Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting My best whitetail is a basket buck

And I'm REALLY happy with it!

I've been thinking about doing a post on this deer since last November. I don't mind posting pics of my kids, but I'm hesitant to post my own pics because I don't want to seem like I'm bragging or anything. I decided to post this because I just wanted to say thanks for the positive comments and help that have made this deer my most memorable animal.

A few years ago I got on here and made a post called "Whitetail Whining". In the post I complained that I couldn't get a whitetail buck and how frustrated I was with a degenerative eye disease I have that makes things really challenging.

I wasn't sure if I'd be able to, or even want to keep hunting after the whining post. Several guys here shared words of encouragement. Burleyboy helped my oldest get his first deer (I am unable to drive, walk through the woods without being led, spot game, etc.).) He also drove me around to look for powder and primer. Thaks again Burleyboy!

BCJR, who I didn't even know at the time, read my post and flew down from Alaaka and took me hunting. After a few days he put me on a good buck, out in the open during broad daylight, and I still couldn't see it. The idea that someone would go so far out of there way and donate so much time, effort, and money to help a stranger is amazing.

After I messed up that chance I thought again it was time to stop hunting, but I really wanted a buck. (Mainly, I just want to keep hunting as long as I can!)

2014 I moved to SW MT and was a non-res and couldn't hunt bucks. Last year I decided to keep trying. Since my original post my eyes have gotten even worse, so it was a challenging hunting season! (Blind in the lrfteye, 2% of my vision in right. It's like looking through a very tiny, purply straw. I have NO night vision and black out a lot from big "floaters" covering up the tiny bit of live retina.) Needless to say, when I hunt it's only because I'm with someone very patient!

My brother drove over from Spokane. We hunted for three and a half days and the last morning I passed on this buck, two fork horns, and blew a shot on a big 10 point because I couldn't see him in time. (Again!)

To summarize this too long story, I went back to the field where we'd seen this buck. This buck is 25 days of hunting this year. (It would have been three with a little better vision.)

My wife, for years now, would drive me out to the stand after work. Friends took me out. My kids would go with me a lot. My mom would drop me off early. Many people have helped me, and I just wanted to say, "Thank you" for this deer.

This deer means a lot to me, and I appreciate it. I am often amazed at the caliber of people I've meet who share my love of the hunt.