Opening weekend of firearm season found Ashton and I hunting our river grounds in Bosque County. With Ashton’s college schedule, it has limited her hunting opportunities the past couple years and in return she has not had an opportunity to kill a buck since 2014’s Old 7’s harvest. Sitting around our fire pit Friday night reminded me how much I miss both my girls since they have eased off to college but I have to admit, I am a blessed man.
Ashton and I had been trading text regularly regarding trail cam photos I was getting, along with video I had taken of deer during October. A couple mature bucks had perked her interest and she commented that she would be happy with either the Stubby buck or a big 8 point we call Dreamy 8.
Well lucky for Dreamy 8, Stubby eased out of the river and into our lower food plot Sunday morning at 6:22 a.m. Once I finally got a confirmation that it was him, I woke Miss Ashton up and told her that if she still wanted Stubby, he was here. For 16 minutes he played cat and mouse with Ashton. At one point Ashton whispered, “you on him” then “Dad gum it”, he again turned away and fed away. Again I hear, “you on him” then “are you kidding me”? This time a buck we know real well had eased into the plot and I hear Ashton say, “the one on the left has a bigger frame”…… I ease my binoculars around to pick up sight of a 2.5 / 3.5 year old we have named Baby Giant, and man is he pretty. I whisper to Ashton, “he’s a baby and if he makes it he will be a giant”. You know Miss Ashton never even balked nor did she sigh. She agreed and said, get on Stubby. As soon as we relocated her buck, she whispers can you see him…..” BOOM” then the famous words “heart shot”.
Ashton’s buck made one small leap and then down without a twitch. We both breathed a sigh of relief once we were sure he was expired. See, she shot him about 10 steps from the bank of the river, and if he would have made it to the bank and down……….well let’s just say it would have added to the memories…… Ashton and I had to hold tight right at an hour while Baby Giant fed and presented multiple great photo and video sessions.
Ashton’s buck had been on our trail cameras since 2014 and had pretty much stayed true to his short stubby frame with lots of mass. By photos we had him at 4.5 years old, but teeth wear has us now second guessing that, teeth wear show him older. No matter, she is extremely happy, and at this time in my life, that is all that matters to me. Stubby had 11 score able points, 6 on the right and 5 on the left with a neat crown of three on the right.
Ashton did ask a good question while we were watching Baby Giant, “Dad, how are you confident that Baby Giant will even make it to next year?” I paused a minute and replied; I am not sure he will. And honestly the last few years we have had more and more bucks not return. But all I know is that if we kill him, he surely isn’t going to return. So we will see and pray he hides out well.
Ashton has no idea how good it fills that she still wants her old Dad to sit with her while she hunts. I mentioned to her that legally she doesn’t need me to sit with her if she does not want; Lord knows she can judge deer better than most I know. But she laughed and said, "no sir, I enjoy our time and heck, who would wake me up"?………..lol
God bless and hope each enjoyed.
The bottom photos are of Baby Giant after Ashton had killed her buck. You can notice in one of them Ashton’s buck on the ground as Baby Giant fed.
Rwc
Ashton and I had been trading text regularly regarding trail cam photos I was getting, along with video I had taken of deer during October. A couple mature bucks had perked her interest and she commented that she would be happy with either the Stubby buck or a big 8 point we call Dreamy 8.
Well lucky for Dreamy 8, Stubby eased out of the river and into our lower food plot Sunday morning at 6:22 a.m. Once I finally got a confirmation that it was him, I woke Miss Ashton up and told her that if she still wanted Stubby, he was here. For 16 minutes he played cat and mouse with Ashton. At one point Ashton whispered, “you on him” then “Dad gum it”, he again turned away and fed away. Again I hear, “you on him” then “are you kidding me”? This time a buck we know real well had eased into the plot and I hear Ashton say, “the one on the left has a bigger frame”…… I ease my binoculars around to pick up sight of a 2.5 / 3.5 year old we have named Baby Giant, and man is he pretty. I whisper to Ashton, “he’s a baby and if he makes it he will be a giant”. You know Miss Ashton never even balked nor did she sigh. She agreed and said, get on Stubby. As soon as we relocated her buck, she whispers can you see him…..” BOOM” then the famous words “heart shot”.
Ashton’s buck made one small leap and then down without a twitch. We both breathed a sigh of relief once we were sure he was expired. See, she shot him about 10 steps from the bank of the river, and if he would have made it to the bank and down……….well let’s just say it would have added to the memories…… Ashton and I had to hold tight right at an hour while Baby Giant fed and presented multiple great photo and video sessions.
Ashton’s buck had been on our trail cameras since 2014 and had pretty much stayed true to his short stubby frame with lots of mass. By photos we had him at 4.5 years old, but teeth wear has us now second guessing that, teeth wear show him older. No matter, she is extremely happy, and at this time in my life, that is all that matters to me. Stubby had 11 score able points, 6 on the right and 5 on the left with a neat crown of three on the right.
Ashton did ask a good question while we were watching Baby Giant, “Dad, how are you confident that Baby Giant will even make it to next year?” I paused a minute and replied; I am not sure he will. And honestly the last few years we have had more and more bucks not return. But all I know is that if we kill him, he surely isn’t going to return. So we will see and pray he hides out well.
Ashton has no idea how good it fills that she still wants her old Dad to sit with her while she hunts. I mentioned to her that legally she doesn’t need me to sit with her if she does not want; Lord knows she can judge deer better than most I know. But she laughed and said, "no sir, I enjoy our time and heck, who would wake me up"?………..lol
God bless and hope each enjoyed.
The bottom photos are of Baby Giant after Ashton had killed her buck. You can notice in one of them Ashton’s buck on the ground as Baby Giant fed.
Rwc
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