Here in Oregon, October 3 meant the statewide deer rifle season opener. I did not draw a tag this year but my boyfriend Matt did. Matt has never hunted for deer before, and since I didn’t draw a tag, I was going to be his guide in the Sled Springs Unit.
We met up with Chevalier Advertising office manager/bookkeeper Sherri and her husband Sam Saturday morning to hunt. It was a cold and rainy day. Sam, Matt and I loaded into the truck and headed out to a field and started walking. Grouse would flush every 300 yards; they would often startle bedded doe, but no bucks in sight.
Matt and I split off from Sam at a wooded area. Sam went into the woods while Matt and I skirted an alfalfa field. Sam must have driven deer out of the woods because two doe came running out and stopped about 20 yards in front of Matt and I. We stood completely still while one doe blew at us and the other one stood there and didn’t notice us. I am pretty sure that was the closest Matt has ever been to a deer. It was pretty cool.
A few hours later, and with no luck, Sam took us up the hill to show us where they hunt elk. The higher we went, the more it snowed. I couldn’t get over how gorgeous Eastern Oregon is and how fortunate we are to be able to hunt there.
Daylight was getting shorter by the minute and we decided to head back down to camp. We would stop every so often to glass. I am so glad I had my Nikon Monarch X binoculars they gathered so much light at sunset!
Then it happened, Sam spotted a doe and a buck by an abandoned barn about 100 yards away. Legal shooting light was fading fast and this buck wasn’t going to wait all day. I told the boys, ‘you have one minute!’ As soon as Matt declined the shot, Sam had his gun to his shoulder and a shot off.
The buck ran about 30 yards and dropped, and excellent shot! Sam was like giddy like a girl that just got asked to prom! Sam showed Matt and I how to field dress the beautiful eight point whitetail and we were all in the truck in no time.
I asked Matt why he declined the shot and what he said made me smile, “Sam has been hunting this area for 11 years, he has earned that buck.” What a great guy!
Cold, wet and tired, back at camp we ate our hamburgers and retold the story over and over to everyone at camp. What a great weekend!
Gear List:
Nikon Monarch X 8.5x45 Binoculars
Winchester Power Max 30-06 Sprg
Sounds to me like a good hunt! Congrats to Sam and kudos to Matt for his sportsmanship! I need to go find myself a deer now.
ReplyDeleteBrings back great memories of mulie hunting in Oregon. Nothing as fun as getting early season Ag. permits for Eastern Ore. though ! Congrats on a nice deer.
ReplyDelete