Deer hunting in the " Old Days "

[huvrman]

Grew up in MS in the early 70s where deer were few and far between. Dog running was the name of the game, and anything moving was shot, even though there was a no doe rule I place. My Dad wasn't big on running dogs because of the lawlessness, so it was sitting on the ground for us near some trail. And our sits we're often disturbed by dogs running through our and others properties. So, it was tough back then. I think he first took me hunting when I was 11 or so. By the time I was 13 I had gained a little awareness of what was going on and considered myself actually hunting, rather than being along for the ride. i started hunting with my brothers that same year, then by myself a year later. I hunted for 6 years before seeing my first shootable buck, and missed on a 15 yard shot with a shotgun loaded with buckshot. I had the fever bad. The next year I finally got my chance at another buck. I'd found a trail leading from a thicket to a stand of open hardwoods. I sat down below it and about 20 minutes before dark a small buck came walking along that trail. When it stopped, I took a shot with my Rem 742 semiauto, and it took off running. I threw three more rounds at it as it ran by, and watched it run all the way downhill and stop, then start walking away. At 75 yards I threw the last round I had at the only thing I could see, which was its butt, and to my amazement, it dropped. Went down the hill, saw it had been hit just the once, and went to find my brother who helped my drag it out. It was the most awesome 3 pt I'd ever seen. We got the deer home and had to convince my mother I'd actually shot one.