When I committed to building the additions to deer camp, I knew there would be at least one Deer Opener that would deeply impacted. This was the one. This was the Thoughtful Spot just before we convened on Opening Eve, 2024:

Here is what The Thoughtful Spot looked like coming into the 2025 Opener:

Notice the dark clouds. Pouring rain and thunder rolled in at Noon on Opening Eve. We had to move the festivities to the front porch under cover. It was only SuperCore and me in attendance. Everyone else came down after dark.

Angus’ Buck

Angus came into this season with a growing weight on his shoulders. It had been 2022 since he last shot anything. He was feeling like the Buckless Youper. Saturday’s Opener did not help anything. All of us came in from the field without making a connection. That’s rare at our camp. I watched a doe feeding in the south field at Midway Saturday evening. Angus had a herd of doe blow past him at Blackberry Saturday Morning. That was it. Shooting was extremely light. I recorded less than 1 shot per 4 minutes in the first 4 hours. That is compared to 1-3 shots per minute on a normal Rifle Opener.

Sunday did not look promising. I got up at 0430 to find pouring rain with no let-up in sight. I went back to bed, thinking I’d at least get another half-hour in. Angus and Supercore made it up and made it out when the rain ended before sunrise. Angus went to the new blind at Fountain Square. Supercore left for Jagendehutte. I woke up well after sunrise, feeling like I’d been drugged. I was finishing my second cup of coffee when a shot shook the cabin, and shortly, the radio went off.

“Angus to Earth. I’ve got a buck down at Fountain Square.”

I had to call Moose back in town; I could not find the keys to the tractor. He’s been the one doing most of the tractor driving. He went back to take Mooselette to her 8th grade play. She’s got the female lead. The keys were right where I had looked; I was just not seeing straight.

The tractor worked perfectly. I drove it out to Fountain Square. There is a new food plot located about 200 yards behind the tobacco barn. It wraps around the head of a small gully. It is a half-acre kidney shaped plot. We placed one of the new tower blinds overlooking the plot from the western edge. From what I gathered, Angus sighted the buck loping from left to right, entering on the southern edge of the plot and moving towards the northwestern end. Angus got a bead on him as he got to the middle and fired. When I got there, the buck was toes-up in the southeast extremity of the field. The tractor made for the easiest deer recovery I’ve ever had. Back at the house, Angus used the bucket to hang the deer. We were off to the processor in record time.

Details:

Buck taken 0856 ET Sunday, weighed 172 pounds liveweight.

Location: Fountain Square

Conditions: 45 F. Winds North @ 15 mph Pressure: 29.98 Rising.

Shot with Winchester 670 in 30-06. Load: 150 grain Corelokt over H4895

SuperCore had to go back to town. Angus had to get back for work. Moose was delayed in town. Abigail, the beagle, had taken a sudden turn for the worse and was not expected to make it another day. Foxtrot Charlie won’t be out until next weekend. That left me alone, feeling dodgy. I did the smart thing and went back to town and rested. I’m back up this morning feeling fine. I’d go back today, but snow is expected– so ends The Opener of 2025

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