The day a friend helped me I had just shot my first 8- point buck, and I was back in the woods far enough I couldn’t field dress it and drag it all the way back to my truck, I was in a valley 5 miles from my truck. I also did not have any service so I could not call anyone I thought that I was going to be screwed so I decided that I need to field dress it. So the meat will not spoil, so I grab my knifes out of my pack and started cutting, the only issue with this was that I barely knew how to do this I had only done it once. Gutting the deer I followed up the stomach to the ribs and down and Hit the crescent bone. Followed around that cut around what I needed to then I grabbed all the warm guts and ripped them out getting blood all over my arms. I reached up cut the trachea and was able to get it all out which felt so good to get done. The good thing about the blood all over me was that it was warm because that day was a high of 15 degrees and it was very cold. I went down to a skitter rut that had water in it and had to take my weight to jump up and down to break it broke through, the part that sucked the most was reaching my arms in the 15 degree water so I could wash them and my knife off after I got cleaned up. I grabbed the chunks of ice it the rib cage to get the meat really cold so it stays fresh. Now I have to figure out how I am going to get this 170 lbs buck out of the woods I decided the best thing that I could do was hang the deer in a tree and walk back 5 miles to the truck to get some help. Hanging the deer was going to be a task in itself, I grabbed my tow strap and hooked it to my deer dragging rope. I climbed a birch tree and threw the rope around a limb and hooked the rope to the hind legs of the deer and pulled with all my might and was able to get half the deer off the ground and could not go any further. So I grabbed a big log and wrapped my end of the rope around it so I had more leverage. I got it up off the ground this time not very high, but it was going to have to work for now. I finally got the deer up and packed all my things grabbed my rifle grabbed my pack and started walking back to the truck. About 2 miles left of my walk it started getting dark, and about 1 mile from the truck it was dark and then I was about 600 feet from the truck and I heard a four wheeler it was my dads friend Keith. I was relieved I explained my situation and I jumped on the four wheeler and headed back in to grab the deer. We got to the deer and by this time it is already 9:00 pm we lowered the deer out of the tree and through it on the back of the wheeler and strapped it down. Then we were headed back to my truck for the second time we finally got all the way back to the truck around midnight. We threw the deer in the back of my truck and I headed back to camp we got back and I was so relieved the little hike in the woods I went for 6 am ended with me getting home at midnight but Keith was there to help me get the deer I could of had to sleep in my truck or out there or leave the deer and go back to camp. Just to tell you about what kind of guy Keith is he works at Portland glass and it practically the owner of it. Keith is also a firefighter and an EMT he is one of those guys that does so much for everyone and never asks for anything back. One day me and my grand father were working o the race car putting a new body on it and getting it ready for the car show. So he started helping us and was really good at fabricating things for us. When we were about to leave he asked hey what time are you working on this tomorrow I said 9 and he was there at 9 on a Sunday and from there on out he has helped us he is part of the team since I have had him on the team. We have had 6 wins 4 2nd 3 3rd and several heat wins and top 3 in points both years and 2 in the big race at the end of year both years. I might even have a chance to drive a pass modified because of the work he has put in so I can be successful, I am very thankful for what he has done so I can go farther into my racing career. He is truly my greatest crew chief and friend. The lesson or the point here is without Keith I could of been in some serious trouble that could have ended badly now I carry a Garmin it always has reception. I will never stop hunting if anything that experience made me touch made me realize my mistakes that I make as a hunter and what I do right. I have that deer head right over my head at home it provides a very strong good story that I will be glad to tell to anyone that wants a good little laugh.
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5 Comments
I like how you explained what you did when you were in a hard situation. You did did a good job realizing your mistakes as a hunter. It was very humble like most of this story.
What a great friend! And that would’ve been a bad day if you had to lug that deer out by yourself ! Lucky break!
What a achievement for you that’s so awesome. Just the way you worked there get that buck is amazing. Good job!
Great Descriptive words I can really picture of the The book being cut open and stuff , i’ve always wanted to go hunting
You are definitely right this is a pretty good story. I can only imagine how exhausted you must have been during the whole process you went through. I can relate to the relief of having someone show up to help drag the deer out thats for sure. When I shot my first buck I had a ways to drag it and it was all up hill. It was no 5 miles and definitely not 170 lbs but it was still tough on my own. Your story was relatable and interesting, I would love to hear more about you lifting the deer up to hang from a tree all on your own.