Then on Thanksgiving another friend and I took our daughters and hit the mountains. After hiking for miles, Danielle and I caught sight of a fair buck and tried to sneak up on him. We got within 400 yards, but they kept starring at us, so I took a shot. Missed!

Sunday was the final day of the season and I received permission to hunt on the prairie. I jumped in the suburban after lunch and headed out. As promised there were nine deer just waiting for me to arrive. I began my approach when out of nowhere a shot rang out and away they went. I got in the rig and took off down the road. They settled down in the field and I stopped. With nothing to hide behind and the buck I wanted standing 300 yards away, I decided to use the hood of the suburban as a rifle rest and
set my sights on this 3 × 3.

With the trophy in my crosshair and a steady hand I shot. He didn’t drop! For the next two hours I tracked that bugger but never could get close enough to plug ‘em. With daylight gone I figured I should thank my host and head home. As we talked the truth of my hunt was revealed. I had in fact shot something while on this hunt…

…the hood of my suburban.

As we ventured in I thought what I saw was another animal on the ground looking back. Grant immediately saw the outline of the deer and ran forward shouting “Poppa! You got him!”. When I caught up, I saw the largest 4 point I will ever likely see. He would’ve made a trophy 8 pt, but he lost his left rack and part of his ear, probably in a fight with another buck. We all commented that it would be nice to see that deer too.

The next day, Grant and I found the perfect spot for him to get a close shot. He waited patiently all day with me. At one point, I thought it wise to remind him how to set up his shot, where to aim and that he needs to prepare himself mentally to be ok IF he misses. We had spent some time at the range previously and I was pretty confident that he could hit a deer with a .410 slug at 30 yards but I felt the Lord’s prompting to add the character lesson too No sooner had I said that when a real 4 pointer walked out in the pasture right in front us, turned broadside and stared at us seemingly saying “Cheese!” for a photo. Grant had all day to set it up, took his time and slowly squeezed off his shot. The deer jumped up unharmed and just stood there. Grant, thinking I would finish him off, put his head down and covered his ears waiting for the report of my .30-06. As I watched the deer standing there, I pulled out another shell, tapped Grant on the cheek and told him to reload. He got as a far as closing the action before the deer finally had enough and ran off.

The best part of the story was that at 8 years old, Grant had the maturity to control his emotions and understand that God must’ve had a purpose for that deer to survive AND that we probably needed more time at the range. As were walking back to the cabin Grant asked “Poppa, do you think that some day when I have a little boy, I can take him hunting?” After hearing my answer, skipped on to catch up my brother returning from his stand. I stood there and wept at God’s kindness surrounded by the Grayson County, VA Blue Ridge mountains still glowing in the twilight sky.

Even though Grant missed an easy shot, our first hunt together surpassed my greatest expectations. Oh yeah, did I mention I shot a ½ trophy buck?

This weekend my daughter wanted to hunt, so we went to the blind and saw nothing, we still had a great time. Saturday I was Dad all day and the kids and I had a blast sighting in the new TC Triumph and of course checking traps. Mom returned from Christmas shopping and informed me of all the deer she saw running the fields as they drove down the interstate, just trying to rub it in maybe.

Sunday morning means church and Sunday school. After a great lunch with the family, I started to pack up my gear and head to a new spot I received permission on; as I pulled into the drive I could see the farmer cutting wood, no dice today on the new spot.

I went home and told my wife I was hunting on the home farm instead, I went to my spot and got everything ready to go. I grabbed the portable stand out of the truck only to notice the tow rope was gone. I quickly assessed the situation and decided to just hunt a stand that was “iffy” for a Northeast wind.

I was sitting in the stand by 2:05 ready for action. The wind was marginal and I knew I would have to be ready for a quick shot, if the deer came from the cattle pasture. I settled in and pulled out my pocket solitaire game to pass a little time and let the woods calm down. I played a few hands and was thinking of how much time I was going to have to get down and back home in time to get the kids picked up for evening service, when I looked up and there he was.

20 yards in from of me was the buck, a nice mature 8 that had a massive body. I honestly did not look at his rack; I took one look at the body and decided he was a shooter. He was scent checking the bean field and was almost acting “drunk” He had slobber running down his face and had obviously been chasing does all morning. He stepped into a shooting lane at 2:27. I drew back and stopped him with a soft grunt. The shot was perfect; he ran 50 yards and piled up. A couple of quick phone calls and I was following the easiest blood trail I have ever followed. As I picked up his head I saw his left eye was completely mattered and he looked to be blind in that eye. When I looked at the right eye it was almost the same. It was half way glossed over and full of eye matter. This buck was almost “legally” blind.

I went home and got the family (6 kids and the wife) and off we went to get the deer. It was great to watch the boys follow the blood trail and the look of excitement on their faces as they saw “their” deer. We got the deer hung up and off we went o church. My #2 son said “Dad, what are we going to name this one?” We thought for a few minutes and came up with “Blind Bartimaeus” or Blind Bart.

I have always been consumed with hunting and this year I learned to let it take a back seat to family and things that make an eternal impact. It doesn’t really matter if I kill a deer. What matters is the legacy that I leave with my family. This was truly one of the best hunts I have ever been on. The boys helped hang the stand, drag the deer, and take pictures. It was a family affair. Even momma got involved (5 months pregnant and she tromped through the woods like a trooperJ)

My wife and I have six children. Our first four are boys and the last two are twin girls. The girls are twelve years old and asked if they could try hunting. Well, the older brothers are jealous now. My daughter, Danielle, shot this buck this weekend with her twin, Lydia, and me, her dad. She used a .280 Remington at 175 yards. It is a 10-point buck, 19½ “ wide rack outside spread with a Green Score of 136 2/8, for the hunters that know what that means. It was her first buck—the first day ever hunting. She was participating in Wisconsin’s youth hunt this last weekend. I never shot a buck this big but I have guided to a few. It was a very hard shot she made; the deer was facing us with its head down. She took one shot and broke its back—exactly were I told her to aim. All her big brothers have to look up to their little sister now!

Best regards,
Gerald Townsend

Now from Danielle’s perspective…

The most memorable outdoor experience in my life was my first hunt. It really surprised me—shooting our family’s biggest whitetail trophy buck so far! I will never forget it.

It all started when my dad told my twin sister, Lydia, and me to start preparing for our hunt. We were to do this by first attending our local Hunter Safety class. Dad also had us pick up his unloaded rifle in the living room and look through the scope to find objects outside like branches, patches of leaves, stumps, and the deer target. We practiced and practiced the week before leaving for hunting camp. When Friday morning finally came, we packed everything we needed for the two-day hunt into our Chevy pickup and hit the road for Ashland, Wisconsin.

The next morning, we got up at five o’clock in order to eat breakfast and get out to the stand before daylight when the deer would begin to move. It had snowed overnight and was still dark as we climbed the twenty feet into the stand. As it was getting light, we watched out the windows. Dad whispered to us, “Watch out this window. Pretty soon an eagle will fly past.” Sure enough—just then, the beautiful eagle took off from its nest high up in a tree and flew past us. What a neat sight!

That day was also windy. In fact, it was so windy that the whole stand was rocking back and forth. We were disappointed because the wind tends to scare animals and the bucks stayed away. All we saw were some does and fawns wandering through once in awhile, squirrels scurrying around, and birds flitting back and forth. We took turns watching and resting since we had gotten up so early. By noon, we decided to go back to camp for lunch. We ate our sandwiches and relaxed as we played some card games. While we were eating, Dad told us, “Don’t you dare squeeze the trigger unless you have a full view in the scope and the crosshairs are on the buck!” He also reminded us that if the buck was looking at us, we were to shoot him right in the chest but, if he was sideways, we should shoot him right behind the shoulder.

When we got back to the stand, we sat and watched all afternoon. The deer just were not moving. As it started getting dark, we took one last look around before stopping for the day. My sister and I saw a fawn on one side of the stand and were wondering where the mother was when my dad said he saw what he thought was an eight-point buck out a different window. We carefully opened the window and got the gun. I was looking everywhere for the buck because only my dad had seen it. For that very reason, he was whispering, explaining to me where it was. As I looked through the scope, I kept missing the buck because he was facing us with his head down behind a brush pile eating acorns from an oak tree. Finally, when I was slowly passing over him again, he brought his head up. Carefully I aimed straight for his spine and squeezed the trigger. I had taken the shot from about 175 to 200 yards away and the buck dropped right in his tracks without moving an inch! We got out of the stand and hurried over to him, only to find out it was a ten-pointer! I had hit the buck dead center in the spine with a .280 Remington! We made sure he was dead and tagged him immediately.

We had already planned to go out to eat for dinner so as we got in the truck to leave, I called my mother back home. She said I sounded too calm for it to be true. However, she knew it was when she talked to Dad because he was so excited! When we got to the restaurant, I called my grandfather since we hunt on his land. He could not believe it! He asked me to tell him the whole story. For the next couple of days I got phone calls from family members congratulating me. My dad could not stop bragging for weeks—he still brags whenever he gets a chance. He put my picture in two newspapers, I am all over Facebook, and my aunt had me put on a radio station website.

On Sunday, we made the four-hour drive back home. When we got there and compared my antlers with those from past hunts, even the other nice ten-point rack from last year’s hunt fit inside mine. As soon as we could, we got on the internet to see how Boone and Crockett would score my buck. With the outside spread of the antlers at 19½ inches, it’s green score was 136 2/8!

I am surprised that I have the biggest buck in the family since I have four older brothers and a father that hunt. My father was very proud but admitted to being a little jealous, too. If I had not gotten this one now, he thought he might have shot it during the regular hunting season since we had been hunting out of his stand. Although, when he got to thinking about it, he realized there would be several other people hunting on that land then, too, so someone else may have been the lucky one.

As you can imagine, I was very excited when I got my first deer. Taking time to practice finding objects in the scope of the gun the week before the hunt really paid off in the end. I shot my trophy buck only 56 days after acing my Hunter Safety test!

Connor and I started our outdoorsman journey about 7 years ago. I never went hunting as a child or an adult until Connor began to show some interest. I shot my first deer with him 3 years ago and I got to be with him when he shot his first.

Connor disciplined himself from age five to shoot his BB gun with
sights and then a scope, all in preparation for that one great shot.
He practiced in the garage when it was to cold to go outside and in the heat of the summer outside.

Finally this was Connor’s day, another father from church took us to a place he knew deer where plentiful all for the sole purpose of rewarding Connor for his faithful practice.

After spending two hours in a tree stand we got down and went back to the barn to plan our next move. Disappointed Connor caught some movement across a field. It was a three doe’s facing our direction. We quickly got him positioned on some hay and talked him through the shot. BAM!!!!

He made the shot with a 7mm rifle that he had only shot two times the day before but all of his 5 years of hard work was blessed in a split second.

He nailed it from 240 yards right in the neck where we told him to aim.

He could not speak for almost 15 minuets and then he started crying. (so did I and the other dad but we all agreed not to tell our buddies)

Connor and his brother skinned and cleaned this deer by them selves and feed their family several nights. That’s real self-esteem not the feminist junk the world offers young men today.

In the photo of the hay barn in the distance is where Connor took his now famous shot and I am standing where the deer is. WOW!!! What a shot son!!!!

I am so proud of my boys and the men they are becoming.
Dads get out there and enjoy life with your kids. We have learned trapping skills, skinning, tanning skin, knife making, archery, and all kind of mountain man stuff together and its a blast.

PS
Yes it was a small deer.
This deer’s leg was broke and he was limping, the property owner made
the decision to let Connor kill him so he would not continue to suffer.

Every year, when each girl turned 5, they began their journey with their Dad and Grandpa by first learning to scout the land. When each girl turned 6 years old, they were able to go out on opening day with Dad and Grandpa. So each year for the past 6 years, he has taken one or two of the girls with them. This past year has been a challenge for Grandpa and his health. Within one year’s time he has survived a dissected aorta as well as a quadruple bypass surgery. This was a year to celebrate and embrace together. So, this year my husband decided it was time to take all 3 girls on the big deer hunt with Grandpa. I first thought he was nuts and must not have wanted to actually get the Big Buck! I mean who in their right mind would take 3 girls (ages 11, 9 and 7) out at the crack of dawn to get the Big Buck! My husband apparently! I joked with my friends on facebook and said he was brave and at least would come home with some good stories. But to my surprise, he sent me a text by 9am with his Buck in hand and 3 very excited girls! They were able to track the deer, watch Grandpa and Dad pull it out of a creek about 20 feet below and also had a nice biology lesson. They learned that although they don’t “dissect” a deer, gutting it can be just as fun! Hats off to my husband and his Dad for allowing 3 very special girls to assist them in getting the Big Buck for 2009!

~ Shana Baker for Jason Baker

My wife and I have been deer hunting together for 18 years, and ever since our first child was born I have dreamed of taking him hunting. Well, now we have three boys, ages 14, 12, 8, and we all love to hunt. This is a dads dream come true! Each year several weeks before archery season opens here in MO we start scouting and discussing where we are going to hang stands for deer season.

After careful thought we set out to prepare the ambush. If you haven’t done the math, there are five of us. That means at least five stands, five bows, five guns, five tags, well you get the idea. Deer season is a lot of work, and I love every minute of it. There is just something about being out in the woods with my family that brings us closer. I was always a die hard hunter when I was younger, but hunting is different now. It’s not about me any more, it’s about us. So, here is the story of my wife’s monster buck.

After church Sunday, my wife Tabby, my oldest son Evan, and I decided to go hunting since we had about three hours before getting ready to go back to church that evening. We pulled up to our hunting spot and had prayer like we always do, and I told them that we would have to leave our stands at 4 pm, no later.

So we headed for our stands. I arrived at my stand at about 2:45; at approximately 3:30 I heard a shot from Tabby’s direction. 30 seconds later my cell phone started to vibrate. She said she had shot a buck, a 6 or 8 point she thought but she was afraid she had made a bad shot on the deer so I told her to stay put and keep her eye on where she thought the deer went.

By the time I walked to her stand she was getting very anxious. She pointed out where the deer was when she shot, but no blood. She showed me which direction it ran, but no blood. So I started walking in the direction the deer went and 20 yards later there he was. As I walked closer I could see antlers rising out of the leaves. This is a nice buck I thought, and the closer I got the bigger he got. I had never been so excited over a dead deer.

Don’t get me wrong, I was thrilled when our boys shot their first deer, but this was my wife, and after 18 years of hunting she got her first buck. She tells everyone that she is thankful for a husband who is willing to gut her deer. I am thankful for a wife who loves to hunt with her boys. Guttin’ deer is just part of the job, cuz “I’m da DAD.”

Anyways…I was out hunting and my 10-year old daughter who loves to come with me. She wants to hunt when she is older, but for now is content to sit next to me and watch.

Last year I managed to shoot a 5 – point buck with her sitting next to me. She was so excited and the deer dropped only about 75 yards away.

I gutted the deer and she helped me to drag it out of the woods and carry my gear as I was seating quite a bit. She couldn’t wait for me to cut some of meat up so she could have her venison meal.

This year I took her with me again and the first time out again we see 2 does and I was able to shoot one again with her next to me. I wasn’t sure if I had hit it but she said I saw the arrow stick in and blood come out, so we waited about 15 minutes and started tracking and found this deer about 50 yards away. Again she helped me to clean the deer and drag it home. She is an amazing little girl and god has certainly blessed our time in the woods together. She also has been equally helpful in tracking and processing the deer.

Now for the meat of the story (no pun intended). I was out the other morning by myself and on the ground behind a fallen down tree with the stump shielding me partially. Well I look up around 7AM and here comes a big buck. All I could see was antlers and they were wide and many. He was at least a 10-point if not a 12-point with a wide beam. My heart starts to skip and I pull the bow back and wait for the deer to reach the open area I have drawn on. There are 2 areas I can shoot into. The first one is not a clear as the second but I chose the first as the deer was so close I know that if he looked up and saw me that I would not get a shot off. Well I let the arrow fly as soon as he reaches my self-appointed window of opportunity. I watched the arrow fly and just kind of flick up and over his back. I couldn’t believe it. I had missed. The arrow nicked a branch I had not seen and it flew right over his back. I was only about 8 yards away on the ground and could only watch in disappointment as he bounds away and continues on his way. It is funny how big this deer gets the more I go over it in my mind. I got home and woke up my children and told them and just blessed God that I was able to be so close to such a graceful animal.

The next week I went out and shot a Spike horn with my bow and have attached the picture. Not the big buck I want and the season is not over yet, but I was in the same spot as I had been when the big buck had come through. So while this story is kind of sad in the fact that I missed the buck of my life, I have been blessed with a wonderful daughter who loves to hunt and with the ability to put meat inour freezer.

Here’ hoping the Lord blesses me with a big buck this year.

Thanks for taking the time to read my brief story.

Blessings,

Dana