Deer Opening Day for Firearms 12 NOV 2022

 Me, Nick, Alex, and Myers met here at the Ranch at 6:30 and drove to the golf course.  We walked in at 6:45.  It was 35 oF with strong winds out of the W-NW, sometimes from due N, sometimes from straight W.  We saw a doe on the road driving to the course, so already it was a good day.  And as we pulled in, we could see the snow just starting.

Alex headed for overwatch on Hole #5.  Nick went into the woods on Hole #16.  Eric dropped into the bowl on Hole #15 and I headed off to the tee box on Hole #14.  Before the boys could even split up, there were deer standing on Hole #5's green.  Close enough for a shot, but it was up at about 45 degrees with no idea what lay beyond.  Not knowing what was behind their target, no shots were fired (wisely)!

Walking up the #9 driveway, looking up to #5's green.
Two doe standing up there.

Here's the same picture zoomed in so you can see the deer.

I stood behind a tree the best I could to get out of the wind, but that was not happening.  And now, the snow was coming down - kinda looked like fog in the distance - but it never stopped.  I heard Nick shoot sometime around 7:30-ish, don't recall exactly, but he shortly texted and said there was a doe down.  Not too long after, I saw a deer run across the fairway to the N, off property.  I decided I would go block the N end since no one was hunting that side.

The snow as it begins to fall.  Only supposed to get 1/4"
Picture faces E.  Right is #14's fairway.  Left is #13's green.

The same photo, less than one hour later.

I've moved now.  Picture facing S from #12's tee box.
There is over 1" of snow on the ground now and it's not even 9 o'clock yet.


Good thing I did too because a deer came up to the top and ran into me, turned out to be a small buck that I thought was a big doe through the snow in my scope.  Oh well, meat on the table.

Come about 9 o'clock, I can no longer feel my hands, my face is all red from being wind-burnt and I have warm coffee in the truck.  I walked out.  I texted the boys my new location:

Warming up in the truck!  Drinking warm coffee with my red, wind-burnt face.

Next thing I know, Nick sends a text that just said "Eric?"  Eric was shaking too hard to text right back, but it turns out that a nice 8-pt buck walked right up on Eric at about 20 yds and he shot it.  So, I got a golf cart out to go retrieve our three deer.  But, you remember the snow right?  The cart would not make it to the deer and so we ended up dragging deer and then pushing a cart.  It was still better than dragging the deer all the way out!

Low and behold, while we are taking a break from dragging deer, all four of us huffing and puffing, three more doe show up running S to N - and conveniently stop to check us out.  Curiosity killed the cat, or the deer in this case.  Put four in the truck!

Eric's 8-pt buck

Deer back at the truck with our deer hauler on the right.
Shout out to our sponsors:

Leinenkugal Octoberfest, Sun King WeeMac, and Mt. Dew
Look at the depth of the snow on the back of the truck!

So while we are taking a break before loading deer and washing a golf cart, the boys all tell me that in their locations, there was no wind!  They even considered taking off a layer of clothing as it was too warm.  Rotten little sh@ts!  I'm still cold!!!



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