The deer

This hunt on the first day I saw a 3 point. I chased him through the trees for a min but wasn't able to get a shot at him.

The second day I was stopping to glass a hill and heard a bunch of hunters behind me yelling for their dog. They were right in the trees behind me so I put my pack on and turned to keep going. A 4 point snuck right around about 15 feet from me and ran behind a wood pile. I pulled up to shoot him but he was right where the hunters were at. I could hear them yelling for their dog again so I let him go and didn't shoot because I didn't feel comfortable with the shot.

The third day I let a 2 point go. I could have shot him but I let him leave. Now I'm not one of those that just hunts for the rack. I hunt for the meat. I hunt to help control the population. But all Ive ever shot was 2 points. I told myself this year I was going to go with a size bigger than I have gotten before.

The fourth day I played cat and mouse with a 3 point buck and doe. I took a shot and missed him.

I saw a deer each day of the hunt.

I hiked hard.

I worked hard for the deer.

I got up at 6 am and hiked and hunted until about 10 at least each morning. Came back had some breakfast and went back out for a little bit. I'd come back and take a nap. Wake up and go hunt til it was dark.

Kennedy came out a few times with me but mostly she stayed with dad at camp.

Sundays are always a successful huntin day for me.

I got my elk and my last deer on a Sunday.

They just seem to be good luck.

I always had a teacher who referred to it as 'Church in the Mountains'

Being out enjoying Gods country and the beauty around

I started out Sunday morning at sunlight and started hiking up to a pile of trees and cut trees.

I sat down for a min but felt like I needed to hike around instead of keep an eye on a clearing.

So I start through the heavy timbers and brush and came into a little opening.

This may sound funny to some...

but Ive spent a LOT of time in the wilderness. Hunting. Fishing. Camping.

I have a good eye for wildlife.

I'm very aware of my surroundings around me.

I listen and pay attention.

I can feel them looking at me and it helps me pick them out.

I saw this buck starring at me.

He was maybe at the most 20 yards from me.

I took two steps to the left so I had a clear shot with out any brush or trees in the way.

Pulled up and aimed for the center.

Normally I go right behind the shoulder but I had been shooting a little to the right and high when I was practicing so I went for dead center where if I wavered some I would still be in the clear.

I exhaled and pulled the trigger while I was.

He dropped!

Dropped right there!

I hurried and reloaded just in case and went over to see my deer.

I wasn't able to tell how big his rack was when I shot him. I knew he was a buck and a decent size.

I was surprised to see he was a 4 point

I tried to call my dad over the radio so him and Kennedy could come up with the deer cart and start getting this guy outta there.

Where I was I'd hiked up an old logging road and was about 100 yards or so through the heavy trees.

I stalked, shot and gutted the deer all by myself.

This was the first one Ive ever had to gut on my own.

Usually my dad is with me and he just cant help himself.

I had no phone service.

He wasn't answering on the radio.

So I had him all cleaned out and waiting when I finally got ahold of him about 45 min after I shot it.

I was hiking out to a clearing where I knew I had reception at when he answered. It was about 7:45 am

My dads friend Alan made this deer cart.

Its awesome!

Kennedy rode on it while her and dad came up to where I was at.

She had a blast and was yelling Yee Haww!!

We took a few pictures

Dad helped me clean up one little part I missed on the deer.

Kennedy doesnt look happy in these pictures but she really was.

She was mad I didnt shoot her a "bambi" because she wanted one too

Kennedy took this one of dad and I

We weren't quite ready for it!

We loaded up the deer onto the cart

I put on my backpack and rifle into it and Dad and I carted it out

It still was a workout getting it over the down trees and dead fall but we did it

Much easier than dragging it!

Kennedy helped.

She held onto the antlers while we walked

We got the deer back to camp

Quartered it out and put it in the cooler and packed up camp!

I got a bunch of good steaks out of it and am going to make a bunch of jerky and summer sausage!

I really do hunt for the meat.

I like the adventure of hunting.

I like the accomplishment of getting something.

But it was nice this year to get a bigger deer than normal!