Every once in a while
By Jim Konsor
Every
once in a while a hunt really does go according to the plan. That was my
thought as I reflected on the hunt I'll never forget. If you want to know
the how, when and where...read on.
Before the start of the season I made several trips to the Sica Hollow area in Northeastern South Dakota where I live. I wanted to do some scouting. Both times I watched deer run out of the end of a double fingered draw, cross a corner of a pasture and disappear back into the Hollow. I thought, hey, if a person could sit up on that hill and talk two buddies into walking up those fingers and if there was a northwest wind and if I could hit a running deer, it might be a good plan.
Fast forward to opening morning. It was very windy, BUT the wind was from the northwest! I did have two buddies, my son, Ryan, and a friend, Steve, who has hunted with us the past several years. We sat for the first few hours which produced "0" sightings and "0" deer. Our first drive allowed us to see seven deer which were all does and fawns.
I then laid out the plan for "The Drive" putting myself on top of the hill where I could watch both fingers of the draw. Before too long a doe came up out of the closest finger and trotted by me and didn't spook until she was by me and caught my scent. A minute or so later THE buck started up out of the trees. As soon as he saw me he stopped and just looked at me. I tried to hold the gun on the brisket of the buck but it was too windy. I knew if I sat down to use my knee as a rest he'd disappear in an instant. I knew I had to try, so with the gun weaving in the wind I pulled the trigger when I thought I might be on target. The buck turned and ran toward the fence. I quickly sat down, used my knee as a rest and fired again. Those moments are seared in my mind never to be forgotten as I watched him fall and lay motionless less than 10 feet from the fence and the safety of the Hollow. I could hardly believe it. The hunt had actually gone as planned!
The buck scoring 150 and a 17 1/2 inch spread will soon be
on my wall and the memories of that "everything went right hunt,"
will be forever seared in my mind.
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