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Buckmaster and Jr. Hunting Tails.....

After watching Brendan's shot live and playing it back on my phone I determine his shot was 3 inches back and 2 inches high.

I say..."Let's back out and give the buck a couple of hours."

Brendan says...."What's back out mean?"

.....all in the learning curve.

We pack up, climb down, and locate the arrow.

The arrow containing a 2 blade Rage was found buried half way into the sod. A complete pass thru shot. Physically the arrow and broadhead can be used again but is covered in brownish blood.

.....liver shot....meaning it will bleed to death if given 3-4 hours.

Back to camp for supper and reload for a long night of tracking.
 
At 9pm...Scott, Brendan, myself, and my tracking dog Jaden load up with flashlights and venture over the hill.

In an hour we make it 200 yards down this ridge line. We lost the blood trail at the highwall where we think the deer went over.

We mark the spot and will pick it up in the morning. Brendan needs to get to bed because he has a football game to play in Sunday afternoon.

I get hardly any sleep Saturday night as I'm replaying everything in my head to scenario(s) versus possible outcomes. I need to be on the road exiting camp by 10 am to make it our football game on time.

I get out of bed at 5:30 am Sunday to rain drops....Oh No! It rains until 7am. There goes any hope of continued blood trail.
 
We begin our 7am Sunday track where the buck presumably jumped off the high wall the night before.

Next is a waist deep field, then creek, then woods to follow.

I'm clueless as to where the deer movement might take us. Mentally, I'm guessing water and Dan can attest after his buck last year. Same exact scenario.

I ask myself, "What do I do now?"
My answer, "Trust in Jaden's (dog) nose."

I provided Jaden a long lead on his leash and let him get to work on this 3 acre field.
He leads....I follow.

Jaden zig zags across this field in an irregular pattern finally catching himself on the field and creek downwind side.
He slowly works his way in between the field edge and the creek edge working his way upwind now. I simply follow his lead and 200 yards later.

As he lays....(refrigerated and coyote proofed).
 

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Meanwhile....Scott returns to the top to retrieve one of the 4 wheelers to remove Brendan's buck and our contents from the lowest level of our property.

A dog box was the only casualty (got ran over) during the extraction.
 

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....and the back to the Camp hero shots.
 

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Sometimes when God provides you lemons....you make Lemonade.

My 2009 Melana deer hunt transcended years later into a 2016 Brendan hunt. It's been a long time coming. A personal waiting game.

I was patient (I'm merely 7 years older now) as I have little control in the maturity and growing up processes but this past Saturday and Sunday are memories to cherish for both Brendan and I.

What makes it great is our ability to share our hunt with my good friends Ron, Scott, Jaden (the dog), and you TOO.

I've been blessed.
 

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Great write up Ben! Felt like I was there! A heartfelt congrats to you and your son! What a blessed way to start your season!

Melana I bet was smiling the whole time!:smiley_clap:
 
In 2000 when we built our cabin my Mother placed a Camp Journal on a table there.

Most first timer guest are encouraged to write something about their experience at our Camp.

Some entries are from one timers, some repeat stayers, some guests, friends, relatives, some just passing thru, some that are now deceased, and now the latest entry.
 

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Oh, with Scott's help we had Brendan's deer skinned, quartered, and on ice within a cooler by 9:30.

Brendan and I were on the road by 9:50 am for our football game 10 minutes ahead of schedule.

I felt like Superman yesterday swiftly exchanging sweaty wet hunting clothes for football coaching gear.

Here we are at Parent Day getting introduced to our community football crowd yesterday afternoon.

Tonight is butchering night.

Riding Life's natural high although still tired from this weekend's hunting Extravaganza.


.....Stay tuned for next weekend's hunt.
 

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Ben thanks for taking us along buddy.... That was an awesome experience just sitting here and reading it....


 
Last night Brendan and I were reminiscing about his hunt while I was processing his deer.

From within the depths of one of our closets I pulled out my first deer mount, a 2x4 dink 6 pointer (displayed on the left).

How proud I was of that as a youth as I proudly displayed it on my bedroom wall.

Brendan says, "Hey Dad! I beat you by 2 points and mine is twice as big."

My reply, "It sure is Son. You did a great job."
 

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