In The Shade of a Pine

   After waiting patiently for several years, I finally drew another Murderers Creek Unit tag.  Adding to the excitement, I had received a new 300 short mag Winchester for Valentine’s Day, and I couldn’t wait to try it out.

   Opening day found me with my husband Shane “The Guide,” as he likes to be called now hunting in a secluded spot we had scouted previously.  We had seen several decent bucks in the past, but today it was just their little brothers. I passed on them, hoping for something a little larger. I knew we had a lot of season to go.

   It was warm that morning, 70 degrees by 8 a.m. We made several short hunts and it just got hotter. We decided to try another area that usually held a few nice bucks. While riding horses there, my friend Debbie and I had seen a few “shootable” bucks. I told Shane I’d like to look around there on the way to his idea of a great location.

   He stated quite frankly, “I hate that area!”

   He said we could make a fast drive through, and then continue to No Tell ‘Em Creek where I know there are bucks.”

   It was about 90 degrees in the afternoon, too hot to be hunting or so we thought. As we went through the area, I told Shane I wanted to hunt a ridge where I had seen a nice buck before. I convinced him to walk it  with me.  After a nice walk in the sun and the bugs, I saw a yearling doe and decided to look around a bit more. Then I saw several does, and something caught my eye. Under a tree in the shade stood a dandy buck!

   The buck was staring at me from about 90 yards. It was a sight to see. I admit I got a tad bit excited, but then my senses came back and I knew I had to shoot. With one jump he could have been long gone.

   The only shot I had was the neck shot, which would be offhand, and of course I took it. That buck went down instantly, and I whooped and hollered and just enjoyed my moment. 

   Shane, who hadn’t seen the buck, asked what I had shot.

   “A big buck!” I told him.

   Using his binoculars, he looked at the horns and realized it was a “dandy buck.”  He told me later he first thought I shot a small spike. 

   So by 4 p.m. on opening day of buck season, in 90-degree heat, I killed a super nice buck and was done for the season. 

   I will never forget his white muzzle looking at me. After encouragement from my husband I decided to have a head mount instead of an European mount.  I sent the buck to our friend and taxidermist Danny Benson so I could have it proudly displayed on my living room wall.

   We did enjoy more of the season as my daughter Bobbee had a tag for the North Side unit. She ended up killing a buck herself in the evening of the last day.

   Even though my hunting season was short it was great and as luck would have it I drew another deer tag this year.

   So off we go have a good hunting season, everyone!