Just got my first deer..... again!!

[Charlie Lamb]

A flood of memories rushed through my mind. I was holding the very arrow that I’d killed my first deer with so many years ago. I was so young then and so naïve. So unaware of what life held in store for the man I would be and the archer I already was.

For a little while I let my mind take me back to that day.
 I’d hunted deer for the first time just the year before at the age of 14. A buddy of mine had a place in the country where he and his dad went some weekends. He seemed to know there were deer there, but that was about it.
His father didn’t hunt at all and my family were all small game hunters… the deer population in Missouri had taken a severe hit from market hunting when they were young and though there was a season in some counties, there were precious few deer in the state.

We’d gone to Mike’s farm and had actually seen a deer while hiding in an old barn near a hay field. A couple of dogs had run it by and that was the end of that. We actually only saw the white tail as it bounded through the woods.

My own parents had a little cabin near the Mississippi river north of St. Louis that we went to on weekends during the summer and during duck season in the fall. As it turned out there were deer there as well, but like I said, know one new how to find one on purpose.

[rabbitman]

Good to hear you spinning a yarn again Charlie...been awhile.  

[Charlie Lamb]

Been all gimped up for almost a year Dick. You know how that slows a guy down.  

[Jerry Wald]

Great story...keep them coming

Jer

[steadman]

Lookin forward to the rest Charlie! Lucky for me, I go out of town for 3 days. I should get back about the time your finishing this one up. Hope your back is doin well!
   :D      

[Shaun]

Take you time good buddy - its over two weeks till turkey opens here in Iowa.

I'm still giggling about, "What level did you get to on Face Book?" So glad we have our own "book".

[Ragnarok Forge]

Lots of memories in those boxes.

[TheFatboy]

Nice, Charlie. Actually, I know just how it feels to come by old, "forgotten" stuff.

I, myself, have just moved to live at my father. Naturally, while packing up, I have found a whole lot of memorable things between all my belongings. It takes you back. You feel - for a short moment - what you felt back then. It is quite a bittersweet experience... you feel both childish joy and a bit of sadness, at the same time. But that's nostalgia, there's just no way around...

[K.S.TRAPPER]

You new guys are in for a treat nobody tells a story quite like Mr. Lamb    

The best part is he usually has some awesome pictures to go along with the good story telling too.  :D  

Tracy  

[frassettor]

Oh Boy, I love these loooooooooong stories. Keep it coming Charlie.      

[Charlie Lamb]

Gee thanks guys!! Not like there's any pressure or anything.
 

As far as pictures go... that was a time long before I even thought about photography much. Bottom line is that I've only got one other photo to add.

I'll add some more in a few when the coffee kicks in.

[Guru]

[Charlie Lamb]

There was an old elevated stand in the woods that I'd found while squirrel hunting. It had been built by a guy who had owned a cabin near ours. I figured it was possible that he had known what he was doing and since he wasn’t around to hunt the property anymore, I’d take it as my own.

He HAD known what he was doing and I cut my deer hunting teeth from that 4x8 foot platform. Built between four trees and rimmed with low side walls of pin oak limbs, it was both spacious and offered great cover. Probably the most important part for this young hunter.

Walking into the woods in the dark had turned out to be much more frightening than I’d ever imagined it would be. Every sound in the dark was surely some long fanged monster intent on drinking my young blood. I can’t say I got used to those pre daylight trips for a long time and sometimes even today I get a little chill and straightening of the short hairs on the back of my neck.

I eventually got to shoot at a deer that first year. Actually I shot at it 4 different times before it finally walked out of range. Remember the old adage that deer never look up… it was true back in the day!!

As I’d entered the woods that morning I busted a deer or several from under the stand. Of course I thought it was no less than the wolfman and four or five pals coming to have their way with me. I didn’t have a light of any kind and that situation would soon change.

Deep down I knew it was deer making all the racket, but that still didn’t help as I scurried up the ladder to the stand. I parked my butt on the bucket that served as a seat and watched the little entrance to the stand like a hawk until it got light enough to see. There was little doubt in my young mind that I’d see the hairy head of some beast rise above the stands edge and I’d have to jump and run. But I was ready.

As the light came up and my fears lay down I spotted movement not 50 yards away. Just a flick of movement in a pin oak blow down, but it got my complete attention.

[JC]

   

[Charlie Lamb]

Soon the movement took form and I realized I was looking at a deer’s ear. I noticed that my right knee had an involuntary bounce to it. As I watched in amazement the ear (which was attached to a spotted fawn) rose up out of the blow down along with its twin.  Funny! Now both knees were bouncing.

They came out into the open and after looking around a little started feeding on what I know now was pin oak acorns. It was surprising that they weren’t startled by the sound of my pounding heart, which somehow had gotten up between my ears.
 There was no intention on my part to shoot these little deer so I just sat and watched. I hadn’t watched long when I noticed they kept looking off into the poison ivy. Paying attention in the direction of their gaze I could soon see a doe walking toward them. Now the riddle of the wolfman was solved. It was these deer I’d spooked in the dark. The babies took cover in the blow down and mama went off to wherever hoping to lead the danger away.

My arms were now vibrating and quite out of sync with my knees.

[hayslope]

         This is gonna take a while........moooooore...............love it when old boxes are found.  Ahhhhh....those memories.

OK Charlie...easy on the caffeine.......that stuff might make you forget some of the details!!!!!.............

[Big Ed]

   

[Bill Turner]

It's worth the wait I guarantee. Think I'll get some coffee and feed the dog.

[longarrow]

I know how you about the first kill!...Couple week ago durin' a hog hunt...my best friend pulled out his one piece recurve...Lord behold! It was the best bow I've ever seen! It just happen to be one my brother (shaft slinger) made for me and I killed my first deer with it! I had given it to Bill as gift a few years back!!!! I love that bow! Bill oftered to return it, but I know it's in good hands and will remain in his family forever!

[Tom Phillips]

Charlie,
  Cool stuff keep it comin !!!