by Ashley Westra
(Quincy, WA)
My First Mule Deer
It was last year, 2009, and it was my 4th year hunting with no luck of shooting my own deer. But this year was going to be different.
That is what I had to tell myself every morning and afternoon that I left the warm cabin to go hunting.
My dad had always been with me while hunting but now he was with my little brother and I was on my own to remember and use all the tips and tricks that he taught me.
So I head over the first hill behind the cabin and of course the deer are in that first draw.
So I stalk for a while and watch as they begin moving over the next ridge. So I follow as quietly as I can and head around the bend to meet the deer on the other side. It was a group of 2 bucks and 5 does.
As I go around the bend, I can see the 2 bucks. One is just a spike but the other is a fantastic 3 point.
So I ended up using my older brothers gun and was happy at first to have a bi pod, until I popped it out and it was a short bi pod and my buck is in tall grass, so I have the heavy bi pod hanging off the end of my gun and I cant get it back up.
So as I get the deer in my sights the bi pod is pulling the nose of my gun down.
But I take the shot and miss, it runs with the rest of the group across the draw and looks back to give me that “what the hell” stare.
So I aim again, shoot and hit…. in the foot.
So it’s gimpy and across the draw running farther away from me as I try to get my stupid bi pod up.
I finally get it up and begin the chase. I chased that deer for about an hour before I finally had to stop.
It was getting dark. So I went back to the cabin a little depressed but ready for the next day. I didn’t wanna go home empty handed and the next day was the last day of hunting season.
So I woke up the next day early and headed off in a direction of no purpose from my mind. I just headed out in hope of a big buck.
So as the sun rose, I looked to the top of a hill and saw the silhouette of a deer. But there was something different about this deer…. it was limping.
I had to swallow my heart after it jumped up into my throat.
So I waited and watched calmly as my heart pounded at a million mph.
So it headed in my direction and bedded down in a draw.
I lost sight of it for a while and headed to where I prayed it would be and it was not till I was 12 feet from it that I saw it looking up at me.
So I took aim and killed my first deer ever.
Cant wait for this next season.
