Tis Far Better to Give
Sure, it’s part of an old saying, but when you think about it, it’s really true. And in this case, it’s the truth. It all started almost a year ago, when I was having a cup of coffee with Dick Busha of Little Lakes Ranch, a whitetail preserve in Irma, Wisconsin. He casually mentioned that he would like to host a disabled war vet on a whitetail hunt, but he was having a hard time getting it put together.
Like the idiot I can be, I figured “Heck it can’t be that hard,” and said, “I can put that together, it’s a good thing to do, it’s the right thing to do and besides, it would make a great television show.” Ahhh, little did I know…
I contacted numerous organizations, military individuals, even the Pentagon, to no avail. Eventually, with the help of retired Master Sergeant Jeff Johnson of the Wounded Warrior Regiment, we found a young Marine in Missouri who was in need of such a trip. I talked with his wife Stephanie, told her what we wanted to do, and she thought it was just the thing for Sean. The trip was set up in no time at all, with them leaving their home on November 17th, making the nine and a half hour trip north.
Swearing Stephanie to secrecy, I had made plans to make the trip extra-special with the aid of friends in the local area, as well as support from friends in the outdoor industry. You see, while Sean knew he was going on a whitetail hunt, he didn’t know what else was in store for him…
I drove the 35 minutes to Little Lakes Ranch bright and early on the 18th, with a truckload of goodies, all my video equipment and a light heart. I had a good feeling about this hunt.I met Sean and Stephanie at the beautiful lodge at Little Lakes Ranch.
I could see the lines of stress in Sean’s face, and knew by the end of the trip, those would be gone, for at least a little while. We sat and talked for a while, drinking coffee, getting to know each other and talking about our love of the outdoors, as well as the fact that Sean had never shot a buck! I couldn’t take it any longer and brought the subject around to firearms. I knew Sean no longer had a deer rifle and he was under the impression that he would be borrowing one of my rifles, as we both shoot left-handed.
I brought out a rifle case and showed him a nice little Savage 110, left hand bolt action chambered in 7mm08. He admired the rifle, shouldering it a couple times and commenting on how well it fit. I wish you could have seen the look on his face when I told him, “I hope you like it because it’s yours!” A few of those stress lines disappeared as his face lit in a smile.
A trip was quickly organized to the Lincoln County Sports Club rifle range and with a few adjustments of the Bushnell 4×12 scope; Sean proved that the Marines do indeed teach their guys to shoot! I was confident that if buck fever didn’t strike too hard, there was a buck out there in trouble!
Back at the lodge, we had lunch and discussed the afternoon’s hunt. Dick and I enjoyed watching Sean and Stephanie as they gazed in wonder as deer roamed within sight of the dining room table. 76, a “bottle-baby” doe that Dick hand-raised gave us a great show as she strutted around the lodge, even taking care to check out the Argo Frontier 6×6 atv that Beaver Dam Argo loaned to me to get Sean into the woods and more importantly, his buck out!
Finally, our guide Mark Busha arrived and announced that it was time to head for the blind. Getting dressed to kill, we headed out, Sean decked out with his new Savage and new cold weather gear, and I was armed with my Canon video camera. It was my job to capture the moment on tape if I could.
Situated on a little knoll overlooking a meadow, it was a perfect location for an ambush. It wasn’t long before we had deer filtering through the woods and feeding in the meadow. As much as I enjoyed watching the deer, I enjoyed watching Sean’s face even more. A couple times bucks appeared that I was sure were shooters, and when we looked at Mark, he’d shake his head and whisper, “Not big enough.” Sean was dumbfounded, seeing bucks that were bigger than anything he’d ever seen with a gun in his hand, and Mark was telling him to wait! I wish I could have been monitoring his vital signs, because I’m sure his pulse was racing and his blood pressure was hitting the redline!
A couple of times, I was again sure that it was just a matter of moments before Sean would be pulling the trigger, but the deer would get spooky and leave the clearing, trickling back in. This happened more times than I care to think about.
As the sun was getting low on the horizon, I was beginning to think, “Ah well, tomorrow’s another day.” By this time, there were several does and small bucks in the meadow, but nothing with enough age or antler to pull the trigger on. I was fairly certain that with thirty minutes left of camera light, we’d be getting up early in the morning for another session, and I was fine with that. Even though we were hunting a preserve, the deer just don’t like being TV stars and I know they didn’t read the script!
Just as I had my mind made up that we were leaving before too long, Mark whispered “Psst, get ready, I think this is one for you.” A good eight-point buck cautiously entered the meadow and Mark asked Sean, “You like that one?” Well, that was a fairly stupid question to ask a guy who’d never shot a buck! I thought Sean’s head was going to vibrate off as he nodded yes!
He eased the rifle out the shooting window as I followed the buck in the camera’s viewfinder. With about a sixty-yard shot, I wasn’t too worried, having watched Sean shoot at the range, but “buck fever” was in the back of my mind as I watched, filmed and waited. The bucks played Musical Chairs as they grazed and fed around the clearing. For what seemed an eternity to me, and I’m sure even longer to Sean, if there wasn’t a deer in front of the buck, there was one behind him. So even though he was broadside to us on more than one occasion, there was never a shot!
Knowing how fast we can lose camera light, I watched with a sinking feeling as the buck started to walk to the edge of the clearing. I thought he was leaving, heading to the nighttime feeding area. Just yards short of the wood line, he stopped to sniff the air. With so many deer mingling in the meadow, Sean was distracted enough and whispered, “Which one is he?” I whispered back that he was the one with his nose in the air. And of course at that time, a smaller buck standing nearby stuck his snoot in the air as well. Luckily, the smaller deer was colored differently enough that we were able to soon get Sean onto the right deer.
The trigger was squeezed, the 7mm08 roared, sending a 140-grain Remington AccuTip bullet on its way, striking the buck just behind the shoulder, right in the crease I told Sean to aim for. The buck hunched up, hit hard and bolted for the woods just yards away. As he bounded into the safety of the woods, his antler snagged a branch, spinning him right around and dumping him on the ground. A couple kicks and the buck was still; Sean had his first buck!
Tearing my eyes off the buck, I looked at Sean, who at this point had eyes the size of saucers! Let me tell you, there were lots of back thumps and handshakes going on in that blind!
I wish I were a writer of sufficient skill to put into words the emotions that were playing across Sean’s face as we approached the deer. Elation, jubilation and a touch of sadness were just a few of the more easily readable expressions as he looked over the huge bodied, magnificent buck. With eight points and beautiful symmetry, it was a buck that many hunters go years without seeing, and this was Sean’s first!
Briefly, we admired the buck, videoing it from several angles when Sean made the decision that we needed to go to the lodge and bring Stephanie out for the recovery. After all, in a way, it was her buck too! It was dark by the time we got the buck loaded up in the Argo for the trip to the skinning shed, but we went with light hearts and a full load.
Tom Hunter of HeadHunter Taxidermy arrived at Little Lakes, and after some story telling and congratulations, got to work. It didn’t take him long at all to have the buck skinned and caped. Measurements were taken and a catalog was brought out as he and Sean discussed the pros and cons of various poses, finally settling on one. With the cape and antlers safe in his truck, he promised to have the mount done as soon as possible.
The cool thing is that Sean and Stephanie are going to come back to pick up the mount, bringing their four children with them for a weekend getaway. Dick and his family (Little Lakes is a family operation), Tom Hunter and his wife as well as Janet and I are planning on being there for the grand unveiling of the trophy mount. I can’t wait for that celebration.
And you know, the last time I saw Sean, there wasn’t a single stress line to be seen!
I’d like to thank the following people and businesses for supporting this much needed hunt for a deserving young man who has given so much for our country.
Jeff Johnson of the Wounded Warrior Regiment, for putting me in touch with this brave man.
Dick/Bev Buscha, Mark Busha, Eric & Missy Wegner of Little Lakes Ranch, Irma, WI provided the hunt, as well as the lodging and some great meals.
Randy Garrett of Garrett Cartridge Co., Chehalis, WA and his father Clyde Garrett (a WWII vet), they donated funds for the purchase of the Savage 110 rifle.
Gander Mountain of Wausau, WI reduced the price of the rifle, scope mounts and rings to the point we could afford to purchase the Savage rifle.
Tom Hunter of HeadHunter Taxidermy, Merrill, WI (715-873-4164) has provided his skill and artistry and will be mounting the buck
John Gillespie of Gillespie Convenience & Fuel, (715-369-5658) donated BP gas cards in sufficient funds to cover the round trip from Missouri to Wisconsin.
Christopher Schenkel of Beaver Dam Argo, Fox Lake, WI (920-296-8364) provided a 6×6 Argo Frontier to help out in the hunt.
Mike from Hodag Gun & Loan, Rhinelander, WI donated a Bushnell 4×12 power rifle scope, the Remington ammunition and a sling for the rifle.
Mitch Mode of Mel’s Trading Post, Rhinelander, WI donated a nice pair of Spartan insulated camo coveralls and bore sighted the rifle/scope.
DeByle’s Clothing of Rhinelander, WI donated a great pair of Carhartt insulated underwear.
Most of all, I’d like to thank Sean, for all the missed birthdays, anniversaries and holidays he gave in the service of our great country. It was a project I was honored to be part of.
Steve
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