Guys (and gals, if any), this post is more about rekindling some of those emotions that went through you on some of your favorite hunts...you know, the ones that come to mind and are truly branded in your memory bank. Those hunts that stirred up a 'feel good' emotion, be it a thrill over dangerous game, first time to hunt with a child/spouse, or significant other, first deer, first gunkill, bowkill.

I have so many excellent memories I couldn't possibly name them all but for tonight, one stands out in my mind and for good reasons:

I have this saying to myself that has stuck with me for over a decade now, and the thought always crosses my mind on the first day of the deer season on the first time I see those 4 legs coming through the woods towards my stand..."It's SHOWTIME!" I said that to myself the very first time I was in a tree when I saw that huge doe approaching me like a bee to honey. The first sighting still gets me to this day, each and every year, and that same thought crosses my mind uncontrollably... SHOWTIME.

Now on to my hunt. Last season was the first time ever my brother and I bowhunted in the same tree at the same time. Now I shoot left handed and he shoots right handed AND our stands were on opposing sides of the tree.

Now we established a 'hand signal' in case we saw a deer coming...a simple reach around and tap the other on the side. 15 min. into the hunt, we both started tapping each other frantically...we both had deer coming our way on each side of the tree, 'his' deer was small, 'mine' was bigger. 20 minutes into opening day's bowseason, a nice 8 pointer was 14 yards to my RIGHT, and my brothers LEFT...Got that pictured in your head? Now we had agreed that he gets first shot because he is my guest in my home state...unless of course it was a slunger...brotherly love only goes so far ya know. Well, Neither one of us has ever had an opportunity at a good antlered buck on an opening day of a bowseason, and quite frankly I think God was testing us both. Can you guess who fell short of the GLORY?

After what seemed like a million years passed and me waiting on him to lift up and draw his bow, my brother was just watching this buck. So I slowly turned my head towards him, we made eye contact, then I motioned with a side nod towards the deer as if to say, 'uhhh, hey bud, you shootin or what?!'

Well I can only take so much teasing so I popped the buck with a 4 bladed 100 grain muzzy head at 298fps...blew through both shoulders. Buck ran 40 yards and piled up.

I sheepishly and slowly looked at my bro to see if I would get any grief...but he was all into the high fives and woo hoos! COOL! I thought to myself. I told him to be quiet as there were other deer near by...he told me he was waiting for a PIG. (for what it is worth, his first deer ever was with a bow and was the 5th largest deer taken in Alabama in 1992, so he wanted to top that one which was a respectable 132". The buck I put down was about a 129" but beautiful). I am also fortunate to have several bowkill bucks in the 150-165" range on my wall, so I was less picky.

Less than 3 minutes had passed when about 7 big midwestern Does walked up...he drew, shot, and missed at 17 yards. I told him we had to fill our Doe tags on this property...special request by landowner. 10 min. later, he popped a big OLD doe. We were both thrilled.

That afternoon, we were right back in the same tree. Only 30 minutes went by when four 8 pointers came in, all small basket racks...then a couple of spikers. They were all milling around feeding, tickling antlers together. THEN CAME THE BIG BOY...RIGHT UNDER MY BROTHERS STAND AT 6 FRICKIN YARDS!!

My brother didn't even stand up. He drew his bow and put it to that buck...and this thing was huge. Every bit of 280 pounds live. Gorgeous typical buck with trash points everywhere. We high fived it for 5 minutes!

He was so happy. I was so happy. Even though he killed it. I was right there...damn close to being just as good. He killed his biggest buck ever with a bow and I got a nice one FINALLY on opening day. Neither one of us have any regrets.

Oh yea, he popped another doe after he got down and tagged his buck. Got her an hour later. It was a great day for hunting for both of us. He is my little bro but a great friend and hunting buddy. We are both going to Colorado this fall...that is a first also.

Guess what we had for dinner?

Doc
My wife and I were glassing bou in the Nushagak Hills in AK.
@600 yards out was a herd of about 100 bou.As we glassed
a lone wolf popped up.He attacked the herd in the middle.
It split into 2 groups.He then attacked the first half
again,getting close.The group split again.The main group
went into the trees.He tried two more times on the bou
in the open.Each time he tried he did worse.Then he went into the trees.And the herd exploded out.We never saw him again.

After ten minutes,during which we were silent.I turned to
her and said,"I should of ran down there and killed him."
But we were taken by the drama.Not the same when you
see it on National Geographic vs live.

Well, I guess I am lucky because I have too many to post here. HOWEVER, each and every one of my best memories from my favorite hunts were when my dad and I hunted together.

I have so damned much fun hunting with my dad I just cannot explain it. He has taken me hunting since before I was old enough to carry a gun and we still hunt together. I am 55 years old and my dad is 74, I still cannot keep up with him in the mountains.

Just last month we were sitting together near a stock pond on a friend's ranch. Dad pointed out a nice wild hog coming to water and I busted it when it walked up on the dam to head down for a drink. That pig went down as if hit by lightning. I think my dad was happier than I was! He was grinning from ear to ear!

We both shot nice bull elk in New Mexico last fall and had a hell of a trip. We are going back to New Mexico next month for antelope and cannot wait. Heck, we are going hog hunting again in the morning. We will get up there early and hike in the dark for about a half hour to be where we want to be when it gets light. I can't wait! There is NOTHING like hunting with your dad.

R F