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Tuzo · November 2, 2007, 11:11 AM

About 1964, when I was young and living in New Jersey, I passed a hunter saftey course, bought a 12-gauge Mossberg, and went deer hunting for the first time. It was mid-December, very early morning, and very cold with snow on the ground. I sat in a depression for about one-hour scanning the thick woods around me until my feet became numb. Did not spot a single animal. I gave up and stood up and a two point buck and a doe appeared about ten yards in front of me. I pointed the Mossberg but had no clear shot and, after a quick moment of hesitation, the deer ran off. I was not too happy. Then I heard a clatter in their direction and ran to the noise. This is what I saw: a narrow gravel pathway, a 6-foot chain link fence surrounding Lakehurst Naval Air Station (USN was still flying lighter-than-air airships from Lakehurst), and a buck with antlers stuck in the chain link. From the hoof marks I determined that the doe made a successful turn at the fence but the buck lost his footing and skidded into the fence antlers first. Was it humane to either hop the fence and untangle the buck or walk away? Not at all. From about 2-yards I blasted the stuck buck.

I felt a bit embarassed about shooting a sitting duck (or buck) and, for many years, I could not tell the story of my first deer without saying that I heroically tracked and stalked a New Jersey whitetail through the oaks and swamps of Manchester Township.

My last deer was shot at about 200-yards in the White-Inyo mountains of California.

November 2, 2007, 11:11 AM	#25
Tuzo Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2007 Location: Louisiana Posts: 797	Stuck buck About 1964, when I was young and living in New Jersey, I passed a hunter saftey course, bought a 12-gauge Mossberg, and went deer hunting for the first time. It was mid-December, very early morning, and very cold with snow on the ground. I sat in a depression for about one-hour scanning the thick woods around me until my feet became numb. Did not spot a single animal. I gave up and stood up and a two point buck and a doe appeared about ten yards in front of me. I pointed the Mossberg but had no clear shot and, after a quick moment of hesitation, the deer ran off. I was not too happy. Then I heard a clatter in their direction and ran to the noise. This is what I saw: a narrow gravel pathway, a 6-foot chain link fence surrounding Lakehurst Naval Air Station (USN was still flying lighter-than-air airships from Lakehurst), and a buck with antlers stuck in the chain link. From the hoof marks I determined that the doe made a successful turn at the fence but the buck lost his footing and skidded into the fence antlers first. Was it humane to either hop the fence and untangle the buck or walk away? Not at all. From about 2-yards I blasted the stuck buck. I felt a bit embarassed about shooting a sitting duck (or buck) and, for many years, I could not tell the story of my first deer without saying that I heroically tracked and stalked a New Jersey whitetail through the oaks and swamps of Manchester Township. My last deer was shot at about 200-yards in the White-Inyo mountains of California.