Hunting with an American Warrior

The 2009 deer gun season was one of the most privileged of seasons for me. My dad and uncle camped with us and we got to visit more than usual. The food was phenomenal and we all probably gained 5 lbs. Three of us killed big bucks on the first morning – our best season opener ever.

However, one of my closest friends and his sons hunted with us. His oldest son is a US Army Ranger who has served three tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. At that time he had been to Iraq twice and knew he would serve more tours at one or the other before he was finished with his first enlistment.

This young man at 22 years old is quiet, unassuming and totally in control of himself. He was having a blast hunting with us and did not fail to let us know it. He had never been deer hunting in his life and my good friend Michael Vansant (www.wildhoghunters.com) happily let this young soldier hunt in his stand. Michael killed his first buck out of the stand during the 2009 muzzleloader season.

The day before the hunt, we sighted in Craig's new rifle, unsurprisingly a .308 caliber rifle made by Savage and all I can say is I love to watch a master at work. We went up on the mountain to where his stand was at and I showed him deer rubs and scrapes, explaining the importance of both. He took it all in and I could tell not a word I said was wasted. I showed him to his stand, loaning him my range finder so that he knew his distances, though I am not sure he actually needed it. Sometimes I could tell by the look on his face about the shooting advice I gave him, that he already knew what I was telling him and yet he was so respectful that he did not tell me that he already knew. I just grinned and said I know that you probably already know all of that.

We have an antler size limit on my property and the rack must be within a certain criteria indicating a 3 and 1/2 year old buck. Because of my respect for those who serve this great country in the military and because he is the son of one of my best friends AND because he traveled so far to hunt, his FIRST deer hunt, I told him to shoot whatever was a trophy to him. I even announced it to our group and he blushed and I told him I had just guaranteed him a monster buck! He laughed, taking it all in stride.

Opening morning I shot the big 8 point buck I had been hunting during muzzleloader season. I shot around 7 AM and it took me an hour to recover my buck from down the steep hill I hunt on. I checked my deer in and ran into Robert Phillips with a big ten point on his 4-wheeler. Proudly we rode side-by-side into camp with our deer. I asked Robert if he had heard Craig shoot. He thought that he had heard Craig and Todd shoot.

We were curious if Craig had gotten anything, but in the mean time we were going to do a few photos of our deer. We parked near the skinning tree and took some pictures!

As we stood talking to Brentt Steward, another long time hunting buddy, Todd's truck pulled in and Craig was grinning so big we could see it despite him being inside the cab of the truck. Robert had told us how after he shot this ten point buck this big high rack buck came running by and he was thinking "Omigod, I'm surrounded by big bucks!" We asked Craig if he got one and he said he got a buck. No description, just “a buck”.

Walking to the back of Todd's truck together, Robert laughed and said, "That's the high rack SOB that ran by my stand!!" It was indeed a heck of a buck!

Craig had shot him around 150 yards. He said that he had heard movement behind him and was looking in that direction when he glanced over his left shoulder and seen a deer moving across the field. He thought it was a big doe because it had its head down in the thick grass and scrub. Then it lifted its head and he got an instant adrenaline surge!! The deer was further out and was walking toward him as Craig held his rifle wondering if he should try a frontal shot. The deer turned and ran partly across the field, stopping for a split second and Craig shot him.

The buck was a high rack 7 point and weighed 152 lbs. His coloration was more red than the normal brown of my buck and Robert’s.





I told Craig to wait 30 minutes after shooting one to let him die. He said there was over 2 hours in that 30 minute wait. Todd drove up to see what Craig had shot and they went to collect his deer. The pictures Todd has of his son is priceless.

The young soldier said, "Well, count me in as being hooked on hunting!"

The skinning tree can handle one deer at a time. Craig did his part, helping with every deer we processed. From knife cuts, the hide pulling, he was working hard. He was there. He was learning.

He thanked me over and over for letting him come and hunt on my place. Later, he told me this was one of his best vacations he had ever taken. In reality the privilege was all mine.

What a hunt!!! I thank God for letting me be a part of it.



Craig's weighed 152 lbs, mine weighed 155 lbs and Robert's weighed 148 lbs.