The story of Ol Shed Buck starts first of thanking God for the memories and priviledge to chase and harvest such a great buck, thanking Tonia McQueary Hawkins for putting up with me for the chase of 3 yrs and the love and support. Also thanks to Mom and Dad, and also my brother Willie, cousins Jamie and Ethan. And everyone else who helped and listened along the way. Well, It all started 4 yrs ago, the day before gun season, I saw a doe, a big eight, a small eight, and a small six chasing the doe. The big 8 was dominant, and had a 5 pt side and a 3 pt side. I didnt pursue him, but I looked through the scope at him and saw he had a long g2 and g3 and watched them for like 10 minutes. The following spring of 2012 on Feb. 22 I believe was the date, I was driving in and saw something white and shining in the field 150 yds away, It was a shed, and it was the 5pt side from the one I saw from mom and dads kitchen window that morning. That fall of 2012, Tonia had me to make a shooting house, and opening night of season that year, this buck came out at 175 yds and got behind a tree and was behind it for like 20 minutes. He finally came out and I said he isnt too big, Tonia said he had several points, and the buck turned his head and I saw the g3 on one side had a kicker point, so I said he is good enough and shot. He jumped and kicked and ran in the woods and stopped. I got out and went over and saw him standing, bleeding out his mouth. I took an off hand shot and he took off like a scalded rabbit. I had to end up calling my brother Willie, cousin Jamie and his son Ethan to help track. We tracked till around 9:30pm and lost blood. I was sick that night, didnt sleep well, hated to hurt an animal and not find it. Mom said then that he would live. I went the next morning before church and Dad, Mom and I searched till around 9am. Still no luck. I searched a couple other times to no avail. Then the first Sunday of March of 2013, what did I find while shed hunting? A 6 pt side with a split g3 (the same point that had the sticker point I saw). I went back that Friday 5 days later and found the other side, a 4 pt side about 20 yds from the other. I literally stepped on it with my foot kicking it from the leaves to find it. My first complete set of sheds, I was on cloud 9, and was 95 percent sure it was him I had shot and he had somehow survived. Then after so much talk about trail cameras from my brother and others, Tonia got me one for Christmas and I have been hooked on taking deer pictures. Last year I put out the camera and there was ol shed buck growing again. This time, his opposite side was growing more massive, and they say an injury will make them grow the opposite horn differently. He also had a point at each base that curved out over his eyes. I had a close encounter with either him or another last year, which ever buck it was only needed 5 more yards to present a shot, but not meant to be. I was thankful to just be there and witness the 4 bucks, 2 does, and 4 fawns that morning. Well, last season ended and I was blessed with a good 9 pt, but not shed buck. I got a picture Dec 1 last year and there was ol shed buck with only one horn. He had got in a fight and broke off one side down to the head. Christmas Day, Tonia and I saw ol shed buck with 6 does a little after 5 that afternoon. There he stood, one side shining and standing so proud. Well, this spring between me, Dad, and Tonia, we walk around 22 hrs and I found the one shed on March 17 which was on a Monday or Tuesday. That cornfield was bushhogged Saturday of the same week. So just found it in the nick of time. I had also found that Phillip and Cindy Shields had found a side during November and it proved to be ol shed bucks broken side that had taken a slither of skull with it. I was blessed to get it from them to make 2 complete sides. That brings us to this year and I put my camera out end of April and there he was May 5th with already brows started and main beams. I could tell then, the side he ripped off was going to be more massive at the base. I didnt get as many photos as last year, he would come every couple weeks, sometimes once a week, sometimes once every 3 weeks to the salt lick. The last photo I got was Sept 22nd, but I had changed my camera locations to watch fields/trails. I had a feeling he was still there, but didnt know where. Yesterday, I had no idea what was going to unfold. I saw a small 4 pt, a doe and fawn, the fawn was a button buck who came over directly under the stand. Saw 2 coyotes. And had about given up and was looking one field to the other. I turned my head and there was a big bodied deer in the field. Where had he came from I thought. I brought the binoculars up and saw he was a shooter, but he was searching and wouldnt be there long. I brought up the 7mm-08 and put on my bow holder (rest), he had already traveled another 10-20 yds. I put the crosshair behind the shoulder and squeezed the trigger, he took off, I thought I had hit, but did I? He ran out of sight. I climbed down, not sure if it was him or not, or if I had hit. I went in the field, couldnt find blood, I crossed the barb wire and no blood, no buck. I came back in the field and circled twice looking for sign and came along the fence and there he was in the weeds. I pulled his head up, and there he was ol shed buck. Thank you God for the memories of chasing him. We actually found the bulled lodged in his neck from 2 yrs ago. I guess I had one lunged him and it glanced up into his neck. But he survived, and got bigger. Thank you God and everyone for the buck of a lifetime. Take care everyone.
Posted on: Mon, 10 Nov 2014 00:49:42 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015