re: Waiting on a Whitetail

    Awesome stories and pic's bwhnter, looks like your having fun.
    Congrats

  3. #23
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Posts
    272

    Re: Waiting on a Whitetail

    2020. The hardest year.

    COVID!!

    Uncertain times hit. Friends and family lose jobs. Struggle to make ends meet and life just seems hard.

    Spring rolls through talk of camping trips and summer plans lift our spirits. We have a big fencing job and the weather is making it tough. Have a skid steer to pound the post but it gets stuck so we bring in a dozer to pull it out. Then the dozer gets stuck so in comes a track hoe to pull out the dozer. Rinse and repeat.

    Mothers day. My Dad starts feeling ill. Weeks later diagnosed with stomach cancer. Surgery. Chemo. Weeks of uncertainty. Nothing can be done.

    I watch the man who taught me to hunt, to trap, to be an outdoorsman, hell to be a man, slowly wither away. My hero was dying in front of my eyes and there was nothing I could do. When he was in the hospital and only a few of us were allowed into see him, I wanted to scoop him up and run for the hills. I wanted to see that smile when he got his elk. I wanted to hear him tell his stories and hear his laughter. I wanted to see him teach my kids outdoor skills again. It was not to be.

    He passed away on October 18th.
    Even in his last days he was teaching us. He never complained. Not once. When we were moving him he would just grit his teeth and not make a sound. He made sure to thank the Dr.s and nurses for everything and reassure them that he knew they were doing everything they could. He passed at home with all of us around him.


    My drive to hunt is not there. I shouldn't say that. My drive to kill is not there. I find myself, through this whole ordeal, just grabbing my bow and going elk hunting just to think. I call in bulls and have chances to fill my tag but don't. I find myself just sitting and watching and remembering.

    My nephew passes his core and really wants an elk. The original plan was to get a blind built so Grandpa could sit and be there. Oh the plans of mice and men. It was not to be.

    Although I don't feel ready to go we make plans for the oct 22 to go elk hunting. In my heart I knew my Dad would want it so I gather my gear and we take off early. We get into them early and have a great evening with no shots fired. We go for a walk the mornig of the 23 with the same results. A great time but no trigger pull.

    With the rut pretty much over we decide on a sit and wait plan. Grandma feels like she would like to come. We pick a spot and hunker down behind an old bale. The bulls are bugling in the trees and the cows start to filter out. A cow is legal but he would like a bull so we wait. A spike joins the cows but he spots something he doesn't like and goes on alert. Down the field we see a 5 point feed between a couple of rolls and out if sight. Too far.

    The spike starts coming over to check us out. He smells us and barks. CRAP. Every elk bails. They go crashing through the trees sounding like elephants.

    "Let's go!" I yell and we take off at a jog towards the 5 point hoping he is unaware of what is happening. Rounding an island of trees we are stopped by a bull standing in the field still. Right where everything had spooked from. Dropping to our knees i do a quick bino check. Definitely legal. Gun on the sticks. Its go time. 120 yards take your time but hurry up he shouldn't still be there. Crack of the rifle and the bull drops in its tracks.

    I am at a loss. I mature bull like that should have left when the stampede happened. But he didn't. I look at my brother and my nephew with a lump in my throat.

    "The only way that bull stayed around that long is if someone was holding him there" I say. As I walked back to get the truck the tears streamed down my face. Although Dad was gone he was still with us because when I looked in my nephews eyes I saw that same smile my Dad had when he shot his elk and I knew he was going to be in all of our adventures.


  4. #24
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Posts
    272

    Re: Waiting on a Whitetail

    Deer season.

    Wounds have started to heal and tears don't come quite as often.

    Cameras are set and with one picture a spark is struck and memories are kindled.



  5. #25
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Hope
    Posts
    2,154

    Re: Waiting on a Whitetail

    Wow,,,,what a story bwhntr,,,I'm really very sorry for your loss, it sounds like your father taught you well. Sounds like you have a great family.
    "From Covid to Hitler in 16 posts. Not today folks"

    “The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those that speak it.” ― George Orwell

    Quakee Surpee Neekoo

  6. #26
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Posts
    272

    Re: Waiting on a Whitetail

    He is back. The 6x6 is now a 5x6. He has grown a bit but not lots. It is time.

    Blinds are placed. More cameras added. Let the obsessing commenced.

    It is bitterly cold. -27. I am trying with my bow but the cold crisp air makes the rustling of my fleece clothing carry the 30 yards to the deer. Whipping my nose alerts everything not sure how I am going to pick up my bow let alone draw it.

    The does fight amongst themselves and the fawns run around and appear to play tag. The vocalizations and behaviors have me intrigued. Time passes quickly.

    Small bucks filter in and out and some 3-4 year old bucks come through. A couple peak my interest for the future. Every other night the elk come in and knock down cameras, eat all the grain and mess with my blind. They just can't leave anything alone. They drug my shirt out from under the blind and urinated on it. Freaking elk.

    Days go by and work and chores start to back up. My wife has been patient but it is getting thin. The wind starts blowing from the south. That doesn't work for my set up. Sleepless nights and constant checking of the weather. No end in sight to the south wind.

    Dawning my salesmans hat I convince my wife I would get back to work faster if I just had another blind in the right spot. No, I can't just move the other one. What if the wind switches back?

    New blind placed and brushed in excited for the morning sit. Awake early walk outside. What the hell. An East wind. I am totally screwed now. Mope around all day working in the shop and feeding cows. Feeling the pressure to just "get it done."

    3:00 I decide to just park my truck in the field and watch the area. I have my rifle but mainly for wolves. The deer start to move and my mood brightens. Just watching them makes me feel better.

    4:30 OK, time to head towards home and see what is in the other fields. Round the corner and see a doe and fawn. Neat.
    Go around the island of trees and BUCK. BIG buck. He looks my way as I scramble for my binos. The harness is all wrapped up in gun, seat belt and clothing. Binos up but he is gone.
    In reverse back to the doe and fawn. They are still there. Antlers coming over the rise. Its him. The 5x6. Dilemma time. I really want to get him with my bow but running out of time. Do I take the chance and let him walk? He approaches the doe and she bolts. CRAP. I think I know where they are going so off I go. I round the corner shut my truck off, get out and listen. Nothing.

    I give a snort wheeze and wait. Nothing. Looking at my watch it is 5:10. Only 20 minutes of shooting time left. I look up and like a ghost he is just there.

    In my haste and uncertainty I left my gun in the truck. Slowly I back to the truck and grab my rifle. Rummage for the clip in my pocket and as I approach the trees chamber a round. 120 yards broadside. Take my time and squeeze. Big jump and a mule kick. Good hit. He bolts for the trees. I hear a crash and know it is done.

    Approaching him I am thrilled with the result but saddened at the finality of it as well. This buck had roamed my farm for 7 years and every year I looked forward to seeing that first picture of him. I am a hunter though and he will feed my family not only with his meat but with the memories and stories that he was part of. Those things will feed our smiles and our souls.

    Here is the white tail worth waiting for.

    Last edited by bwhnter; 11-30-2020 at 01:25 PM.

  7. #27
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Posts
    272

    Re: Waiting on a Whitetail


  8. #28
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    The mighty peace
    Posts
    7,181

    Re: Waiting on a Whitetail

    Wow bwhtr, I think I enjoyed tgis thread better than anyone I have ever read and I have been around for a good while. I have a tear in my eye for you, but I loved the stories. I hope it ends the way I hope it will. I really like seeing the fruits of your labours. People complain about the lack of animals and only hunt a handful of days in the fall. If we don’t like something, WE can change that most of the time! I love it.

  9. #29
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    The mighty peace
    Posts
    7,181

    Re: Waiting on a Whitetail

    I wrote that while your were posting the final part of your story. Lol

    CONGRATULATIONS!!! You deserve that buck.

    https://youtu.be/T_uGcW-v5EI

  10. #30
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Posts
    598

    Re: Waiting on a Whitetail

    Thank you for your time and efforts in sharing this with us all

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