Hunter: Austin Farmer
Points: 9 (4L, 5R)
County: Harris
Season: 2015-2016
Hunt Story
We have arrived at our friend Evan's cabin around 2:00 PM to start our annual post Thanksgiving hunt. (I had surgery last Thanksgiving for a sports injury and was unable to make it last year and was looking forward to this trip.) It's about a 5 minute drive to the property from Evan's cabin on Lake Harding, so my Dad and I left about 2:45. We parked where the logging road forked, and I told Dad I was going to the hardwood bottom to the left and he decided to head down the left logging road and look for a crossing. I had not hunted this tract for two years and have no stands or blinds. I got to the bottom of the steep ridge and found a spot where I could see up and down the small branch that ran through the bottom. After about 5 minutes, I grunted 2-3 short times and after about two minutes saw movement about 100 yards out. After one glance, I knew he was a shooter. I took aim on his left shoulder and fired. The buck actually ran toward me. Not knowing if I hit him, I made a follow up shot and he fell about 25 yards from me. Turns out my first shot had connected right in his shoulder. I could not believe my eyes. After sitting for less than 10 minutes, I had just taken the largest buck I had ever seen in the woods. I texted Dad and he came to help. He could not believe his eyes. After celebrating and pictures, reality set in and we began dreading the long, uphill drag ahead. After field dressing, it took us about an hour to drag him about 150 yards uphill. But what a day!
