This past fall I was invited by the local chapter of Buckmasters to go on a hunt. They try to do a wounded warrior hunt each year and someone, who to this day I am not sure who is, passed along my name.
We wanted to make it a whitetail hunt but with the new baby in the house, my rehab schedule and my wife returning to work it was just not in the cards. So we put it off till the spring and decided to target exotics. I have not spent much time hunting exotics and was excited to get a chance to see some unique animals up close. I also decided that I wanted to bring my family and get the kids some time sitting in a blind.
Friday night as we prepared to drive out in the middle of a huge thunderstorm that spawned at least one tornado and flooding all across the area we decided that my wife and the baby would stay home and I would take the kids. As I drove out I was wondering if we would be hunting animals from a blind or a boat there was so much water falling from the ski.
The next morning the kids and I got up early and were driven down to the blind, crossing a creek that wasn't there a day prior and what amounted to a small lake. Despite the heavy rain all night, or perhaps because of it, the animals were moving early and not long after we settled in there were animals in front of us for the kids to watch. At this point I had my rifle with me because I mostly wanted to sit with the kids and watch and unless something truly spectacular came out I was just going to enjoy spending time watching cool animals with the kids. That morning we saw white tails, black buck, fallow deer, and just as we were climbing down a red stag popped out and gave us a glimps before he darted back into the youpon.
The rest of the day was spent ridding around with the kids and checking water gaps and trying to get a look at different animals. We didn't get to see anything but the kids had a great time and mud puddles were the hit of the day. By the time we were ready to head back out for the afternoon hunt they were soaked and covered in mud from head to toe.
They didn't go out in the afternoon. I had wanted to bow hunt in the afternoon anyways and figured my chances would go up without the little ones anyways. So they went to the cabin to get cleaned up and put on dry cloths and I went to the blind with my bow in hand.
Not long after getting settled in the group of blackbuck walked out and I knew that if given a shot I was going to take one of them. They were a little skitish and wouldn't stand still long enough and with all the bodies the male wouldn't clear for a shot. Then they pushed off and I was wondering if I had done something to make them nervous when a pair of moufflan sheep stepped out. I assumed that was it and settled in to see what else happened along.
Not 5 minutes later the blackbuck male, accompanied by another male, stepped into my shooting lane almost out of nowhere. It was go time and I had my bow up and ready. The darker and obviously more dominate of the two males presented a broadside shot at 18 yards and I took it. He took a step as I released so I hit him a little far back but it was a clean pass through and he was obviously hit hard as he ran into the brush behind me and I heard him crash.
I walked back to camp and we gave him the some time for a shot that might have been a little far back. The trail had good blood but on the soaking wet ground blood was hard to spot unless it was on a dry branch or leaf. With the help of the Buckmasters guys we trailed him pretty easily and soon had him recovered.
Depending on who's scoring method you use he's either a very nice bronze or just barely a silver medal buck. I'm not worried about that though, his cape has great color and he will make a great look mount and the memories of a great weekend with the kids makes the black buck icing on the cake.
We wanted to make it a whitetail hunt but with the new baby in the house, my rehab schedule and my wife returning to work it was just not in the cards. So we put it off till the spring and decided to target exotics. I have not spent much time hunting exotics and was excited to get a chance to see some unique animals up close. I also decided that I wanted to bring my family and get the kids some time sitting in a blind.
Friday night as we prepared to drive out in the middle of a huge thunderstorm that spawned at least one tornado and flooding all across the area we decided that my wife and the baby would stay home and I would take the kids. As I drove out I was wondering if we would be hunting animals from a blind or a boat there was so much water falling from the ski.
The next morning the kids and I got up early and were driven down to the blind, crossing a creek that wasn't there a day prior and what amounted to a small lake. Despite the heavy rain all night, or perhaps because of it, the animals were moving early and not long after we settled in there were animals in front of us for the kids to watch. At this point I had my rifle with me because I mostly wanted to sit with the kids and watch and unless something truly spectacular came out I was just going to enjoy spending time watching cool animals with the kids. That morning we saw white tails, black buck, fallow deer, and just as we were climbing down a red stag popped out and gave us a glimps before he darted back into the youpon.
The rest of the day was spent ridding around with the kids and checking water gaps and trying to get a look at different animals. We didn't get to see anything but the kids had a great time and mud puddles were the hit of the day. By the time we were ready to head back out for the afternoon hunt they were soaked and covered in mud from head to toe.
They didn't go out in the afternoon. I had wanted to bow hunt in the afternoon anyways and figured my chances would go up without the little ones anyways. So they went to the cabin to get cleaned up and put on dry cloths and I went to the blind with my bow in hand.
Not long after getting settled in the group of blackbuck walked out and I knew that if given a shot I was going to take one of them. They were a little skitish and wouldn't stand still long enough and with all the bodies the male wouldn't clear for a shot. Then they pushed off and I was wondering if I had done something to make them nervous when a pair of moufflan sheep stepped out. I assumed that was it and settled in to see what else happened along.
Not 5 minutes later the blackbuck male, accompanied by another male, stepped into my shooting lane almost out of nowhere. It was go time and I had my bow up and ready. The darker and obviously more dominate of the two males presented a broadside shot at 18 yards and I took it. He took a step as I released so I hit him a little far back but it was a clean pass through and he was obviously hit hard as he ran into the brush behind me and I heard him crash.
I walked back to camp and we gave him the some time for a shot that might have been a little far back. The trail had good blood but on the soaking wet ground blood was hard to spot unless it was on a dry branch or leaf. With the help of the Buckmasters guys we trailed him pretty easily and soon had him recovered.
Depending on who's scoring method you use he's either a very nice bronze or just barely a silver medal buck. I'm not worried about that though, his cape has great color and he will make a great look mount and the memories of a great weekend with the kids makes the black buck icing on the cake.
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