Hey guys my dad shot an awesome buck yesterday evening and i just thought id share our story. To start off with, my father never really got into archery hunting. He comes from the day when everyone rifle hunted and a few hard core guys went out with stick and string. After i came of age to hunt i knew archery was for me and slowly got him into it. He hunted with a compound for a while, but then hurt his back drawing one day and that was enough for him. He didn't want to give up the time spent with me though, so i got him to buy a crossbow. Well after 57 years, on his birthday exactly, he accomplished a lifetime goal of shooting his first ever archery buck. Friday night came and i was excited as always to get home from college and get to hunt the next morning. I talked to my dad who was pretty down about not getting much hunting time because of work and some family issues. He had to work saturday morning so he could only hunt the evening. Naturally i offered to go with him since i already got my buck and time was ticking away. we set out late afternoon around 3, i didnt have high hopes of seeing anything since it was relatively warm but i used a drag rag down a right away he was going to hunt and hung it up in a tree soaked in tinks 69. Then i went with my climber down on an oak flat. The night started to pick up great and i saw 3 bucks chasing, I was just out to learn and try a few new spots for next year. I was hoping he was seeing deer as well but i hadn't recieved a call yet. Then all of a sudden i heard my phone buzzing, it was my dad. I answered and was quickly replied with "i got a nice one". I could hear the excitement in his words as he replayed the shot to me. I quickly got down and went to go meet up with him. We started the tracking job at 5:25 right as the sun was setting. He hit the buck alittle high so i knew the blood wouldnt be great. We went along one step after another following heavy blood for a few yards then literally flecks of blood in between. We kept on the meticulous task until i the buck started to trail down hill to the creek bottom. I said "you stay here ill check over the hill with my headlamp to see if hes down" this was after 120 yards of tracking. I broke over the brow of the hill and there was the white belly we had been searching for. I told him to come and check it out, he saw the deer and highfived me. Our emotions ran wild after we got closer and closer to this deer and realized what he was. Then we cleaned him out and had a hell of a drag ahead of us. well over 800 yards 75% being uphill. We took it slow, carrying our gear out ahead then retreating and dragging the buck, every foot was a small victory being that this deer was the biggest bodied buck ive seen in PA. Eventually, after well over 3 hours of dragging, we got him back to the house for the photoshoot. This buck, though we didnt weigh hiim was well over 200 dressed and im going to get him aged but i believe he is 5.5 years old. This is the best memory with my father to date, just being able to enjoy the rollercoaster of emotions and come together as a father and son team again like we did when i was 12 brought back all the reasons why I fell in love with hunting in the first place. My father is a great man, and I'm so thankful he passed on the gift of the outdoors to me. its something that i can do my whole life and always remember him by. Here is his buck. i taped him out at 130.5. No monster to you guys out west, but here in PA for an archery buck it is a fantastic whitetail and the buck of his life!
Great Story I have to say you will Always remember yesterday. What a nice story. I lost my Dad a year ago and he was always a gun hunter who really liked the fact that I got into BowHunting. He went with me to the archery store to help me pick out my first bow...wheelchair and all. He did not live to see me get my first deer with a bow, but I know he is with me each time I go in the woods. He will be there with me when I do....Can't wait..... Again, treasure the story and the thoughts and the event as it is nice to know it means so much to you too.
Awesome story! Reminds me of me and my dad. You can never replace memories like that! Cherish every moment with him cause you never know when its someones time to go... Congrats to your dad!
