no longer a failure

this morning came early! extra early.

Hubby, I, sister and her bf went hunting for deer on some land outside of Kaycee, WY.

we had about an hour and half drive to get there.

that meant leaving here at 0530.

woah. I don’t even get up that early for the gym.

after a quick stop at starbucks for some pre-hunting fuel we were off on the drive.

we had permission from a land owner. made a quick stop at the ranch house to let them know we were there and for them to tell us where he wanted us to stay.

we made it in the first pasture and Hubby saw a deer run across this field into the river bed. we all got out. we were locked and loaded and walking down into the thicket to stalk these deer.

I was looking down….getting fully situated and I hear Hubby say “there’s a buck! and it’s a white tail”

before I could even get my gun shouldered the stupid boy had take off (the deer, not MY boy).

oh boy. another missed shot at a buck.

we tried to track it through the thicket, but never got another look at him.

I say to Hubby, “I knew that was going to happen.” and what I was referring to was the fact that we were chasing these other deer and I knew we would spook up another one and it would be a split second that I would have to make a shot. Hubby’s response “you should have been ready!” so to be a smart ass…I shoulder my gun and tip toe through the trees. he had also made a face at me that I was stepping too hard on the dead, dry leaves on the ground. sheesh!

I cry, storm off, yell at him for being so mean and always saying mean things. I state that after this season I’m never going hunting again!

we walked and drove some other pastures but only saw mule deer. the season on them was closed. of course. some monster bucks too.

sister and her bf wanted to go to some state land. Hubby and I entertained the idea, but after we got to the spot we decided to go back to the private land.

we drove through the pastures again and actually ended up getting on top of this hill. Hubby got out and looked over the flats. I was day dreaming in the truck when Hubby gets my attention. he’s going bananas. like “there’s a freaking white tail down here, get you butt over here with the gun” bananas.

I quickly put on my hearing protection and grab my gun and haul butt over to him. but as quietly as possible.

I get over there just in time to see the does running away! bummer.

I was bummed. Hubby suggested we walk the thicket to try to find them. I stubbornly agreed to the idea and stomp back towards the truck.

just then Hubby “ppppsssssssssssssssssssssssssttttttttttttttt” me. I turn around and again he’s going bananas. the same kind of bananas as before!

I hurry back over. pop my butt down and see the doe. the wind is blowing across and I can’t get my gun held solid even to get a shot. Hubby quickly runs back to the truck and grabs shooting sticks to stabilize the gun. thankfully the doe didn’t move. somebody or somebodies from above were watching over me this afternoon. the doe was standing straight towards us, but was behind a tree. she slowly turned and got out from behind the tree. in the time Hubby got back and had the shooting sticks placed under the gun and I had it just right where I could see the deer at a comfortable spot. no laying down this ime thankfully! I like sitting on my butt when shooting! Hubby tells me to take my shot.I ask, you ready? “yup.” I flick off the safety, put my finger on the trigger. just about the time I am about to pull Hubby says, ‘there’s a buck!”

OhMyFreakingGosh! I want the boy, not the girl! I find him with my eyes, then put the scope on him. I go through the checklist to confirm he’s a white-tail. antlers look right. check. face is definitely not a muley face. check. he’s looking right at us. he turns his butt towards us (he has a solid brown butt check.)and trots to his woman. he is now behind the same stupid tree. he slowly comes out, but both deer look like they are about to take off. I aim and BAM!

my ear is ringing (because I had the hearing protection half off my ear so I could hear Hubby talking to me), my hands are shaking, I’m thinking “did that gun even kick? wait, did I even hit him? I don’t think I did. where did he go?” I racked the bolt back and put another bullet in the chamber because I don’t think I even hit him. suddenly I have Hubby punching me (not violently…don’t worry Mom), pushing me, screaming at me! “you hit him! he went down! he didn’t even move!” he was so freaking excited!

“Babe! you hit it!”
”it dropped dead in its tracks.”
that’s all he can say!

I doubt myself. then I remember looking through the scope, pulling the trigger, seeing the puff of smoke from the muzzle blast, and seeing the deer fall right down.

Hubby then asks, “you sure it was a white-tail?”
seriously Hubby? then I think….yes. I’m pretty sure it was a white-tail!
I go back through the same checklist. maybe I missed something when I was too excited.

we walk down to him.

sure enough, he didn’t take one step. he died before he hit the ground.

Hubby looks and says, “he’s bigger than mine!”

he ended up being a 5x5 and had a pretty thick antler base.

I felt Hubby being so proud of me!
my dad should be proud too.

immediately, I wanted to know where I shot him. unfortunately, it was a perfect shot and I ruined a front shoulder worth of meat, maybe both.
I wanted to have a better shot.
I am thrilled that he died instantly. his heart was pretty much hamburger. I didn’t want to have to try to shoot a wounded, moving deer.

once I knew he was dead. I was pretty happy too!

post gutting. Hubby cut and showed me how to do it. like I’ll remember next year. but I did pull the guts out. I had to get bloody, fake nails and all. I did take off my rings but that was all.

now, all I really want to do is go hunting some more. time to move up! maybe an elk. oh boy! next year will tell! I’ll definitely “put in” for areas I think next year for deer!

and to think, earlier in the day…I didn’t want to ever hunt again!