N80
Super Member
Today was opening day of deer season in upstate SC. I had to work so I couldn't hunt this morning. But my 16 year old son and I went this afternoon.
My Dad spent the night in the cabin last night and hunted this morning. He has very early Alzheimers. He still drives and hunts. Most people don't notice anything except that he struggles with words from time to time. But, its still heartbreaking when someone you love is heading down that path. Last year he didn't kill a deer or a turkey.
He called me yesterday before he went down there and told me he'd scouted out a few oak trees with acorns earlier this week, which is a rare thing this fall. He said he'd hunt there this morning and then let my son hunt in there this afternoon.
Well, when we got there this afternoon he was napping in the cabin when we drove up and I noticed that the skinnning rack had been in use. He had killed a big eight pointer, one shot, and had it skinned, cut up and in the cooler. I think he struggled a bit getting the buck dressed out, but it was done.
Then he recommended that my son sit in there near the oak trees with acorns. I was sitting in a valley not too far away. I didn't see anything but heard my son shoot at abut 7pm, followed by a second shot. I figured he'd missed and fired a desparation second shot.
When I got to him, he had a nice 8 pointer on the ground and a cow horn. He was a bit embarrassed. He'd shot the 8 pointer and it had run about 30 yards into some thick stuff. He did not see it go down. As he entered the thick stuff to look around, a buck popped up about 20 steps from him and thinking it was the wounded buck, dropped him with a shot. There was nothing wrong with the cow horn, it was a pretty hefty deer and had some curve in its horns, but the fact that it wasn't the buck he thought it was disappointed him. Then he looked a little ways ahead and the 8 pointer was on the ground too.
I didn't see a thing, but didn't care at all. This was a big confidence booster for Dad (scouted the location, made the shot, etc.) who obviously is aware (at this point) of his declining abilities. And getting two bucks at once for a 16 year old is a good shot of much needed self esteem there too.
Three shots, three bucks all on opening day! I don't care if I see another buck this year, this has already been one of my best deer seasons ever and I thank God for such blessings at this time in Dad's life. And my son's.
I got a picture with my son with his two bucks and Dad holding the horns of his. I may post later but some folks may not appreciate such pics and that's understandable.
My Dad spent the night in the cabin last night and hunted this morning. He has very early Alzheimers. He still drives and hunts. Most people don't notice anything except that he struggles with words from time to time. But, its still heartbreaking when someone you love is heading down that path. Last year he didn't kill a deer or a turkey.
He called me yesterday before he went down there and told me he'd scouted out a few oak trees with acorns earlier this week, which is a rare thing this fall. He said he'd hunt there this morning and then let my son hunt in there this afternoon.
Well, when we got there this afternoon he was napping in the cabin when we drove up and I noticed that the skinnning rack had been in use. He had killed a big eight pointer, one shot, and had it skinned, cut up and in the cooler. I think he struggled a bit getting the buck dressed out, but it was done.
Then he recommended that my son sit in there near the oak trees with acorns. I was sitting in a valley not too far away. I didn't see anything but heard my son shoot at abut 7pm, followed by a second shot. I figured he'd missed and fired a desparation second shot.
When I got to him, he had a nice 8 pointer on the ground and a cow horn. He was a bit embarrassed. He'd shot the 8 pointer and it had run about 30 yards into some thick stuff. He did not see it go down. As he entered the thick stuff to look around, a buck popped up about 20 steps from him and thinking it was the wounded buck, dropped him with a shot. There was nothing wrong with the cow horn, it was a pretty hefty deer and had some curve in its horns, but the fact that it wasn't the buck he thought it was disappointed him. Then he looked a little ways ahead and the 8 pointer was on the ground too.
I didn't see a thing, but didn't care at all. This was a big confidence booster for Dad (scouted the location, made the shot, etc.) who obviously is aware (at this point) of his declining abilities. And getting two bucks at once for a 16 year old is a good shot of much needed self esteem there too.
Three shots, three bucks all on opening day! I don't care if I see another buck this year, this has already been one of my best deer seasons ever and I thank God for such blessings at this time in Dad's life. And my son's.
I got a picture with my son with his two bucks and Dad holding the horns of his. I may post later but some folks may not appreciate such pics and that's understandable.
