A contractor that does a lot of sheet metal work on my projects asked me and one of my project managers on a doe hunt this weekend. For those that start screaming the season is over this is a MLB lease and they can hunt through February.

Shawn (my project manager) had never shot a deer or any other large animal with a center fire gun. He got him a Remington 700 BDL in 270 Win with a Swift scope the other weekend, we shot it with some of my reloads and they were grouping about MOA at 200 yards so he was pumped.

We had planned on heading out about 10 AM last Friday. I had just got a new cell phone to replace the POS I had and I just stopped in to Verizon to move the contacts over and head out west. 2.5 hours later, they finally got them moved and we were not going to make the evening hunt. We got to the ranch about 5PM and the rest of the party had headed to there stands, our host had said he would leave the first stand open if we got in before dark and wanted to kill some time. I suggested to Shawn that we should at least set in the stand instead of the camp since that is why we made the trip. We saw a couple of young does and a small 1.5 year old buck, but nothing that I felt we should shoot. Shawn was full of questions on deer and how to age them. I filled in as many blanks as I could. We left for camp as it got dark knowing that the other hunters would be passing by this stand soon and got the camp fire going for the rest.

After a great dinner and good camaraderie, we turned in for the next days hunt.

Saturday morning our host took Shawn and me to his stand. I had requested that I hunt with him so that I could spot the best doe and make sure he didn't shoot a nubbin buck. We had deer in the road well before light and both of us were pumped. Finally it was legal shooting light and I knew that there was a t least one mature doe out there. Shawn and I watched her and waited to see if others would turn up. Finally, I knew he could not wait any longer so I gave him the green light. He got his gun up and put the cross hairs on her and I put him on hold until she was in the clear. She either had deer in front, back or was not turned right for about an hour. Each time it looked like she was about to be in position, another deer would enter the shot path. I was proud of Shawn, as he showed great patience and understood the need to pay attention to what was behind the deer, as well as, what was in front of her. After what seemed like an eternity, the other deer cleared off and it looked like she would finally present a shot, when she just turned her rear to us and walked straight off into the brush.

You talk about disappointed man that bites.

As we talked about what may have spooked the deer or whether they just decided to clear off, I spotted a couple of twin yearling's up another road. As we watched, an older doe , probably there mom, stepped out. I told Shawn to get on her and as soon as she turns nail her. He set up on her and was on her for several minutes when she snapped her head up looked back away from us, spun on her heels and hit the brush. O man, twice in the same mourning. About that time three turkeys came strutting through there and right over the mountain. Only thing that came back out was the twin yearling's so we just watched and wondered what we did wrong, if anything.

Soon our host came and picked us up and we took the long way back to camp looking at the ranch and enjoying the scenery. At camp we made breakfast and set around the fire and others took naps. I just love deer camp.

That afternoon we put Shawn back in the same stand. I told our host I thought he was capable of knowing what to shoot and not to shoot. Besides we explained what would happen to him if he shot a buck. If any balls turned up on the deer, his would be forfeited. He wasn't sure if we were serious.

I went to a stand nearby and so did our host. About 5:30 I heard Shawn shoot and knew by the sound, he hit something hard. With cell service iffy, I was unable to get him. About that time a mature doe showed up at my stand and I gave her a dirt nap. She didn’t even twitch when the "Watch This" 7MM STW lit her up. I finally got a hold of Shawn and he was ecstatic. He had a doe down at 210 yards and had more deer in front of him. Our host showed up, we loaded my deer and headed to Shawn. He was still excited, even over an hour later. We drove down to his doe; our host spread her legs to check for sex and exclaimed to Shawn he was going to get to keep his. Shawn was still not sure if he was kidding. I have kind of flamed that fire. We got back to camp, our host started dinner and I went to cleaning. I had Shawn’s doe hung and started to skin his when it dawned on me we got to get pictures.

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa151/HRstretch/PICT0011.jpg

After appetizers of jalapeño peepers wrapped in back strap and bacon, we had some great short ribs and fixings. A good cigar, adult beverages and many recounts of the days hunt and other hunts in the past, we hit the beds. I love deer camp.

The next day, our host put Shawn in another stand, I hunted a stand that Axis had been spotted and we settled into the awaiting dawn. Man it was cold, 17 degrees on my trucks thermometer and I believed it. I even took a wuby to the stand and was not ashamed at all. As daylight dawned, my target Axis was in the feed pen. As soon as I had good light I lined up on her neck and squeezed the trigger. As I recovered from the recoil, all I could see was her and another yearling headed down a trail. Was it so, could I have missed? O the horror of it all. Was she hit? I immediately went to the pen and nothing, no blood, no hair, no sign of a hit. I guess it has to happen, just doesn’t feel god. At least it was a clean miss and not a poor shot. I went back to the stand thinking that I was done, that nothing else would show up. I was even getting ready to head back to camp to prepare to leave, when I look up and a 3.5 year old 13" tall 4 point was looking at me past the feed pen. Defiantly a cull buck and I had permission to take one, but he moved off and didn't come on into the pen.

About that time I spotted another Axis that came from the direction the first Axis had exited to. It crossed the road and if it stayed on the trail it was on, it would surly cross a shooting lane. Sure enough, it stepped out into the shooting lane at about 100 yards and just stood there broad side looking at the stand. This stand was about 8' long and 4' wide and I was on the opposite side of the window closest to the Axis. I knew if I moved to the window to set up on it, it would surely bust me. I free handed the big gun and as I settled the wobbling cross hairs onto the Axis, I knew I would be able to hold it on its vitals. I took a deep breath concentrated as best I could and squeezed the trigger. Have you ever shot a big bore rifle inside a small box, with the barrel still inside the stand; my ears were still ringing for over an hour. How much hearing loss do you think that caused me? I knew the shot was good. The Axis went straight down and didn’t move. I quickly exited the stand and crossed the 100 yards to make sure it wasn't going any where. I was so excited; I had forgotten I still had my wuby wrapped around me standing over my first Axis.

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa151/HRstretch/IMAGE_003.jpg

This was a great hunt in the hill country of Texas, Shawn’s first deer, my first Axis and great deer camp fun. I don't know if I have mentioned it but I just love deer camp.

Great story...thanks for sharing it.

Good story! I have yet to get an axis. I hear they are super good on the table. Some like it better than whitetail.

Great story. Thanks for sharing. Sounds like ya'll had a great time.

I'm seeing double! Hey Harold

quote:

Originally posted by Fjold:
I'm seeing double! Hey Harold

If your refering to me posting this on multiple sites yes. I wanted to get my story out. LOL

OK, what is a wuby?

quote:

Originally posted by RM007:
OK, what is a wuby?

If I didn't have family from Lubbock, I would have asked the same thing. Luckily, over Christmas I heard my sister-in-law refer to her son's blanket as a "wuby." Is that correct Harold? It's a Texas thang.

Here is another one from 18 miles south of Junction that went 35". 25/06 at 171 yds. 120gr Nosler Partition.

quote:

Originally posted by DesertRam:

quote:

Originally posted by RM007:
OK, what is a wuby?

If I didn't have family from Lubbock, I would have asked the same thing. Luckily, over Christmas I heard my sister-in-law refer to her son's blanket as a "wuby." Is that correct Harold? It's a Texas thang.

I don't know about a Texas thang? Could be, it's something I have always heard and born and raised in Texas.

Wuby: Blanky, Light blanket or throw used to cover one self. I prefer fleece, this one had a flame pattern in reds, blues, orange and greens. It is quite bright.

30378,
Great looking mount. The one I got was only the second Axis I have seen in the wild, I missed the first one.