It seems like the season just opened and it has closed again for the year. This was my fourth deer season and while I have learned a lot and enjoy the outdoors I could not help but to allow myself to get caught up in the thoughts of taking my first deer this season. I have managed to miss on several occassions in the past two years and have replayed those moments millions of times in my head. Each replay slower and more painful then the first. I have become quite familiar with the teasing and poking at my lack of experience and more so my lack of success. I wrote earlier this year about an opportunity that had presented itself at the beginning of the rut where my friend took the animal before I could shoot him (the deer 
not my buddy). Since that afternoon I have been out on many occassions and left the woods with nothing more than what I brought in that day. Sunday was the close of our season here in TN and honestly I had no intentions of subjecting myself to another cold day but after a little objection my buddy talked me into going one last time. For the past 3 years my buddy has taken many deer and has always taken a deer on the last day of the season. Whenever he shoots a deer I will leave the stand immediately to assist him in tracking and field dressing his deer. As you can imagine it is always a depressing moment when I hear the roar of his rifle as I know the days hunt is over and my chances of taking a deer must wait for another day. Well...Sunday morning came and as usual I am up at 4:30 to pick him up. We got on stand at about 6:00 am and waited for the sun to rise and hopefully a few does to make their way onto our property. This morning would prove no different than years past. At 7:00 am he called me on the radio to tell me that he had 4 does in front of him and shortly after the morning silence was broken by the thunder of his .270. In four years he has yet to miss and as I sat on stand I knew that the close of the season had come and as always I am happy for my friend but am a bit jealous that I had not been given the chance myself. I started the climb out of my tree to lend a hand when he radioed and said that he had missed and the deer had turned and were running towards me. My disappointment quickly turned to hope and moments later I watched three deer jump the fence on a high ridge behind me and run to the safety of a field out of my range. I had all but given up hope when I heard one last deer jump the same fence and much to my surprise stopped a meer 60 yards behind me on the same ridge. The mature doe eased around a large oak to look below and for what seemed like an eternity we exchanged a motionless staring contest. I eased my .30-06 to my shoulder with 4 years of mistakes and apprehension to my shoulder. A million thoughts race through my mind as I tell myself to be calm, move slowly, take steady aim, squeeze dont pull and with the does neck in my scope I pulled the trigger...my bullet had found its mark and the doe dropped to the leaf covered floor of the ridge. 4 long years had passed and I had finally taken my first whitetail. I could not have been more satisfied and while many here have taken some impressive deer she is no less of a trophy to me as the heaviest horned buck that may have been her father. Yesterday I took more than just a deer out of the woods. I stood over one of Gods creatures and while I should feel superior I am humbled by the experience and reminded what a priviledge it is to reap the rewards of the hunt.
Thank you to all that provided their input and encouragement this year. I hope that this is one of many for me.
I have some pics but do not know how to post them...
not my buddy). Since that afternoon I have been out on many occassions and left the woods with nothing more than what I brought in that day. Sunday was the close of our season here in TN and honestly I had no intentions of subjecting myself to another cold day but after a little objection my buddy talked me into going one last time. For the past 3 years my buddy has taken many deer and has always taken a deer on the last day of the season. Whenever he shoots a deer I will leave the stand immediately to assist him in tracking and field dressing his deer. As you can imagine it is always a depressing moment when I hear the roar of his rifle as I know the days hunt is over and my chances of taking a deer must wait for another day. Well...Sunday morning came and as usual I am up at 4:30 to pick him up. We got on stand at about 6:00 am and waited for the sun to rise and hopefully a few does to make their way onto our property. This morning would prove no different than years past. At 7:00 am he called me on the radio to tell me that he had 4 does in front of him and shortly after the morning silence was broken by the thunder of his .270. In four years he has yet to miss and as I sat on stand I knew that the close of the season had come and as always I am happy for my friend but am a bit jealous that I had not been given the chance myself. I started the climb out of my tree to lend a hand when he radioed and said that he had missed and the deer had turned and were running towards me. My disappointment quickly turned to hope and moments later I watched three deer jump the fence on a high ridge behind me and run to the safety of a field out of my range. I had all but given up hope when I heard one last deer jump the same fence and much to my surprise stopped a meer 60 yards behind me on the same ridge. The mature doe eased around a large oak to look below and for what seemed like an eternity we exchanged a motionless staring contest. I eased my .30-06 to my shoulder with 4 years of mistakes and apprehension to my shoulder. A million thoughts race through my mind as I tell myself to be calm, move slowly, take steady aim, squeeze dont pull and with the does neck in my scope I pulled the trigger...my bullet had found its mark and the doe dropped to the leaf covered floor of the ridge. 4 long years had passed and I had finally taken my first whitetail. I could not have been more satisfied and while many here have taken some impressive deer she is no less of a trophy to me as the heaviest horned buck that may have been her father. Yesterday I took more than just a deer out of the woods. I stood over one of Gods creatures and while I should feel superior I am humbled by the experience and reminded what a priviledge it is to reap the rewards of the hunt.Thank you to all that provided their input and encouragement this year. I hope that this is one of many for me.
I have some pics but do not know how to post them...
