Well, I finally have a little time and photobucket is cooperating, so here is a picture of my 2015 Iowa whitetail. I've been working on getting each of my girls a deer this year, and for them it was a situation where they just each wanted a set of antlers for their rooms. Not a lot of time hunting and we weren't selective at all. That's okay, they were all successful and I couldn't be more proud.

So, on to my hunt. Knowing that time was very limited, about two days of the season to hunt, I wasn't going to be picky either, but I wanted to hunt with my prized Python having carried it a lot as a backup, but never having shot anything with it. This time it was the only gun I had along.

After finding a couple groups of bedded does, I was fortunate enough to locate this buck bedded in a field terrace with one forkhorn and about six does/fawns. So I hatched a plan that included being dropped off by a buddy about 1/2 mile crosswind from them, and hoping to get on top of the terrace they were under (out of the 15-25 mph wind at 6 degrees F) which would put me at about 35 to 40 yards. Well, the best laid plans... I made it to the high flat above them with the last couple hundred yards on my hands and knees when I spotted one of the does up feeding. I was stuck at 83 yards from her and I couldn't see the buck because I was now flat on my belly.

I was able to get to my knees, though it took me about 2 minutes to get up, I was cold! Once on my knees when fully up, I could see the buck as he too was now up feeding just below her. Guessing he was a few yards short, I thought I would wait him out, thinking the does would feed down the terrace. Wrong again. I've been practicing with this gun a lot with the same load I'm hunting with and am confident out to 100 yards, so I decided to take the shot. After getting to the full upright position, I had the buck lined up. The first shot cracked and the buck's rear end dropped. I spined him. I quickly got off a second shot and hit him perfect, double lung. Now I got excited as he was pulling himself away, so I put a third shot into him and hit him in the rump. I have to tell you though, I got the shakes....BAD. I jumped up as he dropped for good, having covered about 20 yards after the first hit.

The shakes didn't quit for about 10 minutes, and that's four times this year, once each when my girls got their deer and this one. It was a good year for me, God has blessed me for sure.