Looks like a great trip guys , love the stories and the smiles.

Curt,
  During the post mortem did you find any indication of injury that may have attributed to the unique right antler?

Congrats to all the successful hunters.  Those texas deer look delicate and graceful.  Their sleek lines remind me of gazelles.

QuoteOriginally posted by Terry Green:
"Alright Skyler, you can shoot all the does you want this evening out of this stand.....AFTER 6:15" - David Shepard

Terry that statement was a riot! Shep you are one funny guide! Sky kudos to you for being able to hold off all week waiting for a nice buck. Your time is def coming.

Awesome thread gents, can't wait to read what's still to come...       Yes Mr. Lamb I am NOT waiting patiently and I know the story, at least some if it.

Wow!!! Got to be the best thread for hunt ever, just looked from start to finish , lol with my mouth open!!!!thanks so much for sharing , God bless all of you. Marco#78

I didn't Jesse, but I didn't skin the whole deer. I caped him out and donated all my meat to a needy family that David Knew...I was happy to do so.....

But there was nothing in the front end that indicated any kind of injury. But I'd bet there was something there...somewhere....

Com'on Sky...you have some catchin' up to do buddy...Then we can talk about your last evening hunt    

Great hunt fellas.Nothing like Good friends and stickbows with critters thrown in.Its a blessing from God to be able to have one let alone all three.RC

Well said RC    

Thanks for sharing gents.  Impressive at every post!

Posted under Dad again.      

Sorry guys. Back to my story. The next evening I hunted in a strong built ladder stand. I had one doe come in at about 5:00 but she just never wold come on my side of the feeder. About 5 minutes until it's to dark to shoot, I look to my right and, low-and-behold, There stands another deer It was really big bodied and dark, so I look through my binoculars and I see That it is a buck and it's about 18 inches wide. You can imagine that that got my heart to thumping. But by this time it IS to dark to dark to shoot. DARN IT! Oh well, there will be more chances.

The next morning, It was back to "Blue Chair". David told me to take no prisoners this time, so it's doe killin time. I had deer in front of me at daylight, so I'm already in kill mode. I had a nice sized doe 15 yards, broad sided. I slowly drew my bow, reached anchor, picked out a rock a few inches under the hairline, and released.  The arrow looked perfect going through the air....then ...CLANG!!!! I hadn't seen how far these deer duck, and NOW I know. The arrow went right over the top of her back and even hit the rock that I was shooting at.      Well dadgummit. I was sitting there feeling a little frustrated, but all that changed when I got a text message from Curt..."Just drilled that funky buck!" Congratulations once more Curt!!! I sent Dad a text message, telling him about Curt and that I had missed a doe, and in reply, he sent me a picture of a dead 7 point he killed. GOOD JOB DAD!!! I didn't see any more deer but seeing Curt and Dad with their bucks made it worth it. But little did I know that the fun was only just beginning for me when it comes to BIG BUCKS..............  

There's just something extra special about the first hunt of a new adventure. Of course I'd heard tales of the spooky nature of the little Hill Country deer and I wondered how I'd deal with that.

After looking over a few of the tree stands I was relieved when John pulled up to an old red barn. So this was going to be my first stand.

I settled in as the dust cleared from John's departing pickup truck.

A low loft with an open window served as shooting blind in the barn. A ratty piece of  camo material hung beside the window, and a  plastic, long legged directors chair sat in front of it.

I rigged up the camo net as best I could.
 

It became apparent I'd have to do a little work if I was going to get a shot on a Hill Country hyper deer.

Leaves covered the floor making it impossible to move without clattering noise. I found an old blanket in the corner and used it to sweep away the leaves and dust.
 

Having accomplished that task I carefully spread out the blanket in front of the window and pulled my chair onto it.
After that I removed my shoes. The floor of the old barn creaked when I moved but the shoeless rountine helped.

I got as comfortable as I could and waited patiently for the evening to pass.
All in all the weather was perfect. Not too warm but just cool enough that a jacket and long underwear felt pretty comfy in the inactivity of a stand.

A few deer showed up late but wouldn't commit to come close to my hideout. I guess they had other plans.

Night time came to Texas and I felt God's peace in me with the gathering of the evening color and it's passing into darkness as the sun went to rest beyond the distant hills.
 

This was going to be a cool hunt. No two ways about it.

..Thanx Sky      

......so now that I had my buck. It was time to really have some fun trying to kill a doe. Not as easy as some might think!

We dropped Skyler off and as we were driving away, David asked, "how's yur high angle shot?"...Just fine, "well good,I have just the spot for ya"...

I got up into an extremely high ladder stand with a birds eye view of everything around me.....





I was just sitting back,relaxing, just taking it all in,feelin' good about how things had gone this morning...when I look to my left and see this......






The biggest,cleanest 8pt I'd seen the whole trip, and he was headed right for Sky!!!!!

In the cool of the evening we all crammed our tired bodies into the truck as it picked up each of us in turn.

The ride to the camp was long,rough and slow. I guess it was longer and slower because I was one big rumbling belly ache and I knew supper would be waiting.

Seems like all of the trucks returned pretty close to the same time. We were all soon busy wrapping ourselves around some fine vittles.

Stories were told around  the table and recovery plans were made for animals that had been shot but not found immediately.

The guides showed their wisdom and never crowded an animal. They were always given plenty of time before the tracking began.

In a couple instances it was decided to leave the deer all night and track in the morning.... with positive results I might add.

I'd been listening closely to the stories as they unfolded trying to garner some hint of a clue as to how to approach killing these deer.

A couple of things ran common in the stories.

1. These animals move at the shot with dependable regularity, dropping near a body width.

2. They all seemed to travel a very long distance before giving up the ghost.

3. Blood trails could be scarce to non existent.

David dropped me off at a ladderstand up on a hill where I could see a long way in every direction. It was a stand where Dad had hunted a few days earlier and missed a nice 8-point. So I was sitting there feeling pretty confident when Curt, who was only a few hundred yards from me, sends me a text message "Get ready. 8-point coming your way." I picked up my bow and turned in the direction that he would probably be coming. About 15 minutes later, I see movement. Here comes a doe. She would walk about 20 yards from the feeder, behind limbs where I couldn't shoot, stop, turn and loop around in a big circle. After doing this about 3 or 4 times, she seemed content. She started for the feeder. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw more movement. Here comes two more does and whats following them? A BIG 8-point is coming through the trees on the clump I am sitting in. He came 20 yards but, of coarse, he was behind some limbs. He got right next to the opening and stopped. It was about 15 minutes until dark. He lingered behind he thick stuff for a few minutes, then he walked out in the opening. He never would get on my side of the feeder, and stayed at about 30 yards. He stayed there until it got to dark to shoot. I guess he walked off after dark, because nothing ran when David pulled up to get me. I didn't get a shot but that made the trip worthwhile. I have never been that close to a living big buck in my life. That would have looked nice laying on the hitch-hauler riding back to camp.............

David That picture of you sneazing back on like page 11 is clasic.

 

Quote"I'm so tired I think I'll wear my safety harness even if I hunt from the ground"....

This is an awesome quote. Don I know how you felt though man.

Great stories fella's! Really enjoying this one  

Great Job guys you really done us proud..  

Never did hear back from Sky while I was in my stand,so I figured something good must have been happening    

Guy's this is an awesome hunt, thanks for taking us with you.