The Swede Pulls the Trigger

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Mike P
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The Swede Pulls the Trigger

Post by Mike P »

As usual, we were planning on going to the farm this weekend to hunt. That all changed yesterday afternoon around five o'clock. Annie and I were working on the grounds here around the house dispatching of some late dropping leaves when we saw him.

We first saw the three doe's walking with purpose at the corner of our property that adjoins Doc's property. Earlier in the year we would have paid little attention to three doe's. This time of year we stop what we are doing and watch. He appeared about fifty yards behind the doe's. And he was a giant.

After they continued and were out of sight we ceased our statue impersonations. "Ve hunt here dis weekend, ya?" she asked. "Ya," I replied.

Now I treasure my weekends hunting at the farm, but this buck made the decision a "no brainer." And Ohio State plays Michigan Saturday and this amounts to a "holy day" on Becker's calendar and if we were going to miss a weekend, this would be one to consider as he will be unbearable to be around until the final gun sounds. Even Shrader knows not to mess with Becker when OSU plays Michigan.

We set up on the ridgeline on Doc's property. This ridge has produced year after year. Doc killed that ten pointer there last year and it is the same ridge where I killed that "great eight" three years ago. Doc would also hunt the ridge about a hundred yards south of us this morning as we told him of the buck last night and he has still not filled his tag.

We were all in place a half hour before first light. At 7:46 we saw the doe. He was with her! And they were coming up from the hollow below on the trail that would place them in front Annika's climber at thirty yards. As the leaves are now gone we could see all the way down the side of the hill to the creek and watch their climb towards us. She already had the Phoenix out of the holder and at the ready.

I had a long time to glass the buck. I did not know him. I thought he was a buck that I had seen from time to time here in the neighborhood when I saw him yesterday but I was wrong. I had never laid an eye on this buck before yesterday in the yard. He was a ten with several kickers. He was not terribly wide, but he was a skyscraper. His G2's and G3's were easily fourteen inches. The G1's or brow tines were at least eleven inches. His belly sagged and his chest was huge. He was an old buck.

When he was still over a hundred yards away I mouthed "shoot him" to Annie and she nodded her head. I was twenty-two yards beyond her tree in the Equalizer stand and had an unobstructed view of the trail and her kill zone. I understand now why those that film hunts set up next to the hunter and above them to give the viewer the "over the shoulder" look as the hunter takes the shot. If I had a video camera in hand I would have the entire picture in frame of both hunter and buck, but even at just over twenty yards away, the detail would be lost on the shot I suspect.

When the two deer moved to within seventy-five yards of Annie they started to veer to her left. This angle was going to put them on a course that would lead directly behind her tree instead of on the trail directly in front of her. I watched her slowly move to a standing position in the Timbertall climber. I smiled. She understood what was happening. She understood the angle the possible shot would present if the deer remained on their present course. I also noticed the first signs of trouble. I could see the Phoenix moving up and down ever so slightly. She was shaking.

She looked back at me with a look of terror in her eyes. I mouthed the word "breathe" to her over and over. She nodded that she understood and started taking deep breaths. I tried to tell her to breathe through her nose but that ship had sailed. She was panting like a Georgia quail dog on an early season hunt.

I felt so helpless. This magnificent buck was going to present her with a shot, albeit a very difficult one, and she was having an acute attack of buck fever. As she could no longer look back at me with the approach of the two deer there were no words to "mouth" that might soothe her. This destiny was determined. I could only sit back and watch the scene that was about to play out in front of me.

She stopped them both with a little bleat that sounded less like the sound that would come from the mouth of a whitetail and more like the sound a child makes immediately prior to the administration of a flu shot. I guess you would call it a "terrorized fawn in distress call" for lack of any thing better. It did stop the deer but they were both on full alert. They were fully aware that what they heard did not come from the mouth of one of their kind.

I saw Annie move the left limb of the Phoenix around and in back of the tree she was attached to. I am certain the deer saw it as well. I thought "she still has her senses about her even with the fever" as she was making certain the crossbow limb would not strike the tree with the shot. I heard the "twack" of the Phoenix releasing the arrow. I watched as the buck launched at the sound. I saw the arrow go over his spine by at least four inches when his body dropped as he dug in his back legs.

With that it was over. Both buck and doe blasted past my tree and were still at full bore when I lost sight of them as they went across the saddle and down the other side. I looked at Annie and she was shaking uncontrollably. I motioned for her to sit down in the climber as I was concerned she might drop the crossbow. Her lips were pursed together. It was obvious that she was very upset with herself. I mouthed "I love you" to her. In response, she raised the middle finger on her right hand and flipped me the bird. And with that we both started to laugh. The fever left.

"Ve hunt the other side of da ridge dis afternoon, ya?" she said as we slowly walked back to our house.

"Ya," I replied.
Last edited by Mike P on Sat Nov 21, 2009 11:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
Bow Life
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Post by Bow Life »

Felt like I was in the stand with you two. Love to read your stories, keep us updated.

Best of luck.
Mike

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Post by AHBH »

Mike reading your stories is better than watching a video. :lol:
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Post by Normous »

WOW, what a story. I can relate because Patti hunts too but has yet to take a deer. That will certainly happen one day. Whenever she has a close call I can hear her quivering slight voice and pounding heart through the FRS radio on my end. Her excitement brings much joy to me. To be able to see her one day take one makes the top 10 list in my life.

I can't remember the last time that I got the finger. I must be doing something right.
Last edited by Normous on Sat Nov 21, 2009 11:23 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Kenton »

Great story Mike, i think there might be more to add on to the end though.
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ComfyBear
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Post by ComfyBear »

You've painted quite a vivid scene. I've got to chuckle, when I think, she missed the deer, and you got the "bird". :lol:

Well I suppose that's why it's said, and I paraphase, that a bird in the hand is worth a deer in the bush. :wink:
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Grizzly Adam
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Re: The Swede Pulls the Trigger

Post by Grizzly Adam »

Mike P wrote: I tried to tell her to breathe through her hose but that ship had sailed.
Well, no wonder she was having trouble making the shot, Mike!

What was she doing wearing hose during the hunt, anyway? :P :lol:
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Post by Grizzly Adam »

OK ... on a serious note:

I'm glad she got to shoot, even if she did miss. That's what memories are made of. :D

Her day will come. 8)

Tell her we're all rooting for her.
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Mike P
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Re: The Swede Pulls the Trigger

Post by Mike P »

Grizzly Adam wrote:What was she doing wearing hose during the hunt, anyway? :P :lol:
I really ought to proof read these things grizz, but I figure what the hell.

I know you will and direct me to my mistakes. :lol:

Saves me the time and effort. :D
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Re: The Swede Pulls the Trigger

Post by Grizzly Adam »

Mike P wrote:
Grizzly Adam wrote:What was she doing wearing hose during the hunt, anyway? :P :lol:
I really ought to proof read these things grizz, but I figure what the hell.

I know you will and direct me to my mistakes. :lol:

Saves me the time and effort. :D
What?

You mean she wasn't wearing hose? :!: :?: :wink:
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Re: The Swede Pulls the Trigger

Post by ComfyBear »

Mike P wrote:
Grizzly Adam wrote:What was she doing wearing hose during the hunt, anyway? :P :lol:
I really ought to proof read these things grizz, but I figure what the hell.

I know you will and direct me to my mistakes. :lol:

Saves me the time and effort. :D
Adam, I caught it too. However, after looking at the man in the mirror, I thought I'd refrain from pointing it out. Unlike you Adam, I'm not a man of the cloth. However I do feel that, not being without sin, who am I too cast the first stone. :wink:
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Re: The Swede Pulls the Trigger

Post by Grizzly Adam »

ComfyBear wrote:
Mike P wrote:
Grizzly Adam wrote:What was she doing wearing hose during the hunt, anyway? :P :lol:
I really ought to proof read these things grizz, but I figure what the hell.

I know you will and direct me to my mistakes. :lol:

Saves me the time and effort. :D
Adam, I caught it too. However, after looking at the man in the mirror, I thought I'd refrain from pointing it out. Unlike you Adam, I'm not a man of the cloth. However I do feel that, not being without sin, who am I too cast the first stone. :wink:
Hey ... he who yanks chains is gonna feel the tug once in a while, too! :D
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Mike P
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Re: The Swede Pulls the Trigger

Post by Mike P »

Grizzly Adam wrote:Hey ... he who yanks chains is gonna feel the tug once in a while, too! :D
Exactly!

The hose/nose thing was of course a typo. The way I blast though these things it is little wonder I do not have more.

I do care if I make grammatical mistakes or spelling mistakes. Those should not happen.

I also think that any time any of the above happens I am fair game. I may blow off the English language when I submit a short post in a thread, but when I tell you a story, such is not the case. It should have no mistakes.

It is fun in kind of a "gotcha" manner when someone points out an error I have made. Grizz did it in his normal fun and tongue in cheek manner. I never take any offense. You also could have pointed it out Comfy, it would have been fine. But I think I am the only one here on the forum that should be held to that standard.

I lost my amateur status a long time ago. I accept money in exchange for things that I write. Not here of course, but in other arenas. It is just like grizz when he accepts money for his speaking engagements.

I hurl insults and innuendo at grizz all the time regarding religion that I would never do to any others on this forum. He is a professional. He is fair game.

No one should ever have any inhibitions about yanking my chain.

After all, I am one of the biggest yankers out there!
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Post by VixChix »

Great post Mike! You (and Annika!) had my heart racing and my palms sweating as I was reading through it.

Here's to the next time! Tell her we're all rooting for her!!!
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Post by Petersen »

Thanks for the story.....really enjoyed it! :D
Wouldn't be hunting...if you got them all the time!
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