Trophy Spike (memories with dad)

[HogBiologist]

I would actually like to dedicate this kill to the best father a guy could ever have. My father has been a very important part of my life. I have loved listening to his stories about him and his dad hunting when he was young. He was with me when I shot my first sqyuirrel and woke me up to shoot my first deer. Over the last few years I have made it a point to invite him hunting with me. I have been fortunate enough to call in a turkey for him to kill on one occasion. This morning was no exception. I gave my wife the first chance to go. She declined so I asked my dad. He was obliged to go (seemingly reluctant, but I knew he wanted to go). I have a honey hole on KNF that I regularly see deer at. I was in possession of the .270 that he had bought around the time I was born, and he had the 30-30 that I had shot my first deer with. I was hoping to get him a deer this morning. I took him out to my spot well before daylight. It was kinda funny, I can remember as a kid trying to keep up with him in the woods. This morning I had to walk slowly so he could keep up with me. We made it to the tree and spread out the folding chairs to sit. I don't use a stand on KNF since the ridges are prime for sitting on the ground. As the sun came up we listened to all the squirrels around us. We sat for quite a while until this one little grey squirrel came right up to us and then decided to let the woods know we were there. He barked for about 20 minutes. <>

About 8 AM we heard a shot about 3 ridges over in front of us. I told dad that we knew the deer were moving now. A few minutes later a huge murder of crows began cawing. The sound was deafening. This went on for quite a while. We could barely hear the other shots from neighboring properties. I was watching to my right up the hill, since that is where the deer usually come from. Around 8:45 I was looking right then looked down at my feet. When I looked up in front of me the deer looked up at me too. There it was, about 60 yards in front of me. Our eyes met and the deer bolted. I picked up the .270 to maybe get a running shot. To my surprise, he stopped about 30 yards from where he was standing. He was facing right and his head was behind a tree. I could not tell if his shoulder was behind the tree or not. I leaned to the left and could see his front legs. His shoulder was exposed. I waited to see if dad was going to shoot. No shot, so I put it on the shoulder and squeezed. The remmy barked. I looked at dad, only to see him looking at me with his gun in his lap. He watched the whole thing, but never picked up the 30-30. I stood up and said it was time to track. As usual, I like the bang flop shot and he said the deer was laying right there. He watched the whole thing but never thought about shooting. The first thing I did was give him a big hug and told him how much it meant that he was there. I walked over to the deer to discover that it was a spike. I walked back to dad and told him to stay there with the deer while I took the chairs back to the truck and got the drag. I had to laugh when I was dragging the deer out. The drag is about .25 miles up hill all the way. He told me he would help if I could catch up to him. When I got about 20 yards from the truck he came and helped me drag the deer the rest of the way.

That spike is more than a trophy to me. It will forever be a memory of a day I got to hunt with my dad.

[Wingboneman]

 

[davisd9]

Congratulations!  That is what a hunt is supposed to be about!

[tomstopper]

Awesome. Nothing better than a father bonding with his children no matter how old they get. Congrats to both you and your dad on a great hunt.

[allaboutshooting]

That's a great story well told. I appreciate your sharing.

Thanks,
Clark

[surehuntsalot]

the memories we make is what it's all about

[owlhoot]

great,  thanks for sharing that.

[flintlock]

You just can't put a price on that!

[redarrow]

Reminds me of a song Jim Croce use to sing. "Photographs and Memories ".

[TrackeySauresRex]

  Congrats on a great hunt with Dad.

[RutnNStrutn]

Spike or not, that is a for sure trophy!! I lost my Dad a year and a half ago, so I know how important that hunt was.

[Woodsman4God]

You just can't put a price on that!

Agree totally, No matter what people say a spike ,doe , forkhorn whatever under those conditions is a trophy to be praised.