bstewy, nice last few years.
You asked for story's that got you into hunting.
Back in the spring of 79 I had just notched my first hunting season with a small three point Mule deer to my credit. That spring kicked off what would be a like long obsession with shed hunting. Sure I had found a few shed antlers earlier but my good luck that spring is what really started things off.
Here is the story.
Dad, a friend and I were up on the National Forest to go over the fence of a small parcel of private land. It was a great day, dad and his buddy were telling hunting stories and as a young budding hunter I was eating everyone of them up like they were a fine steak.
Most of the fence you could drive right along side of but there are two draws and maybe a half mile of fence that is too timbered and rough to drive. Dad stops at the top of the first draw and say's " Son, look at the fence in the draws and we will pick you up on back by the old corrals when we are done" I was devastated, No more hunting stories, instead I would be trudging through the timber and heat looking at an old fence.
When I got to the bottom of the second draw I spotted a bit of antler sticking out of the tall grass. A shed antler was my first thought, maybe this hike wasn't so bad. It wasn't a shed but a dead head. When I got over two it I thought " what is wrong with this deer, his skull is so small. Quickly I realized the skull was not small, the antlers were huge. I started counting points, 10 per side, I couldn't even come close to getting my hands around the mainbeams. This deer was bigger than huge. I went from disappointment to euphoria in an instant.
I grabbed the head and ran out of the draws as fast as my little legs would take me. When I got to the corrals Dad was still a good half mile away checking fence. I stuffed the head under the loading chute and started running across the pasture. Dad saw me and figured something was wrong and left to fence to see what was up. " What is up son" he asked when he got to me. I replied out of breath" I just found the biggest whitetail head you will ever see" Dad replied " Good , get in the truck" I jumped into the pickup assuming we immediately go and see my lucky find. No it was back to the fence. I could not contain myself. "Dad, you have to see this head, lets go get it." I would say. " I sure it is a nice one son, It isn't going anywhere and can wait" he would reply.
After what seamed like eternity we finally finished with the fence and drove back to the corral. I jumped out of the truck with the speed of scared jackrabbit and pulled the head out form under the old loading chute. Dads jaw just about hit the ground with astonishment.
Two be continued when I an not late for work and have time to dig up a picture.
