Helloo Helloo!

[Jeff]

I've got a sunset to show from the last evening I was there, but I should post a couple other things first.

Lynn and I headed for the Straw House just before 3:00 on Thursday. I was resigned to the fact that I must leave early Friday morning to avoid the weather coming across the country late Friday so I could be sure to be home for a Doctor appointment I need to make Monday.

I think the first deer came in about 3:55.   Lynn has a lot of time in those woods and can spot deer like nobody's business, so all week long, it was my goal to see a deer, any deer, before he did. I don't really think he knew that was my goal until I told  him it was. :D   I'm pretty sure though he was about 4 to 1 or better on being first, but there is such a vista out of that blind, its impossible to look everywhere at once, so hey, I'd just look where he wasn't and it gave me at least a chance.

I'm not sure how many deer we saw Thursday evening. I think there may have been 5 in the field.  Other nights, we saw as many as 19 but that was one night that all the deer spooked out and then more came in. Some could have been repeats. I'd say our average must have been around 10 each evening.

So here it was. The last evening of the last day I could hunt.  I looked at the clock and realized from keeping track the other nights, that we had maybe 10 minutes left of good light to see, then just a few more until legal hunting time was over.

We had noted that the deer in the field kept looking back into the corner into the woods, so figured more deer were going to come, hopefully before it got dark. Figured it was deer they were paying attention to because they were calm and feeding. Just looking.

I'm looking over in the corner on the side of the field in front of where Lynn was sitting, frankly, because he was looking into the corner in front of me.  That is when He said it. Helloo Helloo!

It was on. Lynn knows the habits of his deer herd. He knew that as long as this deer had be standing back out of sight looking, and now coming in, it was confident it was safe.   He told me "wait until it gets into the grass. It will come into the grass."  I think he told me that more than once.  I had already saw a glimpse of the antlers and was now trying to avoid looking at them to help myself stay calm.  The deer came across the fescue and into the greener grass stopped for a moment, then began slowly walking.  I had the scope on it, but it didn't give me a shot. It then stopped putting its head down. pointing right at us. Then a small doe walked right in front of it.  I took my eye away from the scope and watched.  Lynn says. get that scope back on that deer!

I was actually trying NOT to look at the antlers because I was afraid I'd start getting nervous. Amazing thing. I never did.  At least I don't think I did. Lynn may remember differently  :D Lynn says again,get that scope back on that deer!  He may only give you a brief chance.  It seemed like he stood there feeding, not moving, FOREVER.  Finally, he turned, the other deer were clear, and I had a shot at his left side.  I kept thinking DON"T BLOW IT JEFF!  I squeezed the trigger and my buck went down instantly. No kicking, just dropped.

WE WERE EXCITED!!  The last ten minutes of the last day, hunting hard very day and we got him!  8)

We walked out into the field to check him out. WOW!  We got a few pictures but it was already getting dark, so we headed up to the cabin to get  the 4 wheeler and trailer so we could fetch him.   THe sunset I took the picture of was taken when we went up to get the trailer. What a day!  What a week! 

[thecfarm]

That's a nice picture of the deer and the stand. Good for you.
And by the way,I am still watching and counting down.  :D

[Magicman]

I have seen that last 10 minuets of Magic before.  There is no way that you should ever give up until it is over and we didn't.  That is a very nice 9 point.

Jeff had one more goal hidden deep in the back of his mind.   

He also has several more very good pictures.  I didn't have to tell him to smile.

[Jeff]

Yup, 3 different years I've admired the wall of fame in the Straw House.  Each empty cartridge is placed with the name of the shooter and the deer they shot.  From the first time in there, it was my goal to get a spot on that board. I never really had any idea I actually would, but i thought about it every time in there. Well I made it!

[Jeff]

A couple last photos.  I wish our "Team" selfie would have been clearer.

This buck had quite a few battle scars. It was obvious he had aome scrapes with other big bucks. You could see tine tracks in his hind quarters from fighting.

[Jeff]

[Southside]

Looks like you guys had a great visit for sure.  Wonderful telling of the whole thing, puts a guy right there with you.  As far as those onions go - yes they are strong, so much so that they will cause milk to have quite the onion odor to it when the cows get onto them hard in the spring of the year. 

[Ron Scott]

Very nice! Good shot.

[sandhills]

Nice buck boss!  Someday you both (along with your better halves of course) need to travel this way a bit.  Can't guarantee anything real big but we'll see some, also pheasant, prairie chicken and maybe even bighorn sheep but that's still a plan as of yet although the other lobberheads already bought them  :.  There was a plan to that although in the beginning I didn't know I was involved, details later.  Just glad to see it was a successful hunt as well as a visit!

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

.....and Folks, thats what its all about!  8)

[starmac]

Wow, here I was disappointed for Jeff for four whole pages, before mention of a nice buck finally pops up. This has to be some sort of record for drawing out a successful hunting story.

Good food, good buck, life is great, glad you didn't give up early.

[Darrel]

Thanks for sharing such an awesome story.

[Magicman]

And yes, there is a story to the topic title.... ;)

Ah ha, there was a story behind the topic title because that is exactly what I said when I saw the buck.  Alas, the video camera was right in front of me but unthought of during the moment.  :-\

After the shot there were hand shakes, smiles, and hugs.  Happy Happy!!!

[Peter Drouin]

Good for you too, nice deer, 8)

[Chuck White]

Jeff, you've been in the sawing business too long, well heck, even your buck has stickers!   ;)  ;D

Seriously though, that's a really nice buck, congratulations!

[Jeff]

I love the fact that he was a sticker buck. 

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

I love the fact that he was a sticker buck. 

I didn't get a buck this year. I saw quit a few but no takers.
So all I have to say to you Jeff is.... smiley_nananana

[Jeff]

I'm thinking between all the bucks I saw in the U.P. This past season, and the bucks I saw at Magicman's, it adds up to more bucks than I've seen in the previous 20 years.

[samandothers]

Great story. Great trip after the server changeover!

Thanks for sharing!

[petefrom bearswamp]

All I can say is WOW!!

[Magicman]

I did have one more picture that I took as Jeff was leaving.


 
Waving 👋Good Bye before his long trip home.

[Jeff]

Ive got a few more too.

[WmFritz]

Great story Jeff... My heart started beating faster as you were telling it.

[Jeff]

Another food photo. This was jalapeno blackberry jelly. I had to finish Lynn's biscuit, and I found he sent the jar home with me cause I LOVED IT! It has a heck of a kick. 8)  Miss Pat got it somewhere.

[Darrel]

Jalapeño blackberry jelly. Sounds like I want some!  DanG that sounds good!