Wolverine72
Well-Known Member
My step dad moved here with my mom 4 years ago. I'm so thankful to have he and my mom in TN with me and my family. My step dad is an amazing guy. He has so many great stories to tell in his 75 years of life. Beginning with his parents immigrating to the US from Holland when he was just a small infant.
He has been hunting casually all his adult life with his buddies at deer camps across the west. When he and mom moved here he had never hunted deer in the east. He's been a warrior these last 4 seasons. A few misses, a few mishaps and a few bad luck situations all Lea to no harvest, but some good times.
Tonight was finally the night! He finally connected. Walking into the stand he bumped 2 does. Shortly after he got in the stand a small doe sprinted across the opening in front of him. He was getting down on himself thinking he bumped everything out of the area. Then he looks up and sees a bobcat crossing in front of him. Interesting start to the afternoon hunt.
About an hour later he hears a scuffle in the thicket in front of him. Low and behold, he is now watching 2 bucks lightly sparring. He watches as they spar lightly for about 30 minutes never offering him a good clear shot. Then just as quickly as it all started, suddenly the 2 deer disappear. My step dad was ready to toss up his hands for the evening when one of the sparring bucks popped out 25 yards from his stand at 430.
As he describes it best "I pulled the trigger and could not see anything but smoke. When it finally cleared, there he was laying on the ground. I am so thankful I did not have to track it"
You see, this is his first time hunting with a muzzleloader. He's been hunting with it for 4 years and finally got to pull the trigger.
"The smoke was unbelievable!" Somehow it's different when hunting than just sighting it in. The adrenaline etc... seems like it takes forever for the smoke to clear.
Anyway, we hung out for an hour or so quartering his first TN deer just chatting and celebrating his accomplishment.
Did I mention he turned 75 ten days ago? Yes! You read that right. He's 75. I can only hope for that many seasons left in my hunting career.
For now though, I'm gonna cherish every time we get to chase deer in the woods. I'm so happy and glad for my step dad.
On a side note, I was about a mile down the road hunting a specific buck when he called. I answered with a whisper letting him know I could hear deer coming down the hill. When he told me he had a deer, I was overjoyed! I packed up immediately to go help him with his harvest. I don't know what was coming down the hill, could have been my target buck. I'll never know, and frankly don't care. I'd rather celebrate my step dad's harvest any day of the week.
Congrats to my awesome step dad, Gene.
He has been hunting casually all his adult life with his buddies at deer camps across the west. When he and mom moved here he had never hunted deer in the east. He's been a warrior these last 4 seasons. A few misses, a few mishaps and a few bad luck situations all Lea to no harvest, but some good times.
Tonight was finally the night! He finally connected. Walking into the stand he bumped 2 does. Shortly after he got in the stand a small doe sprinted across the opening in front of him. He was getting down on himself thinking he bumped everything out of the area. Then he looks up and sees a bobcat crossing in front of him. Interesting start to the afternoon hunt.
About an hour later he hears a scuffle in the thicket in front of him. Low and behold, he is now watching 2 bucks lightly sparring. He watches as they spar lightly for about 30 minutes never offering him a good clear shot. Then just as quickly as it all started, suddenly the 2 deer disappear. My step dad was ready to toss up his hands for the evening when one of the sparring bucks popped out 25 yards from his stand at 430.
As he describes it best "I pulled the trigger and could not see anything but smoke. When it finally cleared, there he was laying on the ground. I am so thankful I did not have to track it"
You see, this is his first time hunting with a muzzleloader. He's been hunting with it for 4 years and finally got to pull the trigger.
"The smoke was unbelievable!" Somehow it's different when hunting than just sighting it in. The adrenaline etc... seems like it takes forever for the smoke to clear.
Anyway, we hung out for an hour or so quartering his first TN deer just chatting and celebrating his accomplishment.
Did I mention he turned 75 ten days ago? Yes! You read that right. He's 75. I can only hope for that many seasons left in my hunting career.
For now though, I'm gonna cherish every time we get to chase deer in the woods. I'm so happy and glad for my step dad.
On a side note, I was about a mile down the road hunting a specific buck when he called. I answered with a whisper letting him know I could hear deer coming down the hill. When he told me he had a deer, I was overjoyed! I packed up immediately to go help him with his harvest. I don't know what was coming down the hill, could have been my target buck. I'll never know, and frankly don't care. I'd rather celebrate my step dad's harvest any day of the week.
Congrats to my awesome step dad, Gene.
