Hello all, This year I wasn't able to bow hunting. My wife got breast cancer right before archery season and life has been hard with appointments, chemo, and work. I did get out a couple times during the rut with rifle but I was out to clear my head, the goal this year wasn't meat in the freezer, it was just for peace. While I was out a 6 point came out and and I shot him. When I found him I got a little emotional, not too much. This 6 pointer means more to me then any other deer I've taken. I must have had some people praying for me and I guess I needed it more then I realized. Life had and has been so tough, it was nice to have something good happen. I know a 6 pointer doesn't sound like much to some but I smiled bigger then most guys that gets the giants in the woods. Also, I love the qoute "comparison is the thief of joy" and feel like that pertains. Has anyone had an experience like this? Maybe not a giant but came at a time when your needed it most? I'm trying to engage a little more here and be of value. Thanks, Dan
Best wishes to your wife. The deer in the pic below was taken out of a stand my cousin put up quite a few years ago. He took his own life during that summer. When I got the deer home his sister(my cousin) and his mom came over an we shed some tears. I miss my cousin he was always there to help me drag out deer. We didn’t talk a lot but during hunting season we were always in contact. The 2nd pic he was behind the camera and help me load that deer up.
First buck off our land. A big 8pt with a 19 " spread and 10" g2. Big enough I had to call a nieghbor to help me get him out because the guys were all at camp. The next is a 6 pt I shot to feed a local elderly man. He cried when I dropped the buck off and then made a mnt out of scrap wood he had of the rack and gave it to me as a thank you. The only mnt I'll have othe than a skull mnt of an 8pt I did just to see if I could. God Bless both you guys families
Gotta love that the woods can help us and the people in our lives. Thanks gents for sharing. Update on the bride, she's half day through her low dose ever week chemo for 3 months. Then high dose every other week for 2 months. She's hanging in there and sugeries after that. Thanks for the thoughts and prayers.
Wish you all the best and praying for a full recovery. I shot my first buck after I lost my dad this year and it was an emotional one. The woods are my happy place, you’re not alone there my man!
Thanks Suncrest, I'm sorry about your dad. I haven't lost a parent yet but I would imagine that's another rough one. Congrats on the buck! I'm sure he lives on through you. Thanks for sharing friend
You will fit in just fine here on this site. Good bunch of people here. What state are you from? Welcome aboard.
I’m from MN as well. My dad passed away in 2013. I hadn’t killed a buck in 7 or 8 years and decided to grab the 30-30 he gave me as a kid. I hadn’t used it in years. Told myself I’m not shooting anything unless it’s within 50 yards, and I was going to use the iron sights like I did when he gave me the gun. What do you know this buck I’ve had on camera all year walks by at 40. Was a pretty special day. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sorry about your dad, that's a really cool story, thanks. Nice buck too, I like the character in the antlers!
Some rough stories in here. Alone, I hope your wife absolutely kicks cancer's a**. I, too, find hunting to be a stress reliever. Just being in the woods takes away my thoughts about the daily grind, it is very calming for the mind. I can't say that I have a deer that meant a lot to me at the exact time it was taken, but I do have a story about the deer that means the most to me at this point in time. My dad's best buck. I was with him on the hunt when he got him, I was 13 years old. It was a long shot across a canyon, a good 350+ yards and the buck was trotting. I saw him make several great shots like that. When we got to about 50 yards from the buck it actually jumped up, it wasn't dead. It stood there looking at us but I just knew it was going to run off any second. Dad had his rifle on his shoulder but I was holding mine, so I raised up and shot it. It was straight on to us so I just put the crosshairs between it's eyes. I can remember dad saying he was proud I had raised up and shot it so fast, but next time that happened with a really nice buck I should shoot it in the chest. Lol. The taxidermist had a heck of a time mounting the antlers after my headshot, to this day one of the antlers has some movement to it in the mount. Dad has been gone for 12 years now. Those antlers hang over my mantle and every time I look at them, they remind me of how much he loved the outdoors and how he always took me along with him.
Thanks Mod-it, she's fighting for sure. Those antlers are a heck of a good reminder of an awesome memory!