It was a cold morning, about forty five minutes before sunrise, the wind was calm for a change. As I walked towards my hunting spot.
The meadow and woodlot were alive with the sounds of nature, I heard a hoot owl and crows calling as I made my way across the ridge, then down into a draw and across another small clearing.
As I made my way up out of the draw, I stopped suddenly as I heard a deer snort. Evidently, I had silhouetted myself and two does that had been feeding in the meadow near the edge of the cedar tangle, saw me and with a couple jumps cleared the low lying fence and all I could do was watch as the does saluted me with their white flags and bounced away through the hardwoods and cedar.
I was down hearted as I made my way to my spot overlooking and above the convergence of two deer trails, feeling I had missed a chance at a nice doe. But, it was still early yet and perhaps I would get lucky and see them as they made their way back into the cedar tangle nearby.
I sat down and settled into my spot under the big oak tree and waited. I waited quietly and watched the wood lot come alive.
Squirrels hopped from tree to tree across the open fields and along and above Whiterock creek. Crows in nearby trees were causing a ruckus and a hoot owl called from somewhere in the snags across the creek. Cardinels, sparrows and other small birds flitted around in the live oaks and cedar nearby. A sparrow hawk glided across the dry pond, suddenly diving and flying away with a mouse or vole in it's talons.
I cradled my fine rifle in my arms, with my hands tucked in under my armpits and my caped hunting frock. I shivered as the temperture dropped as the sun started to come up from the east over the little woodlot.
As the sunlight fell on the tops of the trees, the brilliant fall colors of the woodlot glowed in the early morning light. I slowly scanned the woodlot, peering into the dimly lit forest. As I was watching, a bobcat appeared across the creek and moving through the hardwoods carrying a rabbit in its mouth. I watched the bobcat, in awe, until it disappeared over a hill across the creek.
Here and there a squirrel appeared in one of the numerous walnut, pecan or oak trees that surrounded my little hiding spot on three sides. The sunlight slowly creeped down the trees and gently illuminated the woodlot and meadows all around me, as the sun rose higher in the sky.
I continued to watch from tree to tree, clearing to clearing, hoping to see another deer. I was looking to my left when I suddenly, had a feeling I needed to look up at where the deer trail came down from behind me.
As I slowly turned, I was amazed to see a nice buck moving slowly from my right to my left with his head down. He appeared right on top of me at about twenty yards, I eased my rifle up from it's cradled position, depressing the trigger and bringing the hammer to full cock to keep the buck from hearing the click of the hammer cocking, he was so close.
I raised the rifle and put the silver front sight squarely in the rear notch and aimed just behind his shoulder. I whispered a little prayer "Please go off" to my rifle and the Creator, as I slowly squeezed the trigger - I felt the trigger break, and an instant later felt the hard shove and thundering boom, of the 120 gr charge of FFg sending the ball on it's way.
Time seemed to slow to almost a standstill, the image of the buck was obscured partially by the white smoke. I watched as the knees of the buck, buckled and he dropped where he had been standing an instant before. His back legs were kicking trying to find purchase with which to escape.
Seeing this brought me to my senses and my instincts took over. I reloaded quickly, and brought my rifle up again to fire another shot, but it was not necessary. The buck was still in the grass below me.
I waited for what seemed an eternity but was probably only five or ten minutes, and slowly made my way down there with my rifle at ready just in case. His eyes had glazed over, and I relaxed, I lowered my rifle's hammer to half cock and used the barrel to push the deer. He was dead.
He was a nice nine point buck. I thanked the Creator for such a fine gift and a beautiful morning.
Dan'l
P.S . I shot the buck with my .49 cal Early Virginia rifle crafted by Bobby Christian, this gun has proved to be very accurate. The load I was using was 120 gr FFg, a baby oil lubed patch and a .480 round ball. The distance from where I fired from to the deer was 22 paces, or about 20 yds. I expected the ball to pass completely through the deer, but it didn't. The entrance wound was a bit higher than I had aimed for - I believe this was because my gun is sighted for 50 yds, the angle of the shot was downhill. The ball broke a rib entering the deer, and took out the lungs high, and there was another wound on the far side of the cavity but it didn't penetrate. I looked but I did not recover the ball -
ff What state are you in?
