Maine Wildland Adventures

     Quality not quantity.......one on one service                       
 

My friend's brother Jeff, checked out the web site and told me I needed to write about my first buck. I'll be honest, it all went down hill from there!

Jeff and his brother, my buddy Rich, were taught to hunt in Maine from their dad, Dwight. I was fortunate enough to hunt with him till we lost him on November 23, 2000. Dwight was the one who we relied on to find the deer. We would all take a stand or mill around a little then meet up at the camp site to warm up in front of the 55 gal drum stove located inside a tar papered lean-to that was there since he was a kid. Dwight would not take a stand, instead he would.....find the deer! He would walk, sometimes miles before coming out to meet us at 10am. When we saw his orange vest cresting the tote road, we never knew if he had found them or not. He would keep the same pace whether he was excited or discouraged. There was one time I remember, in November 1986, he didn't come out! I was deeply concerned....not for his safety, he could take care of himself pretty well, but for the rest of us....what are we going to do? We have no plan! As it may be, Jeff knew that if he didn't come out he not only found the deer but was into them! We split up and went to our normal spots hoping he would spook one to one of us. The excitement was uncontainable! Rich and I went into some old grown pines and hung out for the day. Rich saw 2 doe and I saw nothing.

That night Dwight told us about the sign he has seen. The snow was getting deep and the deer were starting to gather around the wintering areas. He described the tracks as if they were made in a petting zoo. The beds that he saw were fresh and big! The following morning came without much sleep. We piled into the trucks and headed to the area which Dwight scoped out the previous day. Rich and my dad went down the tote road and ventured into the woods quickly. Dwight Jeff and I kept heading towards the brook. At a fork in the path, Dwight stopped and told Jeff to head west to the brook and for me to stay on the path (so I wouldn't get lost) till I hit the small brook then go up over the knoll, head towards the hovel then to the dead water and finally north east till I hit the dirt road! Well.... he did his best to describe where to go but when he was looking at me I know he saw a "deer in the headlights" expression on my face. He said  "you'll be fine...head NE to get out". Dwight was going to circle around us to make sure the deer were still in the area. We all parted ways and the excitement started pretty quick! BANG!... BANG! I knew it was Jeff from the direction and closeness of the shots. I waited motionless for the signal shots that he had got one. After about 10 minutes I disrupted the quiet by taking the painfully loud steps through the crunchy crust in the snow. I started to see more deer sign as I walked and I started getting more alert for the sign was fresh. I walked for about an hour to the place where I thought Dwight said to go.....then I saw Jeff. We walked over to one another and he told me that he jumped a nice buck earlier but missed. He also informed me that I was not at the point where I thought I was....but it was ok....just head NE and I will make it out to the dirt road. We split up again and I continued on a "straight" line NE. I started to see a lot of droppings, then I started to see beds! I knocked the snow off a stump so I could sit for a minute. As I sat down, the old style hot seat that was hanging from my back belt loop, slid out from under me and I went falling backwards into a foot of snow......"BANG"!.....Timing is everything! I don't think a Hollywood director could have timed that better! As I fell...Jeff shot again.....and he was close! I gathered myself and sat back down. I heard 2 deer braking branches and snorting to my right. I thought.."here we go!"...Movement caught my eye directly in front of me at about 40 yards. I saw a deer......I see RACK!! The deer moved without a sound and stopped with it's head behind a pine tree. I pulled up and touched the 30-30 off "BANG!".......The deer was gone! My heart just about stopped......then I saw the hind leg move and I saw the white underside of the buck. "I GOT HIM!" I sat there for a moment then the deer managed to stand up and started to walk towards me. I couldn't believe it! I said to myself.."As long as he stays right here I won't shoot again".....the buck bedded down about 10 yards away and started shredding his rack against the ground while snorting. I was hoping he didn't see me.....cause he was pissed!! I didn't know what to do.....until he got up and started to trot away! BANG!....I let another one go.....this time he fell over for good. Just then I heard Jeff say "Hey...where is he?" I pointed him out and Jeff said "Holy shit....he's a big one!" The king was still trying to get up so Jeff ended the struggle. He said "You stay here ...I'll get our dads and Rich....we're gonna need em'" I had a moment to admire the big buck.....I had never touched a deer before. Then it occurred to me that I was going to have to field dress it! I decided to wait for help cause I have never done it before. Jeff, Dwight and my dad showed up in short time each showing their excitement for me. Dwight said..."Well boy.....it's all down hill from here!" He took out his knife and made the first cut then stepped aside. My excitement turned to terror when he said..."Get in there.....start gettin' stuff out!" I hesitantly knelt down next to the steaming animal, getting to inhale the smells of a fresh kill. I slowly started to poke around at the cut.....at my own pace. My dad jumped in and took my arm and shoved it shoulder deep into the cavity! He said..."Get in there!" After about 20 minutes and several dry heaves........I managed to do an OK job. Jeff explained the situation that led to his last shot. After we met up he walked towards the swale where he saw the rack of a nice buck walking through the jack firs. The buck was not going to make himself appear but the firs were not that deep. He put his bead where the shoulder should be and pulled the trigger.......CLICK! The deer launched into the air and started to leave the state! He jacked another round in and pulled a Hail Mary shot! (He forgot to jack the round out from the morning shot) As he is explaining this he notices where the bullet holes are in the deer. He said "How many times did you shoot at him?" I said "Two"....he pointed out 3 holes in the neck! My heart dropped.....he said "He's your deer!" "I knew I hit him.....I couldn't find any blood"

 I attempted to drag the buck myself.......at that moment I knew this was something special. I couldn't move it 2 feet without falling. With a combined effort of Jeff, Dwight my dad and me, we were able to get to a tote rode where Rich was cutting some limbs w/ a chain saw. He looked at the deer and then at me and smiled....but wouldn't talk to me. We loaded the 9 pointer into the truck and made it to the registration station where it weighed in at 206 lbs.

Jeff, for being so kind to a kid, was rewarded the next week by shooting a nice 7pt buck that dressed 207lbs. In addition to that, he still says to this day that he had to slow mine down so I could shoot it!

Update: Jeff e-mailed me after reading this story and stated: "for historical accuracy, it was a 9 pt that weighed 208 lbs."

Both Rich and I think he is stretching it................but we will give him the benefit of the doubt. It's amazing how deer and fish get bigger over time!

Send mail to steve@mainewildland.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2006 Maine Wildland Adventures