27 November 2008, 12:27
jdsMy best hunt ever!
I'm letting you know up front that this is rather a long read, but I'm not apologizing for it. It's too special!Throughout my 5+ decades God has graced me with some memorable and enjoyable hunts in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Africa. Not a single one, however, comes even close to a Texas deer hunt a couple of weeks ago, and I never pulled a trigger.
First, allow me to provide a little background. I've worked at a high school for several years and have developed great relationships with a lot of the students. Many of them even refer to me as "school dad". Jessica, though, stood out from the rest. I would adopt her as my own in a heartbeat, except that she's now 18 and her parents wouldn't let go of her anyway.
Jessica suffers from neurofibromatosis, a genetic disease that causes the growth of tumors that can compress the nerves, causing severe pain and disfigurement. My understanding is that there is no known cure and the ability to treat it is limited. Nevertheless, Jessica has never let this condition slow her down. Her bubbly personality, beautiful smile, and sparkling blue eyes never give a hint about her condition or how she feels. Our local newspaper even did a spotlight story about her and how she deals with her condition as a teenager.
I was shooting skeet at a local range about a year ago and learned that Jessica was a trapper there. As we chatted about various things I also learned that she worked 12 hour shifts at the range on weekends because she was saving to buy a car and a Browning O/U shotgun. From that day forward, I always asked for her to pull for me, and I made sure to tip a little extra because she was one of "my kids" from school.
One day a few months ago I was talking to some other shooters at the range about Jessica, her condition, and her desire for a shotgun, and before we knew it, plans were underway to make her dream for a shotgun come true. The range owner was brought in on the plans and he arranged for "special pricing" from Browning. Then we began collecting funds for her shotgun.
The project quickly grew in size as I learned from her mother that Jessica had always wanted to go deer hunting, but never had the opportunity. Again the range owner came to the rescue and connected us with the owner of a 12,000 acre, low fenced ranch northwest of Fort Worth. When I talked with him he told me that the entire ranch had only been bowhunted by a handful of people for the past several years, but that I was to bring Jessica up for a rifle hunt and she could take the biggest buck we could find!
While all of this was going on, Jessica didn't have a clue about what was taking place. Each weekend I would go and shoot, she would update me on how much she had in her shotgun account. By the time the day rolled around when we were going to present the shotgun to her, we not only had the shotgun, but also the deer hunt and taxidermy for her trophy deer if she were successful. A well known TV hunting show host also got involved and promised to video her show for a TV segment, and even got his sponsors involved to provide her with camouflage clothing, a custom gun case for her shotgun, blinds for her hunt, and several other items. One shooter talked with employees of his company and raised $500.00 cash to give her for shotgun ammo, cleaning supplies, and anything else she might need. Even other teenage trappers she worked with at the range chipped in cash to help out,
When we gave her everything, it was a special morning at the range. About 30 folks who knew what was going on gathered around for the event and when everything was awarded Jessica started crying . . . which brought more than one tear from some gruff old shooters standing around. The local newspaper was there to get the story, and even the broadcast journalism class from her high school took video to broadcast to the rest of the school. It was truly an amazing, uplifting event.
But that's not what this story is about. Jessica was still going deer hunting in a few months!
The excitement built in her as the day approached for her hunt. A deer rifle was borrowed in a caliber that she could shoot without worrying about recoil. Trips were made to the range for practice and it didn't take long until she was dead on. Several times we talked about bullet placement on deer to insure a quick clean kill. We even talked about the sadness a hunter feels right after taking an animal and how European hunters honor the animal with various rituals. She listened attentively to every word as she soaked up all the knowledge she could.
The TV hunting show host asked me to contact the ranch owner to see if his wife could also take a deer on the trip to "add interest to the show". I was reluctant to ask because I didn’t want the ranch owner to think we were taking advantage of him, but finally I brought up the request. His response was excellent, "No. This is about Jessica - not TV show ratings." I completely agreed and thanked him for putting her first.
After I relayed the negative response to the TV hunting show host I was not surprised when communication between he and I virtually stopped. Needless to say, the promised camouflage, custom gun case, and other items never materialized. Jessica took it well and was still very much excited about her upcoming hunt. I took her to Bass Pro where we got her the basic camouflage clothes and I loaned her the expensive "keep warm" stuff.
Then the big weekend arrived! My wife and I drove Jessica to the ranch where we were joined by her mother and father later that evening. Ross, the ranch owner, and Tracy, the hunt manager, met us there and, for the three days, treated us like a cross between royalty and family.
The first afternoon we sat in a pop-up blind that had been furnished by her boss at the shooting range. We were facing south at the edge of a winter food plot with a watery slough behind us and about 30 yards of plowed and planted field in front of us. Beyond that was some native grass, a low cross fence, and brush that continued down into an open bottom area of the Trinity River. To the left was about 400 yards of plowed and planted field and to the right was plowed and planted field that tapered to a point about 150 yards away. The attached aerial view will make more sense.
We got to the stand about 3:30pm and got settled in. The sun was shining, with a temperature of about 65 degrees that would cool off to about 45 degrees that evening, and a gentle breeze. I would have liked it to be colder but remember, this IS Texas!
It didn't take long for the woods to come alive. Crows invaded the planted field around us and their vocal chatter made us wonder what they were discussing. After a few minutes some does came out of the brush and began feeding in the field to our left. They were followed by a group of about a dozen medium size feral hogs that decided to feed about fifteen yards directly in front of us. They would stay there the rest of the evening teasing Jessica with numerous shot opportunities.
Jessica was ready to bust a hog but I insisted she wait. The "golden hour" of deer hunting - that last hour of daylight - was just beginning. The evening hunt could not have been much better. We had two medium size 8 pointers, a small 5 pointer, and a pretty nice 8 pointer with a broken G-3 on his right side all present themselves within 50 yards. Even though it was her first hunt, Jessica decided to hold out for a possible bigger buck over the next couple of days of hunting. I wasn't sure that letting the broken horn 8 pointer walk was a good decision for a first time hunter, but I told her it was her call. She said that the broken point didn't make for a "pretty" rack. I guess I had forgotten the "girl factor" I was dealing with.
As the light was failing, Jessica asked if she could take one of the hogs. The ranch owner had encouraged her to do her best to eradicate the hog population on the ranch so I gave her the go ahead. No sooner had I said "OK" than the rifle cracked and a "pretty" black and white spotted hog was lying about 20 yards away. I tried to get her to work the bolt to take another one in case the fleeing survivors stopped, but she was too excited.
I radioed Tracy back at camp and he came and picked us up. Photos were taken and he took care of the hog while Ross prepared a delicious steak dinner. Jessica had scored on her first animal. She felt the pangs of regret after shooting, yet celebrated the success of the hunt. She was now an elite member of the "hunting club" and would sleep well that night.
The following morning Tracy took Jessica to another area of the ranch where he had earlier seen some big bucks. They stand hunted for awhile and then tried rattling but the deer did not cooperate. They did see a shooter buck but, of course, he was across the boundary fence on another rancher's property and was passed on. This made for a great lesson on hunting ethics for Jessica.
The evening hunt rolled around and Jessica, her dad, and I went back to the same blind we had sat in the previous evening. We knew that the following day was forecast to be very windy and we expected the deer to lie up in the brush. It was decided that during this evening's hunt, we probably needed to take any shooter buck that presented an opportunity.
It seemed apparent that the wildlife knew the weather was changing as there was very little deer or hog movement. We only saw a couple of does and as the evening drew on, I was thinking that it wasn't looking good. Jessica started getting a little discouraged and I continuously reminded her that with deer hunting, "everything can change in the next 5 seconds". She said she believed that but didn't really sound convinced.
Then I saw movement and focused on a medium sized 8 pointer trucking across the open field to our left. It was heading toward the river and obviously wasn't planning on staying around long. I nudged Jessica and told her to get her rifle ready. Instantly I could hear her breathing change - buck fever! The buck was about 160 yards away had stopped just before it entered the brush along the fence. It was standing broadside and looking directly away from us. I asked her if she could make the shot and she said she thought so. I tried to calm her down and told her to take her time with the shot.
I watched the buck through the binoculars as Jessica shot. The buck went from standing flat footed to jumping a barbed wire fence in one movement, and hit the top wire of the fence with it's chest. I thought it might have been hit, but wasn't able to see it long enough to make a good enough judgment. I did mark the spot it was standing when she shot.
I called Tracy on the radio and he and Ross came down. We spent the next 20 minutes looking for any indication that the buck was hit but could find nothing. Darkness set in and we went back to camp with a very depressed young lady in the truck.
It was decided that Jessica wouldn't hunt the following morning to give Tracy time to check the area again for signs that the buck was hit. Tracy was a great outdoorsman and we felt confident that, if the buck had been hit, he would find confirmation.
The next morning Tracy walked the area for over three hours and announced that he was confident that the buck was unhurt. Jessica was disappointed in the miss, but was happy that the buck had not been wounded and lost. Again, this was another great hunting lesson for her to learn.
As expected, the day was warm and windy - definitely not ideal conditions for the last evening of Jessica's deer hunt. I reminded her of the numerous hunting shows she had watched where the hunt was successful in the last minutes of the last day of the hunt. She wasn't convinced!
Again Jessica, her dad, and I went to the same blind as the previous two evenings. A good portion of the planted field was protected from the wind by brush and trees so we felt that the opportunity would be as good there as any other place. Jessica just wanted a deer, and at this point, she would settle for a doe.
As we sat in the blind that evening, I said more than my share of prayers. "God, this girl needs a deer!" "Please, let this girl have a deer!"
Finally, a doe and yearling fawn came out of the brush about 100 yards to our left and began feeding in the field. Jessica was ready to take the doe but I suggested we give it more time - wait for the "golden hour" to see what happened. I knew the fawn was old enough to take care of itself, but I also knew that Jessica would ultimately regret taking a doe with a fawn. As time went on, both deer fed away from us until they were about 300 yards away in the field. That was much further than I wanted Jessica to shoot.
I could see the disappointment building in Jessica and knew she was regretting not taking the broken horn 8 point that "wasn't pretty" the first night. I reminded her that "everything can change in the next 5 seconds" but I don't think she was buying it. Back to the prayers, "God, this girl needs a deer!" "Please, let this girl have a deer!"
I knew that 6:00pm was the last possible minute that she could shoot a deer, and now it was 5:20pm. Time was running out. "Please, let this girl have a deer!"
I looked to the right and saw several deer about 150 yards away - down in the narrow portion of the planted field. A check with the binoculars showed that it was several mature doe and they were walking directly toward us. I nudged Jessica and told her that some doe were coming in from our right. She said she would be happy with a doe.
She got the rifle set up to await a shot when the deer suddenly stopped and appeared to be looking directly at us. I was puzzled at what I was seeing as we had done nothing to arise suspicion. Within a second all of the deer turned and bolted away in the opposite direction, white tails flashing. Why?? What caused them to . . . then I saw an armadillo noisily shuffle out of the brush not 20 yards from us but between us and the doe.
There is now less than thirty minutes of shooting light left and the only deer in sight are the first two doe that are now 350 yards away. "Please, God, let this girl have a deer!"
I was even contemplating the possibility of leaving the blind and trying to cut the distance between us and the first two doe by walking along the brush. It would never work but at least we would be trying to get Jessica a deer!
Then at about 400 yards to my left, near the two doe that had first come out, I saw two deer at the far edge of the planted field. Even without binoculars I could tell that one was a buck. The binoculars not only confirmed the antlers but showed that this was a GOOD MATURE buck! My heart was at full speed.
There are twenty minutes of shooting light left . . . a good buck is with three doe about 400 yards away . . . across a wide open planted field . . . and the rut is in full swing . . . "PLEASE, God, let Jessica have THIS deer!".
Now anyone who knows anything about deer hunting will tell you that this buck is safe. He's old and smart, he's with 3 doe that he will not leave, and there is no way he would make it across a wide open field in that short of time for no reason. But never underestimate the power of prayer!
That buck left his doe, walked past the other two doe, and started walking directly toward us. He walked across that wide open field as if he were on a leash! He didn't vary his course, and he didn’t stop to eat.
At first I wasn't going to tell Jessica about the buck to lessen her disappointment, but she saw it on her own. She looked at it through her binoculars and started coming unglued at the seams!! She was shaking so bad her teeth were chattering! I told her to not look at the deer and to think about something else. She started looking out a different window of the blind and I could hear her saying, "baseball . . . baseball". Still, she was completely wrapped up in the most wonderful case of buck fever a person could have.
Now here's my dilemma . . . the clock is ticking . . . the light is failing . . . the deer is walking . . . the light is failing . . . the clock is ticking . . . the light is failing . . . the deer is walking . . . There isn't enough time! . . . "Please, God, let Jessica have this deer!" . . . and, the seasoned hunter that I am . . . I'M coming unglued with buck fever!!
I told Jessica to look through her scope at a fence post and concentrate on holding the rifle steady. I asked her if she could do it. She said that she thought she could, but that it's getting hard to see through her scope because of the light. The buck has now stopped at about 120 yards, turned broadside to the left, and started eating. It's time!!! I told Jessica to take her time and shoot her deer.
I watched the deer through the binoculars. "PLEASE, God, let this girl have this deer!" The rifle fired and the buck hunched slightly and then ran directly toward us - not a long, loping run, but a fast, frantic run with his tail down. He's hit!!
He ran to within about 40 yards and then turned to our right, continued running, stopped broadside at the low barbed wire fence, and just stood there, looking to our right. I was telling Jessica to reload but her mind was in a "brain cramp", unable to function. I reached around her with both arms, cycled the rifle bolt, and told her to shoot again.
I was now looking at the right side of the deer and could see no exit wound or blood - no indication that the buck had been hit. The rifle fired again. Nothing. The deer didn't flinch. It just stood there, broadside, facing the barbed wire fence.
I told Jessica to shoot again but she was too flustered to operate the bolt. Again I reached around her and reloaded the rifle. This time I squeezed her tight - a bear hug from behind - and whispered in her ear that she had to settle down . . . take a deep breath . . . and squeeze the trigger. I let her go about the time her dad asked, "Why is he just standing there??"
I told him, "Because God is answering my prayers!!"
Once again the rifle fired but this time the buck disappeared - dropped where he stood! Jessica had been slightly leaning out of the pop-up blind when she shot and upon realizing that the buck had fallen, she just dropped the rifle outside the window of the blind, and tried to throw her hands up like a referee signaling a touchdown. That didn't work well in a short, pop-up blind and the next few moments were spent trying to keep the blind in one piece and in an upright position!
Jessica had her deer, with less than two minutes of shooting light left!
About a half mile away, Ross, Tracy, and my wife, were sitting on a large deck overlooking the valley we were hunting. They had watched the big buck leave the does and walk toward our blind. Tracy was pacing the deck, realizing that we were losing light fast. He stated, "It's too late! They're out of light!" and began walking toward the camp house in frustration when they heard the first rifle shot.
After the third shot, they could all hear Jessica whooping and hollering with joy!
The buck turned out to be a gorgeous 10 pointer that gross scored over 135. It netted slightly over 130 and is eligible for a place in this year's Texas Big Game Awards book. When we removed his jaw later, the first molars on each side are completely gone from wear and the second and third molars were worn to the gumline. The taxidermist estimated his age at 7 1/2 years. Jessica's first shot hit him on the left side, right behind the shoulder - perfect placement but it didn't exit on the right side. When the deer ran to the fence and stood, he was already dead but just didn't know it. Her last shot was a little high and spined him, dropping him in his tracks.
Is this girl happy, or what?
Jessica is a beautiful young lady who suffers from a condition that no one deserves to have, yet she spreads more spirit, love, and positive attitude that anyone I know. The hunting world has gained a priceless jewel in her.
My sincere thanks go out to everyone who helped Jessica live her dreams. From getting her shotgun to her first deer hunt, many people were involved by donating money, services, and equipment. Special thanks to Ross for offering his ranch to her for the hunt, and for both Ross and Tracy for their unselfishness to everyone. They are definitely quality people! And most of all, thank you, God, for answering my prayers!
JDS
Wonderful story, as a father of a daughter about the same age it really strikes a nerve. Thanks for sharing!
