First deer hunt. 7 point buck harvested!!! -picture heavy-

[seniordep2010]

The hunt was AWESOME!!! My first deer hunt ever and on opening day I got out to the stand at about 6:15 and about 15 mintues later I heard alot of grunting and snorting in the brush behind me. Next thing I know a doe runs across the path, about 15 mintues later, while still very dark I see a antlered deer come out of the woods for just a few moments then go back in.

Not too long after that a does came out of the woods and stood broadside for about 5 minutes and ate leaves off a bush but I didnt feel comfortable making the shot because it was still just a bit too dark to see out of the scope good.

Very little activity after that until I saw the same doe stand up where it had beded back down but I could get a clean shot, so I passed it up thinking I probably missed my only shot of the day when I first saw it.

After about 45 minutes to and hour later I began to get weary and started to kick myself in the butt for not taking the shot on the broadside doe, since there was no activity at all except for 1 grunt a quick bit of brush movement.

Then I was comtemplating how I was going to go pee :p thinking should I get out of the stand and walk away but then they know where I am, or pee off the stand and risk them smelling it, but I had to go soo bad.

Then I saw alot of movement and there he was....the deer I was soon to harvest. He made his way down the game trail and stopped to eat berries, but I could see him through the bush, he trotted away and I thought my short window of oppurtunity was over. Then the buck stopped right in the only clearing on the trail and I knew this was my only chance.

I leaned as far out of this little stand that I wasn't strapped into (dumb me) to get a better shot while 12 feet off the ground. I FELL OUT!!! hahaha just kidding, thought I'd get your attention :D.

Ok so as I said I leaned out and took the 50 yard shot, the Marlin 30-30 dropped the buck in it's tracks. I did decide to take another shot about 45 seconds later to dispatch the animal faster even though he wasn't about to get up and run away.

Here he is! 7 point buck, roughly 150 pounds or more. (didn't weigh him)

http://i35.tinypic.com/10d8jup.jpg

http://i37.tinypic.com/t7nyhj.jpg

http://i33.tinypic.com/6y1r4l.jpg

http://i33.tinypic.com/6tl3cn.jpg

Wat'cha think?

Edit: Oh yea and he was a real goofy lookin' imbred, his bottom jaw was 2 inches shorter than it should be and he looked all bucked tooth haha.

[DiscoRacing]

Shoot a lil lower next time:cool:... btw... nice buck... congrats:eek:

[hogdogs]

Nice deer. Looks a lot like our typical harvest bucks in Fla... Any time i get the chance to take a goofy critter (any species) out of the gene pool... I will.
With the exception of momma hdog's Chi/Pom cross... Gretta has the bottom jaw of a pom and top of a chi so she has a terrible bad "overvite":D
Brent

[seniordep2010]

Yea shot placement wasn't ideal but it was all I had, and I almost fell out of the stand for real when I saw it drop right in it's tracks. What are the odds someone goes on their first deer hunt with a rifle they've had for 3 days, sees a bunch of deer, and shoots a 7 point buck and drops him immediately and doesn't have to attempt to track him through the thick brush? I think I had my dad watching over me today! :D

[fisherman66]

Nice work.

Harvested? Hell, you dun kilt it!

I thought you had to be at work at 5.

[hogdogs]

I thought you had to be at work at 5.
What outfit don't recognize "buck fever" as a legit illness?:D
Brent

[seniordep2010]

Haha that I did. Yea I had to be at work at 5 p.m, but I shot the buck at 8:45 this mornin, then went and got it all cleaned up and went to split a huge load of logs, carried em back to the house and dropped them and the meat off and rushed off to work, only to be there for and hour and a half :barf:, I coulda been huntin instead of rushing to work for that 90 minutes.

[fisherman66]

You mean mine's the only one that makes you schedule in advance and use vacation time?

sumbritch!

[SavageSniper]

Congrats. Great kill. Thanks for sharing. You now have an incureable illness:D

[seniordep2010]

I tell you what hogdogs, I sure do have buck fever now, I think I got it just about as bad as you can get it after such a great hunt like that.

Oh and later on in the afternoon I thought I'd do some long range shooting and got my gun out and fired about 12 rounds. When I ejected the second to last one the action wouldn't close, it wouldnt move at all:eek:. A round got lodged in the action seizing up the whole gun, but I took it to my dealer and he got it fixed and said if the rifle was defected he would get me a new one. Anyway, I suspect I just didnt put enough "ummph" behind the action and did it too lightly since I was just target shooting off the front porch. Ever had somethin like that happen?

[hogdogs]

Here is your "go to" marlin forum...
http://www.marlinowners.com/forums/index.php
Any and all issues Marlin related are covered or known by these guys...
There is a screw in the action that can come loose causing the "Marlin Jam". Otherwise I bet it was just a fluke as you had.
I have had bosses tell me to take off a week as I was worthless with my mind on hunting:D
Brent

[seniordep2010]

Haha, I can't stop thinking about it. I might go one afternoon this week after school (senior in high school) around 2 and stay til dark so I can get my huntin "fix" :cool:

[simonkenton]

Very nice deer!
Great way to start your career.

Don't worry, just whizz right off of the stand. I have done it many times.
Don't give the deer too much credit, I have not noticed it affecting the hunting.

If the deer sees you climbing down from the stand to find a bathroom he will certainly run.

[seniordep2010]

I was thinkin I would just lean off the side cause I just didnt want to get down and miss all the action haha.

[fisherman66]

Take a Gatorade bottle to urinate (won't let my type ****) in. No use leaving you scent right next to your stand.

[hogdogs]

Beer cans work too and make you practice aim and you gotta be sure to not knock it over... BTW, You may not want to try to climb down with the can... Don't ask me how I know, Just trust me on this...:o
Brent

[seniordep2010]

Hahaha. I tell you what though as soon as I shot that deer, I climbed off the stand, took a much needed leak, then went and claimed my kill. :D

[hunter33]

Great job. I was waiting to here back from you:) I was out hunting this morning thinking how you were doing. Obviously better than me :P

[rshanneck2002]

He dropped in his tracks because you hit him just below the spine,which is why you had to dispatch him with another round. First deer huh? Good job, it will make you an addict quick, but this kind of addiction is good.

[seniordep2010]

Oh yea Im defilently addicted, Im already palnning my next hunt and how I want to cook all this meat. Know any good recipes anyone?

[simonkenton]

OK, Grasshopper, kneel in silence and learn at the feet of your Sensei.


Steak recipe number one:

But some stuff in the baking aisle at the store called Oven Fry. Get the type for pork.
Bread the steaks with Oven Fry.
Put a piece of raw bacon on top of each steak.

Bake for 15 minutes at 350. Venison is very dry, the steak will get marinated with the bacon fat, damn it is good.

I have had all kinds of venison, marinated in soy sauce and grilled over mesquite, but the Oven Fry steak is the best.

[seniordep2010]

That sounds really good, I gotta try that, thanks

[ndbbm]

Nice deer and congrats! Always nice to see someone so excited after getting a deer. Good luck in the future.

[seniordep2010]

Thanks, and good luck to you.

[camper4lyfe]

Way to set that bar for yourself pretty darn high!

Great job!

[Bigjim3]

Nice looking deer. Way to go:D

[seniordep2010]

Yea I dont know if my next hunt could beat this one, Ill remeber this one forever!

[rogerxvr]

was it factory ammo or reloaded?

[2damnold4this]

Congrats on your first deer!

[.284]

That looks like some mighty fine eatin.

[Big Bill]

Nice shot - nice deer! I've never seen one like that here in Idaho. We mostly have mulies and a 300 yard shot is fairly typical. BTW, good shot. I bet he didn't travel far. You'll enjoy the meat. Are you going to butcher it yourself at home?

[strongarm5791]

Nice Buck. Congratulations.:)

[seniordep2010]

Thanks, and it was 150 gr. Winchester Power Point. About 50 yard shot, and we cleaned it at a huntin club across town. Bout to head out and try to get another one, see ya'.

[James R. Burke]

Nice deer congradulations! To urinate I use a gallon jug so you can screw the cap back on. ( Milk Bottle) Gets about half full or so ditch it. I dont use it very much. I try to limit my liquid intake before I post.