This morning started out at 5:30 am. It was cold darn cold with 15-20 mph wind straight out of the north. Caleb my 10 year old was all set to go deer hunting. He gets ready puts on the new coveralls that we picked up last night. We eat breakfast and he goes to put on the boots. Dang if there not to small. Oh well he has another pair but I'll be darned if we could find but one. By this time of running around and waking up everyone in the house Caleb starts coughing and hacking up a lung. Well that is the last straw for the morning hunt.
Oh well Keigan is on deck to go out for the evening hunt and is primed and ready to go. We double check that every peice of gear is accounted for and fits properly. Great we are all set to head out around 2:30-3:00 for out stand. My wife gets a call at 11:30 that her wedding ring is back from being worked on. A mount has come loose and the jewler had sent it out for repair. So the whole family jumps in the van and sets out for Manhattan, KS to visit Reed & Elliot. Of course we meet with my wifes little sister and husband for lunch and you know the rest. We get home late and go for broke and head out at 4:15 pm.
There was no way that we could make the desired stand site this late without getting busted. So we cross a small creek and crawl up the bank and edge forward to a field edge. At about 5:07 pm a lone doe slips into the field soon followed by a young 8 point buck. Soon three more does join the group. Sitting on the ground under a small cedar tree with some brush helping to conceal our position. Keigan slowly eased the rifle into position and slipped off his glove. Keigan slowly cocked the hammer of the T/C Encore in .270 winchester. Held steady waiting for the buck to clear a peice of brush the covered his shot. Finally the buck took that magic step forward and Keigan squeezed the trigger. Well the Encore barked and the buck dropped in his tracks. The 73 yard shot hit the heart almost dead center and blew it apart. A great finish to the day or so we thought.
After a few whoops and a high five and waiting the terrible 15 minutes before venturing out into the field. We crossed the open just before the deer and I look up to see the neighbors dogs. I assume that the two rots came to the sound of the shot but anyway they were less than happy to see us. The dogs ran out into the field and stopped about 40 yards away. I hollered and shouted for them to go home. The one dog made a mock charge or sorts but stopped after a couple steps. I again yelled and cursed them but now I have drawn my sidearm. I fired a warning shot into the ground but the dogs did not budge. Well this sucks I thought. Well it got a little worse the two dogs split apart. One dog started to circle around to our north and the other came around to our south. All this time barking and carrying on like crazy. I grabbed the .270 from Keigan and quickly slipped in a round. The one dog started to advance and now about 25 yards out and coming quick. The dog was stopped in his tracks and fell into a pile. The 2nd dog stopped at the shot and circled around us in a real wide birth. She went to her mate and stayed there still barking.
I reloaded the rifle (thank god I brought a few rounds) Anyway we backed up across the field and got to the edge and finally back to the truck. I called my wife to tell her what had happened. She got ahold of the neighbor and he came to get his dogs. Keigan and I drove around and came in another way and met him near the field where everything had taken place. The female rot was leashed and he was apologizing like mad for his dogs scaring us. I really felt like crap when I told him that I had killed his other dog. My neighbor who really is a pretty good guy was devasted at this information. While he seemed to understand what happended and why I did what I did. I can't help but feel bad for taking the poor critter. With my son there I felt I had no choice and stand fully behind my actions. Even though I am sure nothing would ever come of the situation I called the game warden and the sheriff to let them know what had happened.
Anyway a tough morning, got real good for a brief 20 minutes then just went to hell in a hurry.
Oh well Keigan is on deck to go out for the evening hunt and is primed and ready to go. We double check that every peice of gear is accounted for and fits properly. Great we are all set to head out around 2:30-3:00 for out stand. My wife gets a call at 11:30 that her wedding ring is back from being worked on. A mount has come loose and the jewler had sent it out for repair. So the whole family jumps in the van and sets out for Manhattan, KS to visit Reed & Elliot. Of course we meet with my wifes little sister and husband for lunch and you know the rest. We get home late and go for broke and head out at 4:15 pm.
There was no way that we could make the desired stand site this late without getting busted. So we cross a small creek and crawl up the bank and edge forward to a field edge. At about 5:07 pm a lone doe slips into the field soon followed by a young 8 point buck. Soon three more does join the group. Sitting on the ground under a small cedar tree with some brush helping to conceal our position. Keigan slowly eased the rifle into position and slipped off his glove. Keigan slowly cocked the hammer of the T/C Encore in .270 winchester. Held steady waiting for the buck to clear a peice of brush the covered his shot. Finally the buck took that magic step forward and Keigan squeezed the trigger. Well the Encore barked and the buck dropped in his tracks. The 73 yard shot hit the heart almost dead center and blew it apart. A great finish to the day or so we thought.
After a few whoops and a high five and waiting the terrible 15 minutes before venturing out into the field. We crossed the open just before the deer and I look up to see the neighbors dogs. I assume that the two rots came to the sound of the shot but anyway they were less than happy to see us. The dogs ran out into the field and stopped about 40 yards away. I hollered and shouted for them to go home. The one dog made a mock charge or sorts but stopped after a couple steps. I again yelled and cursed them but now I have drawn my sidearm. I fired a warning shot into the ground but the dogs did not budge. Well this sucks I thought. Well it got a little worse the two dogs split apart. One dog started to circle around to our north and the other came around to our south. All this time barking and carrying on like crazy. I grabbed the .270 from Keigan and quickly slipped in a round. The one dog started to advance and now about 25 yards out and coming quick. The dog was stopped in his tracks and fell into a pile. The 2nd dog stopped at the shot and circled around us in a real wide birth. She went to her mate and stayed there still barking.
I reloaded the rifle (thank god I brought a few rounds) Anyway we backed up across the field and got to the edge and finally back to the truck. I called my wife to tell her what had happened. She got ahold of the neighbor and he came to get his dogs. Keigan and I drove around and came in another way and met him near the field where everything had taken place. The female rot was leashed and he was apologizing like mad for his dogs scaring us. I really felt like crap when I told him that I had killed his other dog. My neighbor who really is a pretty good guy was devasted at this information. While he seemed to understand what happended and why I did what I did. I can't help but feel bad for taking the poor critter. With my son there I felt I had no choice and stand fully behind my actions. Even though I am sure nothing would ever come of the situation I called the game warden and the sheriff to let them know what had happened.
Anyway a tough morning, got real good for a brief 20 minutes then just went to hell in a hurry.
