First Shotgun Buck
by Rob Wheat

9/03 Middle America

The first shotgun season had opened! I awoke early Friday morning, and was disappointed to remember that I had school. So, I slowly went through the day and immediately came out of school to my dad in his Expedition waiting. We arrived at the stand and put our camoflauge on and dousing ourselves in cover scent, to sit and wait… Nothing! Disappointed, but not discouraged we left, back at our house we talked about how it had been extremely warm for November, and I knew that this wasn't going to help our chances any. So, the following day went by with us hunting as hard as we could, but still didn't even see a deer! Worried we left, and at 4:30 A.M. we were up and headed to the stand (after stopping for a cup of coffee). We climbed in, and I noted that it was warm, and that we were downwind from the field we were facing. As the sun rose the field was empty, but at 6:30 A.M. I heard my dad whispering to me "Here one comes, running down the field." I quickly turned to face the deer and followed him down to a seventy yard shot with my 20-guage. Grunting lightly to stop him for an instant my dad and I both realized that it was a buck almost instantaneously! My dad started to tell me to shoot when ready, but as he started my gun went off! Before he realized what had happened I had unloaded the gun, and was climbing down. The buck had fell dead in his tracks! My dad went to get the tag, and I slowly walked over and made sure the deer was dead. He was! This was my first deer (and buck) a large-bodied 4-point! He wasn't a huge deer, but he will always be a trophy to me.