# Back from SC doe management hunt...No doe...



## FLTrapper (Feb 24, 2010)

But, I got a buck! I did not actually_ intend_ to get a buck, but it was nearly dark when I saw and shot him, that I seriously did_ not_ see the antlers for some reason! He was about 80 yards away and grazing, when I took the shot. (I was using my friend's .243) I only realized it was a buck when the guides dragged him out of the woods. He had only run about 40 yards in before dropping. I was surprized he even ran at all. Both lungs were gone, and the shoulders were busted.

Small as he was, it was still a legal kill for that area, and it was an amazing experience. SO exciting, to finally get my first deer! He might be a little guy, but he is going on my wall!






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## bar-d (Feb 3, 2010)

Congratulations FLT, you will always remember your first buck no matter how big or small it might be. .243 is a great caliber. I have killed several deer and a truckload of coyotes with mine.


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## TexAgBQ81 (Mar 4, 2010)

yes congrats. many people are supprised at how much of a will to "live" or will to "get away from danger" a whitetail has making them escape into the brush. glad you found him. you did from the looks of it only need a single shot. he looks as though he was very healthy also.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Congratulations to you, FLT !! Be sure to post some pics of the finished mount.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Awesome FLT, not that we can't tell from your grin how happy you are, as for mounting I would say its about ready by how stiff looking it looks all stretched out like a Grey hound racer.


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## SWAMPBUCK10PT (Apr 5, 2010)

Thanks for shar'en story and pic---Congrads on your first BUCK--Good shoot'en


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## FLTrapper (Feb 24, 2010)

Thanks, I'll be sure to post pics of the mount when I get it done. And the reason he looks so stiff in the picture, is because they put him in a meat cooler overnight so we could do all the skinning/quartering the next morning. It was pretty late when we got back to the lodge, since 2 other ladies in my group got does that same evening and we had to recover them all. It was a successful hunt!


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Do you have to use guides to hunt or can you just purchase an non-res. license and go out on your own with or without a state resident?


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Hassell I may be mistaken but you do not need a guide, or at least required. Many of the states do have an early doe season trying to limit the doe heard.

I am surprise you were able to keep your buck. I know in Michigan you have to report a mis kill and they generally take the animal. That is...with their early doe only season.

Congrats FL T ! Good shooting. Deer often do not know they are dead. My 12 year old son ( at the time ) shot his first buck. That deer was shot 5 times through the lungs, it just kept on walking as if nothing happened. As we watched in disblief it bedded down we allowed it to sit for 20 minutes glassing it. Finally "I" could not take it anymore and walked up to it with my son ready to shoot. It was dead but like your deer nothing left inside the ribs except the heart. Shoulders were not damaged.

Nice deer, nice pose, keep it up


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## FLTrapper (Feb 24, 2010)

I did not need a guide for this hunt. Guides were an available option at the lodge but I chose to go out by myself. I have hunted with a guide before, but I personally prefer the solitude without one. I did have a non-resident license though, plus a South Carolina big game permit which was also required. 
They did not seem to have any issues with the spike being taken, and they let me keep it, so I guess the regulations must differ from place to place. They didn't _encourage_ taking spikes, but it wasn't illegal. They just prefer to keep them alive so they'll grow, which makes sense.

And yes, deer really are tough animals, and I didn't fully realize that until this hunt. My other friend who was on the same hunt with me, shot a doe the same evening I got my buck. It ran into the woods about 50 yards, with it's heart shot! She actually didn't realize it was a heart shot until they dressed the deer, and she wanted to keep the heart to cook it. But, there was hardly anything left of it!


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Heart is GREAT....I eat it first everytime !

You should have told her that she tenderized it first !


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## singlesix (May 13, 2010)

Congrats on your deer, that really is a healthy looking deer you got. I used to be stationed in south carolina on parris island and you would not believe the amount of deer that was on base, they were not hunted and so they would come out on the lawns of base housing everywhere. I wish back then i hunted i would have did the base a favor and taken out a few. I miss living in south carolina i would imagine they have a healthy hog population too.


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## El Gato Loco (Jan 15, 2010)

BIG congrats! Thanks for sharing the picture! That's a lot bigger than my first (and only) deer last year!


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## wvcoyote (Mar 14, 2010)

congrtas on your first deer.


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## FLTrapper (Feb 24, 2010)

Thought I'd update this with a picture of the finished mount! I still have the rest of the hide in the freezer, too, which I'll send to the tannery. Plus I'll make the feet into gun racks or lamps -- nearly every part of him will be used in some way. We've been eating the venison, too. Good stuff!


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Wow....you are fast !

The mount looks nice. The hairs is how I like to see them sleek and clean. He even has nice eye lashes .

One question...to me it looks like the cape is still over top of the crown of the antlers ?


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Except for the horn bases you did a beautiful job, congrats.


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## El Gato Loco (Jan 15, 2010)

Way fast for sure! Looks really good too!

I too wondered about the crowns of the antlers though. That was the only thing that caught my eye as being "off". Who am I to judge though? No way could I ever put something like that together. You're a skilled artist!


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Nice work FLT, what a great memento of your first buck! Congrats again!


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## FLTrapper (Feb 24, 2010)

Thanks everyone!

This deer did have a lot of skin up around the antler crowns. Not sure why, I've never seen one like that before. Usually the bases of the antlers are closer against the head. This closer-up picture below shows how it looked before skinning. I may have overdone it a bit on the mount, but considering I haven't done many deer heads, I'm happy with it anyway!


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Being young and having a bit of extra skin I guess it had to grow somewhere. Very unique.


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

That explains it. He was a young buck...perhaps even a first year. Although I have never seen a yearling with spikes, but I have heard of them. He had just not grown up yet. His skull still had to catch up with his body....that is my thought.

If he was a yearling...you had quite a prize there.


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## ReidRH (Feb 1, 2010)

Hey Congrats on your deer! he is a little odd the way his skin goes up under his horn bases like it does but that is an unusual Character for conversations in the future!! As has been said many times any Deer is a Trophy to be proud of!! I Personally like the Spike mounts nothing more natural.


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