Hunting Time...

Our faithful guide.  I am so thankful I am able to share in
these adventures with my hubby! He's the best!

Antoher gate... Austin was on gate duty - a lot.

After I tagged out, I turned to taking pictures...

Kinda makes we want to invest is a fancy camera!

First off, get ready for some post madness. I am behind. I know, I am always behind, but I have some important things to get to... Like a certain 3 year old's BIRTHDAY PARTY and of course Halloween! However, because I am type A and function in a linear fashion, I am still going to move in chronological order. So first up, the great white huntresses...

The boys making a plan - or just lookin' good!

We recently had the opportunity to take friends Austin and Deidra hunting with us in eastern Montana. I was particularly excited to have a gal that actually was interested in hunting. We didn't know if she would like it, as this was her first trip, but hey, she was going. We left the littles with my parents for weekend (more on that later) and headed out. It was a quick trip leaving Friday morning and returning Sunday evening - with a 6 hour drive each way it was pushing it.

Heading out to the wildlife!

When we rolled in on Friday mid-day we were still in antelope season (deer opened on Saturday). Being an honorable husband, I, as the lady, was up first. To make a long story short, I made my kill, but also learned a new lesson, as I always do on our adventures. There is a reason there are no pictures (like maybe becaus the horns were about 6 inches high, but just maybe)... But there was beautiful landscapes and sunsets!

Its pretty country to visit...
We had absolutely gorgeous weather!



And sunsets worth watching!

So with my, ahem, success on Friday evening, we were ready to get out on Saturday morning with our hopes high. We spotted a few does early on and dropped Austin and Deidra off to try at them. Having spotted some nice bucks the night before, Buck and I headed off to hike a bit and see if we could found them. And we did, a bit quicker than anticipated (and I spotted them a mili-second before Buck - if you know Buck's animal-I-see-you-abiilties, you can appreciate that this is a big deal). So we ducked for cover and worked to get in a position to be able to have a shot. The first, smaller buck did exactly what we wanted him to, but the second, larger buck decided he wanted to walk directly at us and ended up being about 30 yards away. It was fun and frustrating all at the same time. It was a great experience, but frustrating because of where I was on the hill we were peeking over, I was not in a position to shoot. He finally reliezed he didn't want to be that close to us and started off. But in true mule deer fashion, he paused for a micro-second at the crest of a hill. I fired. A bullet makes a vary distinct sound ("THWACK") when it hits an animal (this is a good sound to a hunter). We heard a solid THWACK! Then the nigerian ninja (a.k.a. my husband who had apparently rediscovered his speed from his high school track days) and I, though I was trailing behind him and wondering how he was suddenly 30 yards ahead of me, took off to verify that I had a kill shoot and to track the buck. As I approached, the buck was just standing there and not acting nearly as hurt as one would hope. I settled in and took another shoot. The buck takes off again, and in a fashion that does not make us comfortable. So we continue our chase over another hill and my buck is nowhere to be found. We start searching and just as my anxiety was really starting to rise (I did not like to think about an animal getting away and running off to die a slow death at my hand), Buck spotted him - dead. Turns out my first shot was totally solid and this guy was just really tough and fooled us.



Proud of this one! Not one for the record books,
but my best one yet!

After getting my buck, we were focused on Deidra and hoping she would be able to get something. It was not long until we were spotted a few more deer and a nice buck amoung them. Austin and Deidra hopped out of the truck to pursue them. We watched them chase the deer across the country-side with determination, but no luck. When we caught back up to them (drove about a mile over and picked them up), Deidra was thrilled with the experience and Austin said every hill Deidra would just want to keep going to try to get a shot. We had a few more opportunities and both Austin and Deidra both took shots, but missed. Then as our day was drawing to a close, we crested a hill (not to far from where Deidra began her marathon chase that morning), and we spotted another buck.  Austin and Deidra hopped out and climbed the hill the buck had just slid behind.  We were able to watch them as they crested the hill and got ready to shoot. 

Getting ready for the shot!

With the calm before one fires, Buck and I crossed our fingers.... BANG! THWACK! There was no doubt that she had hit him nice and solid.  This was quickly confirmed with Deidra's fist pump - one arm in the air while the other clutched her rifle.  We hear this conversation ensued:

Austin: "Dee, reload!"

Dee: "Why?"

Austin: "In case you need to shoot agin!"

Dee:  "But he's dead!"

He sure was (but next time she will reload... just in case)! Turns out, there was a buck bedded down, giving Deidra the perfect opportunity! It was so fun to be a part of this experience for Deidra.  Her smile was  mile wide and she even pulled out her 'ol Oklahoma accent she was so excited, ya'll.  Way to go Dee!

Deidra's first kill!

An Oklahoma smile a mile wide!

Saturday night Dee and I were not cutting any the boys any slack as the tally was 3-0.  That just left Sunday morning to hunt before heading home.  Sunday morning we headed out with deer or antelope in our sites.  We spotted a buck that looked as though it had bedded down.  We got Austin in a position to make a sneak on it and dropped him off.  Then we headed out so Buck could look for antelope.  We hadn't made it too far before we had to stop for a gate.  Just as were about to load up and head out, we heard a shot.  Knowing Austin had just shot we waited... Then we heard "YES!" And soon thereafter Austin appeared on top of hill letting us know he was successful.  So we went and met him and his first big game kill in Montana.

Our faithful guide!

Austin's deer - still in velvet!

Unfortunately, Buck didn't have the opportunity to shoot anything (he was our trusty guide first and hunter second).  But he was an excellent guide and he has his sites on a nice whitetail buck on a piece of property he can hunt just outside of Bozeman.  As for antelope, he has shot his far share of nice ones over the years, so we wasn't too worried about that. In the end, we all had great time.  I am glad that I have found my own hunting buddy!

The girls showing off!



A team picture before heading home... Thanks guys!
It was an awesome trip!

It was a quick weekend, but for me it was my first weekend away from Embrie.  I missed my kids, but at the same time really enjoyed hanging out with Buck and friends without the tugging of little ones.  Though it is hard to be away from them and I love them dearly, the repreive from being constantly needed at work and at home, was nice.  I mean seriously, I drank a beer every night and I didn't have little people crawling on me and begging for sips!