Annie's Buck....Picture of her buck added.
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Annie's Buck....Picture of her buck added.
It was shortly after ten o'clock the first morning of the Ohio gun season when I received the call from the local deer check station. "If you want to see him get over here pronto" said the voice on the other end. "I have the trail cam picture you left with me and this is unquestionably the same deer." My heart sank. Worse yet, I still had to deliver the news to Annika. I did not relish my chore.
I knew there was a strong possibility that her buck might not survive the gun season. The rut was still in full force and I knew he was traveling. When I arrived at the check station and confirmed that this was indeed the buck we had hunted so hard for the past two years I did not feel regret or sadness. No, that would be Annie's turf. She was the one with the emotional connection to this animal. My feelings bordered more along the lines of frustration. I had failed to put this buck under her climber save the one time last season when she missed the shot. It was not for lack of trying. I had the buck within fifty yards on four occasions and at thirty-five yards on that hunt where the little buck we called "Boy George" busted me and spooked Annie's buck.
I also had Annie's buck dead to rights in the middle of the funnel over on Doc's property in the early season. He gave me a perfect unobstructed broadside at eighteen yards, a virtual slam dunk with the Exocet. I painted his vitals with the crosshairs on the old drop zone. The safety was never touched. This buck was not mine. Had I released that arrow the buck would certainly have died. Had I brought him back to the house that morning, it is also certain that I would have suffered the same fate. Like I said, my wife had an emotional attachment to this animal.
I congratulated the young man who harvested Annie's buck and gave him the trail cam picture I supplied to my friend that runs the check station. He was absolutely thrilled to have a picture of his trophy on the hoof. I also promised to email him copies of the two stories I had written about the pursuit of Annie's buck over the past two years. And finally, I would attach additional trail cam photos of "his" buck to further enhance the history I compiled over the course of the bucks life. For him it was the beginning of a lifetime of telling about the day he got the buck of a lifetime. For Annie it was the end of a saga.
"It was him," I said as I walked through the door of the mud room and into the spam where she sat at the old farmhouse table drinking her tea. She paused for just a slight instant, lowered her eyes and brought the tea back to her lips. She did not look up until she finished the cup. "Wie vil go after Ollie, no?" she said as she raised her eyes back to meet mine. "Ya, we will go after Ollie," I replied. And it was finished. The story of Annie's buck had reached the final chapter.
Like most stories, the end is also a beginning. Annie's buck was a part of our lives for five and a half years. We hunted him hard for two of those years and we are the richer for the experience. I had virtually given up my own pursuit of a trophy whitetail buck to join Annie on hers. And this quest once again reinforced the fact that the real trophy was acquired over forty years ago when a young American Army officer met a young girl from Sweden in a little tavern at the base of the Alps.
I could not have been more proud of her. She had endured all of the rigors of the pursuit of her buck without complaint. From the early heat to the sub zero temperatures of January she never relented. And now she was ready to start all over again with the quest for Ollie.
I think I will go along.
The links to Annie's buck part one and part two for those who would like to know some of the history.
http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/phpBB2 ... 11#p328011
http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/phpBB2 ... 55#p328655
Two trail cam pic's of the buck named Ollie that we will now pursue.
This is one of the many pictures of Annie's buck we compiled over the years. He was 4 1/2 years old when we got this one.
I knew there was a strong possibility that her buck might not survive the gun season. The rut was still in full force and I knew he was traveling. When I arrived at the check station and confirmed that this was indeed the buck we had hunted so hard for the past two years I did not feel regret or sadness. No, that would be Annie's turf. She was the one with the emotional connection to this animal. My feelings bordered more along the lines of frustration. I had failed to put this buck under her climber save the one time last season when she missed the shot. It was not for lack of trying. I had the buck within fifty yards on four occasions and at thirty-five yards on that hunt where the little buck we called "Boy George" busted me and spooked Annie's buck.
I also had Annie's buck dead to rights in the middle of the funnel over on Doc's property in the early season. He gave me a perfect unobstructed broadside at eighteen yards, a virtual slam dunk with the Exocet. I painted his vitals with the crosshairs on the old drop zone. The safety was never touched. This buck was not mine. Had I released that arrow the buck would certainly have died. Had I brought him back to the house that morning, it is also certain that I would have suffered the same fate. Like I said, my wife had an emotional attachment to this animal.
I congratulated the young man who harvested Annie's buck and gave him the trail cam picture I supplied to my friend that runs the check station. He was absolutely thrilled to have a picture of his trophy on the hoof. I also promised to email him copies of the two stories I had written about the pursuit of Annie's buck over the past two years. And finally, I would attach additional trail cam photos of "his" buck to further enhance the history I compiled over the course of the bucks life. For him it was the beginning of a lifetime of telling about the day he got the buck of a lifetime. For Annie it was the end of a saga.
"It was him," I said as I walked through the door of the mud room and into the spam where she sat at the old farmhouse table drinking her tea. She paused for just a slight instant, lowered her eyes and brought the tea back to her lips. She did not look up until she finished the cup. "Wie vil go after Ollie, no?" she said as she raised her eyes back to meet mine. "Ya, we will go after Ollie," I replied. And it was finished. The story of Annie's buck had reached the final chapter.
Like most stories, the end is also a beginning. Annie's buck was a part of our lives for five and a half years. We hunted him hard for two of those years and we are the richer for the experience. I had virtually given up my own pursuit of a trophy whitetail buck to join Annie on hers. And this quest once again reinforced the fact that the real trophy was acquired over forty years ago when a young American Army officer met a young girl from Sweden in a little tavern at the base of the Alps.
I could not have been more proud of her. She had endured all of the rigors of the pursuit of her buck without complaint. From the early heat to the sub zero temperatures of January she never relented. And now she was ready to start all over again with the quest for Ollie.
I think I will go along.
The links to Annie's buck part one and part two for those who would like to know some of the history.
http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/phpBB2 ... 11#p328011
http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/phpBB2 ... 55#p328655
Two trail cam pic's of the buck named Ollie that we will now pursue.
This is one of the many pictures of Annie's buck we compiled over the years. He was 4 1/2 years old when we got this one.
Last edited by Mike P on Fri Dec 31, 2010 6:13 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Annie's Buck....the end of the quest.
Great story!!!!
I feel bad for your wife after such a long journey...she took the news better than I would have !!!
Good luck with Ollie !!!!
I feel bad for your wife after such a long journey...she took the news better than I would have !!!
Good luck with Ollie !!!!
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Proud member of the Georgia Meat Hunter's Association
"Shooting tomorrow's trophy's...today"
Re: Annie's Buck....the end of the quest.
Aww....A bit sorry to hear that, but it could have ended worse. It must be wonderful to have such a prize to pursue for next year. Good luck!
Laura
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Camx
Boo strings, top mounts
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http://www.facebook.com/pages/Michigan-Crossbow-Federation/122974954384381
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Re: Annie's Buck....the end of the quest.
Ollie will look fine on the wall Mike. I sure do wish that Annie could have gotten the buck that she had persued for so long but that's hunting. . I hope that ya'll had a great Christmas and are ready for the new year .
Last edited by raydaughety on Wed Dec 29, 2010 6:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
God Bless !!!!!!!!!
Ray
Ray
Re: Annie's Buck....the end of the quest.
Sorry to hear about Annie's buck, you two cerntainly did your homework and put your time in. Glad she isn't giving up, Ollie's no slouch! Thanks for keeping us updated, love your posts and hope too se more. Good luck and have a Happy "lucky" New Year!
Crispy
Re: Annie's Buck....the end of the quest.
Thanks for the story!!keep us updated on Annie's pursuit of Ollie.As in life when one door closes others do open!!
The best things in life are not things!!
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Re: Annie's Buck....the end of the quest.
Thanks for posting the conclusion of this story.
I hope the young man knows how lucky he is to not only harvest that animal, but get the history behind it too! Very rare. Sorry to hear the Mrs didnt get him but it sounds like he's in good hands.
I hope the young man knows how lucky he is to not only harvest that animal, but get the history behind it too! Very rare. Sorry to hear the Mrs didnt get him but it sounds like he's in good hands.
*thumbhole vixen*original relayer*y25relayer*matrix380-
Re: Annie's Buck....the end of the quest.
Nice to see you back Mike. Terrific story as uasual. Sorry Annie didn't get it but Ollie is no small potatoes. Can't wait to read your story on this one. Glad your back, stick around this time. We all missed you.
I am a hunter and proud of it.
Re: Annie's Buck....the end of the quest.
SPITFIRE wrote:Nice to see you back Mike. Terrific story as uasual. Sorry Annie didn't get it but Ollie is no small potatoes. Can't wait to read your story on this one. Glad your back, stick around this time. We all missed you.
X2
2007 Phoenix
Custom Wood Stock
Gold Tip II 311 Grain
Meat Seeker, 3 blade, Mechanical 100 Grain
Boo Astroflight String
Varizone Sighting
Custom Wood Stock
Gold Tip II 311 Grain
Meat Seeker, 3 blade, Mechanical 100 Grain
Boo Astroflight String
Varizone Sighting
Re: Annie's Buck....the end of the quest.
Great story Mike. I like that Ollie buck, great character in his rack. I hope we some some photos of Annie and Ollie together.
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Re: Annie's Buck....the end of the quest.
Thank you for the update Mike we have missed your presence here.
Hunt eat sleep repeat.
Re: Annie's Buck....the end of the quest.
He most certainly will have left you offspring. Junior vill have to vait.
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Matrix 355
Huskemaw and Leupold crossbow optics.
Boo Strings
SWAT BH's and TOTA heads.
Teach Your Family How To Hunt So You Don't Have To Hunt For Your Family
Re: Annie's Buck....the end of the quest.
Do you have a pic of Annie's buck? I can't seem to find it. Gary
Re: Annie's Buck....the end of the quest.
GaryM wrote:Do you have a pic of Annie's buck? I can't seem to find it. Gary
Added one to the first post Gary.
Re: Annie's Buck....Picture of her buck added.
mike liked your story have sure missed your posts have a happy new year
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BAD NEWS TRAVELS FAST
[email protected]
munchmounts channel utube
munchmounts facebook