By Savannah

December 2, 2014

Texas Youth Opener 2014 just happened to fall on the same day as our Homecoming Football Game. Savannah is on a youth cheer squad and was scheduled for a special performance with the High School Senior Cheerleaders during the Homecoming game. We had strict orders and had to make it back for this game which left only the morning hunt available. Sunrise came with no activity and no deer moving. Savannah suggested we move quietly to another location. I agreed and we walked through the woods to a clear cut. We sat and watched a few doe and one spike walked through, Savannah's heart was set on hunting a buck. All the deer we were watching eased back into the woods and things slowed down. Again, Savannah suggested we walk back to our first location and check for activity. Back through the woods we went, looking for any movement and walking slowly. We arrived at our first location to find no activity and our hunting time was quickly passing away. I asked Savannah if she would like to leave and go grab some breakfast before the ride home. "No, let's go back into the woods where we saw deer and try that one more time Dad." "Ok, but we're running out of time Savannah we'll have to make it quick." One again we arrived back in the woods to find deer in the clear cut, when we sat down behind some cedar branches they noticed us and cautiously walked away into the the trees. Disappointed but happy that we had some encounters, I told Savannah we needed to leave in a few minutes. She agreed and we gave it 10 more minutes. Shortly after that agreement we heard a rustling in the brush and suddenly a doe burst across the clear cut looking behind her; I told Savannah to stand and get ready, by the time the for-end of her rifle hit the Bog Pod, a beautiful old buck exploded out of the brush and stopped right in front of us at 40 yards! We both sighed out loud. The doe was in the brush to our left side and she started running East through the brush directly away from us, the buck turned and paralleled the doe running directly away from us down the clear cut. All we could see was his hind quarters and tail. "I'm going to stop him Savannah, get ready!" I grunted with my own voice very hard and loud, the buck made a fatal mistake. He stopped at about 60 yards and stood broadside to the south, he turned his head looking directly at us blocking the morning sun with his stance. As I watched the steam blowing out of his nose and admired his stature and dark antlers, Savannah dialed in and let the Hornady round fly making a direct hit. Savannah let out yell of joy and the buck did a bronco kick, he turned and plowed a row into the woods with his antlers. Both of us teary eyed, we waited a long 30 minutes. Savannah anxiously found the blood trail and tracked the old buck into the woods about 30 yards from impact. We made it back home for the game and Savannah's performance was awesome. (She told me she would rather be hunting...) Thank you for making such a great product. Hornady is the only ammunition we use.