This past Monday was Pennsylvannia's opening day of deer season. I always enjoy opening day there, as I was born there, and the vast majority of my relatives live there. It's a great time to catch up, eat good food, and deer hunt. It is especially nice to visit with my 91 yr. old Grandmother, god love her.
Monday was unusually warm. Pre dawn temps. were around 50 degrees, and it was to warm up to 60 degrees, later in the day. So much for those classic cold , frosty morning hunts. I got to my hunting area around 6 am, about 45 minutes prior to first shooting light. When I got to my stand, I was a little disappointed, as my home made hillbilly hotel was kinda leaning over like the tower of Pisa. I regrouped, plopped myself about 15 yards infront of my stand, against a large oak tree to support my back. As sun started making day, I could tell it was going to be a beautiful day, even tho' it was a tad warm.
The sun filtered thru the clouds making for a fantastic sunrise. I'm fortunate to be able to hunt my families 5th generation 600 acre dairy farm. You can bet the perimeter of the farm is surrounded by the orange army, blaze orange. Opening day sounds like the grand finale of the 4th of July at peak moments. The shots seem to ignite one another, causing a chain reaction of still more gun fire.
One thing I've learned hunting in Pa., is that if you don't tag out within the first hour, the odds of shooting a buck in a natural, relaxed state are minimal. As the day progresses, hang on to your seats, as the deer you see will be hauling hoof across the benches and hollers.
The area I hunt on the farm is a wooded area that was timbered out 15 years ago , or so, and has alot of primary, and secondary growth shooting up. Alot of the area is covered with thumb size sapplings of various trees. Perfect sixgun country. If it weren't for the cutting of shooting lanes, your shots would be extremely limited.
Around 10 am, I heard the distinct crunching and kicking of leaves, that only paniced deer can make. Behind me, a dozen does and fawns were strung out, packstring style, making time across the ridge, for refuge.
At 1100 am, I got my chance. About 50 yards, down to my left, I could see 3 deer exploding thru the brush, cracking and snapping those same sapplings I mentioned earlier. I scanned ahead of them, looking for an opening. The lead deer was a buck. I could see enough antler to know it was legal. Pa. now requires at least 3, 1" points to at least 1 side. This fella easily had that, and more.
Now, I have a confession to make. My deer season has been a little dry up to this point. (Although I did get to see my 13 yr.old daughter whack a spike, her first ever deer, on Md's youth hunt). Nothing during the bow or early muzzleloader season. Nothing on opening day of Md. firearms seasons. I was getting an itchy trigger finger, and needed some relief, fast. I'm almost ashamed to admitt it, forgive me, Dick Thompson, but I brought along my Ruger Model 77 MKII .30-06. I also had my trusty, faithful Ruger Bisley Hunter in .45 colt, as my primary gun. Anything this side of 100 yds would be the Bisley's job, anything over 100, the '06 would get the nod. I had both guns loaded, laying on my backpack, within easy reach.
When I first saw the deer below me, my hand found my faithful friend, and grabbed the Bisley Hunter. A good, firm grip was established, and I cocked the gun as it came up to my line of sight. Once good sight alignment was established,I got on the lead deer, the buck, and swung past him, to my closest shooting lane. Here I waited for him. When his nose broke the plain of the shooting lane, I bleated ! LOUD! Damn ! He stopped. With good sight alignment still established, I progressed to sight picture, pushing that front sight thru Mr. Bucks near shoulder. It's always a good thing when the explosion of the round startles you. And this one did ! The buck lurched forward, fell on his nose, and did the rear leg chest plow, pushing himelf 20 yards thru the leaves, before dying.
This isn't cable TV, and I'm no Michael Waddell. I had about 2 seconds to judge, grab the gun, cock it, and shoot. There was no 30 second footage to debate,"Well, his G2 is 2 inches longer on on the right side, or, his G1 is broken on the left ." This was a real hunt, and as I mentioned earlier, during this time of day, on opening day, these deer are moving. It all happened so quick, all I could say afterward was, damn !
The load I was using was from a special box of loads I loaded 2 years ago. I was getting ready for an elk hunt in Idaho, with Dick Thompson. It was to be a handgun hunt. The load consisted of Elmers finest 454424 260 gr., .45 slug , loaded over 20.0 grs. of 2400, sparked by a WLPP. I got my elk in Idaho. Then 2 deer in Md. Last year, I got a buck in both Pa., and Md. from the same box of ammo and gun. I have 12 rounds left of this original box. I may just save them for special hunts. I'll definately be stingy with them. The Keith slug struck the buck just above the knuckle of the near shoulder, and punched thru the off shoulder. That slug is probably still zinging thru the forest.
It was a good day, finished by going to my cousins "Butcher shop". There, the deer are skinned, quartered, loins cut out, some fried right away, and beverages consumed. As hunters have before us, stories start to spew out, loved ones remembered, who are no longer there, and young ones with there first deer kill are treated as royalty, and welcomed to the tradition. For a short time, all is well with the world, and everything just seems right.
