First Buck!

by Jake
(Kansas)

It was opening morning of Kansas gun season. The previous year I had shot at a monster 11 point on the run that I had jumped out of it’s bed. So this year I had bowhunted and saw only small bucks and the BIG GUY one time.

So only being 15 I was ready to shoot any buck. I hit a twig on a shot with my bow on a 130 class 8 point during rut. So it was time to get my first buck.

Opening morning I took off to the woods with the intention of bagging the BIG GUY. I arrived 5 minutes behind schedule. Due to the amount of deer activity, I had to be very careful not to be caught going into my stand that morning.

I was 10 yards from my stand when 3 does jumped up and trotted off. I decided to hunt the spot anyways that day cause the weather conditions was the same as last year when I saw the BIG GUY not 20 yards from my stand placed this year.

So as I took a seat, I had a feeling come to me that said it was going to be a good day. 10 minutes later a coyote came through 20 yards out and I whistled to get him to stop because I wanted a better look at him. He stopped 2 seconds and was going back to were he came from.

Not 5 minutes later, I see a deer heading my way. I could tell there was antlers but it was not the buck I had intended on taking that morning. So I kept quiet and I realized behind it was another buck with a good first buck rack on top of its head.

So as I loaded a 308 shell into the chamber ready to shoot, 5 minutes later he was grazing not 15 yards from me. I was on the ground against a tree so I had to be still as ever.

When he presented a shot I took it. He dropped and didn’t move as I placed the shot a little high from being so nervous I jerked the trigger a little. So I hit him in what I heard was called the sweet spot where the deer won’t move.The spot just above the shoulder and just below the spine.

My scope was sighted in on magnified by 4 so the deer looked bigger in the scope. When I got to him he was a small 5 point that had broken a tine in a fight.

He was gray and old. He had to be a 5 or 6 yr. old deer. So I knew he was a good deer to take from the herd.

I called my dad and asked him how to gut it and he step by step helped me get the deer field dressed.

I had no one to help me haul it, so I had to drag the deer by myself 2 miles across timber and plains grass to get it home so I began my drag and 3 hours later I had completed my hunt for my first buck.