Member's Hunt: Beginner's Luck or Lucky Boots?

by
posted on August 8, 2020
mh-beginners-luck_lead.jpg

By Colin Hulzenga, Highland, Ind.

About a month before gun season started, my wife asked me to take her hunting to see if she could get a deer. I was reluctant because it would mean I would have to sit with her, since it was her first time, and that would lessen my opportunity to get a deer. But I saw past all my selfishness and agreed to take her.

The Friday before Indiana’s opening weekend of gun season, I ended up shooting a nice big 9-point with my bow in Illinois. After shooting that buck, I was fully content with taking her hunting. I took her to the range before the hunt just to make sure she was confident with her chosen shotgun and to see what range she could shoot. After shooting, we decided her range was 70 yards or less. We got to the property and geared up. She wore all my old hunting gear. Now, mind you, she is 5 feet tall and I’m 6-foot-2, so she looked a little ridiculous, but it would do for now. We got to a buddy stand that has been very successful for many years; it sits in a treeline looking over two farm fields with some woods. There was about an hour left and we hadn’t seen anything, and I could tell she was getting discouraged. Then, out stepped two does at 400 yards. She wasn’t too excited since her tag was only good for a buck, and 15 minutes later three more does stepped into the field, also far away. But then out stepped a little 3-point buck and he started down the treeline. Just as he got to 100 yards he turned into the treeline and walked away. So close, but not this time.

The Friday after Thanksgiving we gave it another try. We were sitting there for about an hour and a half without seeing a thing when my wife happened to look over her shoulder to the right and saw two deer. I quickly looked through my binocular and could tell they were two little bucks, a 3-point and 5-point. I thought: Is she really going to get a shot on her second time out? They started trotting toward the woods, and I told her to get ready to shoot. They were still moving so I made a grunting noise with my mouth to get them to stop at 60 yards. I told her to shoot the closer buck; she did, and it looked good. We waited 30 minutes and then I got down to look for blood, but to no avail. We searched in the woods for another 45 minutes but only found some belly hair in the field. She grazed his stomach and I was confident he wasn't wounded so we packed up and left defeated.

She kept asking if we could go Sunday. Sunday was the last day of the season, and the weather didn't look promising. I could tell she was devastated. By Saturday afternoon the weather forecast looked better, so we decided to go. My dad tagged along hoping to get a buck himself. When gearing up, she insisted on wearing her rain boots. She claims they are lucky because she found two sheds on her first time out while wearing them. When we got to the stand it was windy and drizzling. After 45 minutes of seeing nothing, I accepted that we'd be leaving empty handed, but was happy that at least we got out. Continuing to look for deer, I eventually saw movement. I looked through my binocular and saw antlers—big antlers. She grabbed her gun. The buck stepped to the edge of the field behind us and just stood there. He was 90 yards away, and I knew it was out of her range. I had a shot, but I knew I couldn’t take the buck from her. Luckily, he went back in the woods and stepped out again—this time at 70 yards. That was a big mistake.

I told my wife to switch sides with me so she could get a shot. He was quartering to us, and told her where to hold. She used the back of the stand as a rest and took the shot. I knew it was a good hit. He ran off, and 40 yards later he was down. I texted my dad to join us and we all walked over to where the buck was lying. That was when we saw what she had just shot—the biggest buck ever taken on the property, a 160-inch 13-pointer! Talk about a first buck, beginner's luck and lucky boots!


Do you have an exciting, unusual or humorous hunting experience to share? 
Send your story (800 words or less) to [email protected] or to American Hunter, Dept. MH, 11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, VA. 22030-9400. Please include your NRA ID number. Good quality photos are welcome. Make sure you have permission to use the material. Authors will not be paid, and manuscripts and photos will not be returned. All material becomes the property of NRA.

Latest

Full Fat Bag Lineup
Full Fat Bag Lineup

First Look: Armageddon Gear Fat Bags

Armageddon Gear Fat Bags shooting bags are an ultralight and versatile solution to a rifleman’s need for weapon and body support in the field and on the range.

JB Hodgdon Retires from his Namesake Company

Hodgdon Powder Company, The Gunpowder People, expressed their thanks and deep appreciation to co-founder JB Hodgdon upon his retirement last month from full-time service at Hodgdon. Mr. Hodgdon assumed the position of Chairman Emeritus on the Hodgdon Powder Company board effective January 1, 2025.

Animal Extremists Mount Legal Offensive Against Sportsmen

Animal extremist groups have recently announced their decisions to hire additional attorneys to challenge predicted federal government regulations and actions regarding energy, the environment and endangered species.

Trophy Scan Launches 3D Scoring Mobile App for Hunters

Trophy Scan has debuted its first mobile app, allowing users to score and memorialize their trophies on the fly.

NRA Accepting Submissions for 2025 George Montgomery Wildlife Art Contest

Students in grades 1 through 12 are eligible to win cash prizes!

Hardware Review: Savage 110 Ultralite Elite Rifle

The Savage 110 Ultralite Elite rifle is among the first chassis rifles targeted specifically at hunting. Bryce M. Towsley puts it through its paces in this review.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.