Two hunters shooting the same deer made me think

[Mobuck]

Back in the late 70's we ran coyotes with dogs all winter with a group of good friends, cousins, in-laws, and such. I was among the younger generation and had considerable experience as a shooter so one day an older member stopped me along the road and said "I know this is a lot to ask but could you make sure that "Lee" kills a coyote the next time we're out?". We worked out how to get the deal done and let some of the others in on the project. The guy who asked me to help was to haul "Lee" around with me staying pretty close and the others were to 'guide' the coyote to a spot where "Lee" would be able to shoot while I was also able to have a clear line of fire. About mid-afternoon all the planets aligned and Mr. Yotie was loping across a harvested corn field. Lee was propped over a fence post on the far side of his driver's pickup and I was 2 fence posts away with my finger pulling 2.5# on a 3# trigger and leading the target just waiting for Lee's shot. Two or three of the others were watching from 1/4 mile away and said it sounded like a Pa-Boom with the first shot(Lee's) going well behind the coyote while the second rolled it up like a rug. I quickly shoved my rifle back in the pickup and went trotting out to recover the critter and catch the dogs. That was one of the last times Lee was able to go hunting and to his dying day was sure he'd made that shot and anyone saying otherwise was going to get the beating of his miserable life from 1/2 dozen tough old farmers.
Oddly, no one was really surprised that it worked. I got a couple of pats on the back and the satisfaction of making it happen. Over the years this scenario was replayed numerous times for older hunters who for whatever reason were losing faith in their ability.

 

[contender]

That shows what true friends are for.

 

[Selena]

Respect and kindness takes many forms.

 

[Fox Mike]

Solved like this duck was:

 

[eveled]

My father hooked a Striped Bass then told my blind Grandfather hey Joe you got a bite! My Grandfather realed it in and never realized it wasn't even his pole! It was a really big one too.

He carried a picture of that fish in his shirt pocket to show people until he died. Telling everyone how he was a better fisherman than my father.

My Dad and I were the only ones who knew the truth.

 

[eveled]

I just remembered another funny story related to my Grandfather. Remember he was blind, and still razzing my Dad about catching that big fish.

We were on a deserted beach striper fishing a couple of years after the first story.

Joe asked my father if he could go pee. My Dad told him no there was a family walking by. I looked up and down the beach. No one insight.

Maybe 20 minutes later Joe asks. " How about now?"

Again my father tells him no. There is someone coming. I'll let you know when you can go.

After another 15 minutes 2 girls are walking down the beach. My father tells my Grandfather "Ok Joe the coast is clear, take you leak".

My Grandfather goes about ten feet away. Mean time the girls ask my my father's friend Roy if we had any fish? Roy says no, but that guy has a picture of a big one in his pocket.

So the girls walk up to my poor Grandfather with his fly down and ask to see the pictures!

Now my Grandfathers back teeth are floating but he's afraid to go pee. About ten minutes later he comes from behind the truck doubled over and limping.

My father says. What the heck happened?

He had put his thing in a fishing pole holder so he could pee, he realized it would still look funny with pee coming out the end. So he went to put it behind the tire of the truck. But misjudged how close he was and almost castrated himself.

 

[contender]

Giving an older hunter a last great memory is priceless. We all will face it someday,, as our abilities falter.

I recall a good friend,, who'd been a life long hunter,, and had taken many, many good bucks. yet,, I saw his health deteriorating. I knew he didn't have many seasons left. We were out on our 4-wheelers one day,, during season,, and he was sharing some of his spots, & other little things. (Passing along his info.) I saw a movement,, and immediately realized it was a really good buck. I told him to shoot,, even though I had a better shot presentation. He shot a .300 Win Mag. Well, the distance wasn't but about 75 yds,, and he fired,,! The buck did a 180, and started running. I hit the ground behind my 4-wheeler,, and said; "Shoot him again, shoot him again!"
He didn't.
We could not understand why he'd missed. When I found the 3"-4" tree he'd hit instead, we knew what had happened.

I wanted him to get "just one more big buck," and wasn't going to prevent that. Nothing was ever said,, but his last few years,, he'd lament missing that buck. He understood without me ever saying a word.

 

[Mobuck]

It's a rare privilege to do these things. A time may come when I'm on the other end of this but not for a while. I'm still out there making the follow up when one of the kids muffs a shot or whatever.

 

[Brant]

This story reminds me of an older neighbor from my childhood. He was raised in New York and had retired from the air force in our part of Louisiana after being stationed in Barksdale. As a boy, I enjoyed his stories, as his yankee accent was foreign to me, and he was very kind.

He loved to dove hunt and my pop always took him along during the season. When I was old enough to go, he would make sure that I would get some time on a bucket next to him. When a dove would pass, if we both shot, he would or yell "fine shot lad!" I somehow got them all!

 

[clintsfolly78]

Years ago was deer hunting state land opening morning. As the sun came up I hear a shot off to my left and just a few minutes later a small fork horn came limping down the oak ridge side. At 60 yds my rifle spoke and down he dropped. I set there 10 minutes and look down the ridge I see a flash of orange. The orange keep getting bigger and coming right down the bucks trail. After 10 more minutes the orange got to the buck. The orange was a 14 year Old boy with Grandpa,s 94. As he admired the buck i stood up and walk down to him. His first words was " I found your buck!" My response was" It's your buck as he was wounded and i just finished him! The smile that came to his face was better then any deer on the meat pole. I help him drag the deer to a near by ATV trail and his dad found us there.

 

[Robb Barnes]

Years ago I got lucky and drew an Oregon antelope tag. I was in high school and one of my teachers/coaches was from the eastern Oregon area where my tag was from and his family still owned lots of land. He said I could hunt on the family ranch so off we went. When we got there we met the extended family, got directions and were ready to go when the season started the next day. It so happened that one of my friends younger brothers also had a tag. While most of the entire family were stud athletes and hunters, this younger was the outlier in the family in that he was not much of either a hunter or athlete.

Second day of the hunt we spot a bunch of speed goats a long way off so I leave dad at the truck and I put the sneak on them. I got to within 400-500 yards when a shot rang out and the herd took off running right towards where I was laying in a rock pile. They stopped at about 150 yards and I picked the nicest buck and dropped him in his tracks. By the time my dad got to me and we had almost reached the buck I looked up and here came the younger brother and his dad. He was SO excited because he had finally gotten something! He had no idea he totally missed when he shot.

I looked at my dad and my first thought was to tell him he had missed and I had killed the buck but before I opened my mouth I looked at him, saw how excited he and his dad were and knew all I could do was congratulate him on his antelope. I mean shoot, his family had welcomed us to their home, let us camp on the property and hunt all at no charge! I still had a few more days to hunt and as luck would have it, I never got another shot but that was okay.

 

[contender]

And Robb,, that's just another way of saying "you were raised right." I'm sure your Dad was proud of you as well.

 

[Mobuck]

As we were returning home yesterday, we passed the field where I made the shot I spoke of earlier. Son often reminds me I should retell some of my stories for Grandson so I went through this again pointing out the field layout and even noting the specific spot where the action took place. Grandson has no memory of me being anything but a gimpy, old man who often needs help getting around so maybe this helped him understand what/who I was 50+ years ago.

 

[akbluz]

Mobuck,
That grandson comes from good stock so I'll bet years from now he'll remember the stories you tell him. Pass along all you can.