One COOOOOOLD azz morning on the Pecos river just upstream from the old Hackberry crossing. I was watching a buck trail these two does on a ridge just the other side of a hollow I was a-settin in. Chrystal clear and I bet 14 degrees. I was in buckskins, mocs, and a wool capote.

After about two hours that buck started moving up to the head of the draw where i had worked myself around to. I was setting behind this feeble excuse for a bush kinda on a big flat ground level rock. At about 60 yards buck stopped and looked right at me. I already had my wiping stick out and was using it as a rest for my flint Virginia rife gun of 50 cal. Perfect shot? I fired! Buck just looked at me. I stayed froze. I eased my way down flat on ground on my back. Buck started salking right straight at me. I poured another charge from my horn into charger and down bbl of rifle. Pulled out three-hole load block. Only one ball in it. Pushed in on powder. Pand primed pan with my horn. (Did all this laying flat on my back.).

Buck had walked up to about 25-30 yards from me a stopped. Lookin’ straight at me. I raised up threw rifle to shoulder. Stuck front sight on his briskett and fired. He got stiff legged and went straigh up in air. Fell to ground as dead a Julius Caesar. Secrets? Not really. I just took my time.

Founder
Ancient Order of the 1895 Winchester

"Come, shall we go and kill us venison?
And yet it irks me the poor dappled fools,
Being native burghers of this desert city,
Should in their own confines with forked heads
Have their round haunches gored."

WS