What was your most exciting hunting moment?
As for mine, I guess taking my first buck (an 8 pointer) at full charge down a hill slope. I had done it all right. I had scoped out the area, and seen lots of sign. I had gotten to my stand early and placed some deer scent at the right places. I waited a while then I rattled. Sure as anything, I heard deer walking in on my stand about 5 to 10 minutes after I had rattled. Then I saw the doe and she was followed by a buck. It was pretty exciting at that moment and both of them were distracted from me by one another. I aimed in on a "sure" kill shot as the buck sniffed and licked the doe during a little prelude to mating. Just as I was squeezing the trigger, she spooked just a bit and trotted off a few paces. Maybe it had been because of something I had done but, maybe it was something the buck was doing. I think it more likely she was just not quite ready for the buck at that precise moment. I had not been looking at the whole picture right at that moment because I was aimed in on the kill zone, I had a perfect broadside shot lined up - well as perfect as things can get before they get messed up. Of course the buck, an 8 pointer trotted after her and my shot hit him in the left hind quarter (which I only found out later). He spun left on a dime and, he took off at full speed downhill. Well my stand was situated near a few deer trail intersections and just off of one of the trails. That trail came down the hill right at my stand then just before getting to the stand it curved off a bit away from me. So, when the buck took off he wound up coming down the trail directly at me. The buck and doe only been about 15 - 20 yards off (25 at the maximum) but, by the time I had pumped the 870 and gotten it aimed in again, he was only about 25 - 30 feet off. I was amazed at how fast he was (even more amazing when you realize where the first shot had hit). That space seemed pretty darned close too, him with his head down, antlers gleaming in the afternoon sunlight and, him at full speed coming right at me. It was one heck of an exciting moment. I took him down with a neck shot, he fell to his front knees and tumbled over twice before coming to a stop about 8-10 feet from me off to my right. I don't think he was actually charging me - just trying to get away and following the deer trail. It just happened that because of how the trail came toward and then by my stand it had him coming full bore right at me as he ran.
Man I wish I had a head cam/video to give you all a true picture of it. It was exhilarating, if only for the couple of seconds it lasted. I've taken a few deer and other animals (small game) since then and have never had anything as exciting as those few moments in the woods on my uncle's farm in upstate NY. By the way, I was using a Rem 870 with slugs. The first one tore up his hind quarter pretty bad, the second shot hit him in the neck breaking it, then the slug traveled the path of the spine all the way back to the left hindquarter where I had first hit him. It was pretty torn up (both the deer and what was left of that second slug). Still I got a nice few meals out of it and a nice set of antlers and a tanned hide.
Sadly I did not have its head mounted. I should have listened to the taxidermist where I brought the skin for tanning - he said you may never see another deer as nice as this in the rest of your hunting life. While I have seen many that were much better, I have never gotten a shot at them. Think about his words to me when you take your first buck and don't be shy about spending a buck on getting a head mount like I had been. When I take my son out on his first successful deer hunt, if he gets one even half as good and wants it mounted - it will be hanging on our living room wall in no time!
All the best,
Glenn B
As for mine, I guess taking my first buck (an 8 pointer) at full charge down a hill slope. I had done it all right. I had scoped out the area, and seen lots of sign. I had gotten to my stand early and placed some deer scent at the right places. I waited a while then I rattled. Sure as anything, I heard deer walking in on my stand about 5 to 10 minutes after I had rattled. Then I saw the doe and she was followed by a buck. It was pretty exciting at that moment and both of them were distracted from me by one another. I aimed in on a "sure" kill shot as the buck sniffed and licked the doe during a little prelude to mating. Just as I was squeezing the trigger, she spooked just a bit and trotted off a few paces. Maybe it had been because of something I had done but, maybe it was something the buck was doing. I think it more likely she was just not quite ready for the buck at that precise moment. I had not been looking at the whole picture right at that moment because I was aimed in on the kill zone, I had a perfect broadside shot lined up - well as perfect as things can get before they get messed up. Of course the buck, an 8 pointer trotted after her and my shot hit him in the left hind quarter (which I only found out later). He spun left on a dime and, he took off at full speed downhill. Well my stand was situated near a few deer trail intersections and just off of one of the trails. That trail came down the hill right at my stand then just before getting to the stand it curved off a bit away from me. So, when the buck took off he wound up coming down the trail directly at me. The buck and doe only been about 15 - 20 yards off (25 at the maximum) but, by the time I had pumped the 870 and gotten it aimed in again, he was only about 25 - 30 feet off. I was amazed at how fast he was (even more amazing when you realize where the first shot had hit). That space seemed pretty darned close too, him with his head down, antlers gleaming in the afternoon sunlight and, him at full speed coming right at me. It was one heck of an exciting moment. I took him down with a neck shot, he fell to his front knees and tumbled over twice before coming to a stop about 8-10 feet from me off to my right. I don't think he was actually charging me - just trying to get away and following the deer trail. It just happened that because of how the trail came toward and then by my stand it had him coming full bore right at me as he ran.
Man I wish I had a head cam/video to give you all a true picture of it. It was exhilarating, if only for the couple of seconds it lasted. I've taken a few deer and other animals (small game) since then and have never had anything as exciting as those few moments in the woods on my uncle's farm in upstate NY. By the way, I was using a Rem 870 with slugs. The first one tore up his hind quarter pretty bad, the second shot hit him in the neck breaking it, then the slug traveled the path of the spine all the way back to the left hindquarter where I had first hit him. It was pretty torn up (both the deer and what was left of that second slug). Still I got a nice few meals out of it and a nice set of antlers and a tanned hide.
Sadly I did not have its head mounted. I should have listened to the taxidermist where I brought the skin for tanning - he said you may never see another deer as nice as this in the rest of your hunting life. While I have seen many that were much better, I have never gotten a shot at them. Think about his words to me when you take your first buck and don't be shy about spending a buck on getting a head mount like I had been. When I take my son out on his first successful deer hunt, if he gets one even half as good and wants it mounted - it will be hanging on our living room wall in no time!
All the best,
Glenn B