Thursday, March 31, 2011

Happy Birthday Gage!



Happy Birthday to our little angel Gage!







He came into our life one year ago and made 2 people very happy!

And they made the 3 of them an eternal family! This little guy is such a blessing. He is so calm and friendly. He can bring a smile at anytime to anyone! We love you Gage! And are so thankful for all that has happened to bring you into our lives!

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

My 2010 Henry Mtn Deer Hunt

This is the buck I took on my 2010 Henry Mountain LE Management Mule Deer hunt. The stipulations are that they deer must have 3 points or less on one antler to be legal. We hunted from Monday until Thursday and had a ton of fun. We got to see hundreds of nice big bucks. The most special thing about this hunt was that it was the last hunt I got to spend with my dad who passed away just over a month after our hunt. This week was such a good experience and we had such a good time, it will be treasured forever!

I also had my son Jace, my half-brothers Dan and Ray, Dan's boy Mike, as well as dad with us.






Jace spotted the deer going up a ridge from the road and yelled for me to grab my gun and shoot.




I asked him if it was legal, and he said "I'm pretty sure it is" , "but if not we can break the little point off"... Oh Sure.....I couldn't see the deer due to the sun coming up just to the right of the deer. Jace yelled to shoot and I told him I couldn't see it...


He ran over kind and pointed it out to me and the deer was moving up the ridge. I didn't have time to range it and Jace said if I didn't hurry the deer would go over the edge and into a big deep mean canyon.




I hit the ground and pulled up on the buck and shot as he was moving towards the edge. Dust blew up all around me and I couldn't see, and all I seen was the deer take off and then it was all dusty. I told them I had missed and Jace and Ray both said that he was drilled thru the shoulders.





Dad took off up the road on his wheeler and I wasn't sure where he was going.


We started walking toward where we last seen the deer and Jace ran over to a big rock to get upon to see if he could see the buck in case he was still alive. We didn't want him to go over that edge or we would have to eat him down in that canyon to get him out.



As he climbed up on the rock, here come dad pulling up behind the rock on the other side of the little ridge..

Jace told me to be ready and he ran up to where he had last seen the buck and started tracking him. Dad was walking up the other side to where the deer had ran as Jace came over the top above him.


Jace looked down the hill and yelled to grandpa to look over next to him, and the deer was laying about 15 feet right to the side of him. He had almost walked right by it.




I was a little nervous as I walked up as they were both telling me it wasn't legal. Dad kept saying I had shot one of the antlers off.. I was thinking sure, and that killed him? When I got where I could see the antlers, I couldn't believe how big he looked.


I was pleasantly surprised when I finally got to hold my buck. He was a STUD. He was 29 1/2 inches wide, 24 tall, and heavy. His burrs were 8 1/2 inches and his first mass measurement was 6 3/4. He was a 3 x 4, with the fourth on the left side being a small 1 inch point.


With the help of everybody, we pulled him up onto a huge rock and took photos there.
Thanks to all of you for helping me out and enjoying the week and making it such a special week in so many ways!