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;void(0)) Deer Hunting On the Friends and Family Plan
There is something about sharing hunting experiences with friends and family that can't be put into words. Such was the case on opening day of Missouri's 2003 firearms season this past November. After bow-hunting steadily throughout October and the early part of November , and having already harvested two deer with my bow (does), I was in "full rut" so to speak when the week prior to gun season came around. My brother Brad and I left for our deer camp on Nov. 12 to bow-hunt a few days then go right on through the opening weekend of firearms season. Brad had taken a button buck with his bow the day before we left, so after taking care of his deer we were excited for another hunt together. This time of year brings out a bond between folks in deer camps all across the country. My brother Brad and I are no exception. The feeling is hard to describe but you all know what I'm talking about. After bow-hunting a few days, everyone in camp saw plenty of sign and deer. The outlook for firearms season looked optimistic. Time in the stand was limited Friday evening due to heavy rains most of the afternoon. Brad, Chuck Hahn and I hung stands in the downpour eagerly awaiting the next day, Saturday, the opening morning of gun season. Chuck Hahn, a good friend and bow-hunting pal, would be videotaping my hunt from his own treestand some 20 yards from mine. That night in camp was a long one. The excitement was in the air. All of us were anxious for the next day's hunt. We talked about hunts from past seasons, hunts from earlier this season, and hunts we hoped would come later. That's when Brad told us how he prayed for a trophy buck. Brad has hunted quite a few years and taken a number of deer, but that big buck always seems to elude him. He was genuine in his hopes that the next day's hunt would be his day. So, when the camp-fire went out and we all piled in the pop-up campers, I said a little prayer myself. I asked God to grant my brother's request and thanked him for all I had. Then I threw in a "me too" prayer for a nice buck also. (It doesn't hurt to ask does it?!) My how our Lord works in mysterious ways. The next morning was cloudy, cool and calm. I knew the rut was in full swing from the previous week of bow-hunting. Things just felt right, and right they were. After 45 minutes on stand I heard a gunshot ring out through the riverbottom we were hunting and I knew it was probably Brad. Not wanting to ruin our hunt I didn't call him on the 2-way radio. Chuck and I made eye contact immediately. We knew Brad had shot. Ten minutes later we made eye contact again. This time I raised my finger over my mouth as if to tell him, "Don't move." A nice whitetail buck was walking straight at us but Chuck's stand was facing the wrong direction. I had a perfect view of the deer but he couldn't see it. When the buck reached 40 yards my slug gun let him have it. He went down right there and never got up. We didn't get the hunt on tape but one prayer had just been answered-a big 8-pointer! Just as we climbed down from our stands and went over to my buck, another gunshot rang out and then another. All of a sudden it dawned on us, Brad was over there where all the commotion was coming from. I called Brad on the 2-way radio and asked him what was going on. He answered back and said he had shot a nice buck. I asked him a barrage of questions-Where was it? Which way did it run? How did it react when he shot it? and so on and so forth. He cut me off on the radio and said, "Matt, I'm standing next to him!" That was the best moment in the deer woods for me yet plain and simple. Brad and I had both taken nice bucks within minutes of each other and within a half-mile apart. The Lord gave Brad his first trophy buck and gave me my "me too" also. The rest of the day was spent showing off and braggin' about our two bucks. We both felt lucky and blessed for these two bucks we were given that day. written by Matt McAnally hunter profile-Keith Pinson | Whitetail Feeding Habits All Year Long | The Ridge Stand by Matt McAnally | Off & Running--J.P. Mahn | Elk Photos | Confidence Doe | Shed Hunters | Chad Goetten Buck | hello M.B.B. Rob | Mud Lick Monster | | Return Home | Taxidermy Shop | Hunting Photo Gallery | KIDS TRAIL! | Wild Hog Mania! | Fishing Photo Gallery | |
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