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It Was November 1997 Opening Day
Shotgun !!!
I Was Once again Hunting with my two Brothers Bob
& George, Along with a couple of friends we had invited to join us that year. We hunted my brother Georges property again,
as we had seen an abundance of deer again, all through the summer months . I had scouted nearly 3 months pryor &
up to about a week before the opener. I had decided to hunt the neighbors property which adjoined my brothers propt. Well
Opening Day!!! It was a nightmare rain as the weather forecasters had predicted. But because I had all my rain
gear for a change decided to hunt anyway, as well as my brothers who had already set up portable groundblinds the day
before in anticipation of the comming rain. At approx. 6:15 Am, I along with my Brothers & friends, headed
out to our stands / blinds etc. my blind was located about 600 yards away from everyone else's location, I had decided to
hunt a large dog-leg located in a valley across the field from my brothers propt. I reached my blind about 6:35 or so . I
couldn't believe I talked myself into actually going out in a blinding rain. As it was the worst I had ever hunted in, &
after about an hour thought to myself, (what was I thinking) (hehe). Well around 8:30 or so, the rain had let up just a bit.
I waited another 1/2 hr. & still the rain was letting up a little more. I then chose to step out of my blind for a
minute or two , as I did I noticed about 100 yards or there abouts, what looked to be mabye a deer. Just laying
down near the tractor path that the landowner, who owned the land had treed out during the early summer months
So he could drive his tractor through while traveling, from field to field. To be able to farm the fields above
& below . It was still raining, & as I finally looked through my wet binouculars, I determined it was in
fact a deer. It looked like a large Doe, from what I was able to see. Just then the animal got up & started to walk up
the dogleg, towards an area of thick tangle & an apple orchard directly on the otherside of it. I said to myself Lord
Please don't let it go there & no sooner had I said that, the deer stopped, he paused, looked around, then started
back down towards the path, cut through the woods. It was then I noticed it was in fact a buck I was looking at. Though
I wasn't able to determine the exact size of his rack I did see antlers. I immediately took cover behind one of the large
trees my brothers neighbor Johnny had cut , but had yet to collect. I watched in anticipation & hoped the buck would
in fact step out onto the path offering me a clear shot! & sure enough, He did just that. Though knowing it
was a long shot 100 yrds etc. I had during the summer practiced alot & was pretty confident with my shooting ability at
that distance, in an open environment. As the Buck stepped out onto the path, I layed my Winchester model 200 shotgun on
the tree I had got behind , took good aim & fired!!, "Yes" I thought to myself as the buck took about three steps before flipping completely over & laying
still very quickly therefter. I was overjoyed!!! at knowing I had just scored a deer in the pouring rain , when normally I
would have hesitated even going out. But because it was the "Opening Day" I had just decided to give it a go anyhow.
Upon walking down the path towards the deers location. I
soon noticed not only was it a buck, it was an awesome
buck!! In fact when I got right up to him, I saw he was exceptionally bigger than I had seen or anticipated !!! I was totally
excited !!! I grabbed my two way radio at that point to let my brothers know I had just scored a Beautiful Buck , But neither
of them answered their radio's . So I proceeded to field dress my buck. All the while being in "awe"
of how this hunt took place & the overall size of this buck, Not to mention finding him just laying right out in the open
woods, without being in heavy cover as you would imagine him to be in a pouring rain!!! Being one
of only mabye 3 times, I had ever decided to hunt in a heavy rain like this. Not really figuring for a day
to be nearly this exciting!!!, A short time later, I heard what sounded like Johnny heading toward my location
on his tractor & soon found out it was in fact Johnny. Upon reaching me he was also in "awe" of the buck
I had just scored as I was. He congratulated me & explained to me he had allowed a few guy's to hunt
his Lower woods, and that they had heard me, calling for my brothers on my 2 way radio. He decided to come up &
see if I scored a deer & to help me by letting me load the deer on his trailer attached to his tractor & hauling the
deer back to my brothers house. When we arrived there a short time later, I soon realized why I couldn't contact my Brothers. It was
because they called it a day not soon after heading out . And realizing the rain didn't seem like it was about
to let up at all, decided to call it a day until the weather broke. But as for me I was content to give it a few hours
since it was "Opening Day". And there was alway's a chance someone else may shoot & push a deer my way, However
that wasn't neccessary as this deer was laying right out in the open woods probably the whole time , which You just
don't see often if at all. So all
in all It was an awesome day for me & just another hunt to remember for all my day's .(But most importantly
it now makes me Re-think My old school (Well Deer Don't come out in or move on heavy rainy day's") I have since hunted all days I'm able with heavy rain in hopes to possibly bag another
Trophy some day On a day Most hunters head home.!!!!!!!!!!!
Well I Hope You Enjoyed This Hunt As Did I
May You Have A Great Safe Hunt!!!!
!!!! And May You Bag The Deer!!!!
!!!!!!
Of A Lifetime!!!!!!!!!
Wally
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