Don's 1975 Rainbow 9 point

[Professor T]

Over 31 years ago on my first deer hunt with a gun I killed a 225 lb. 11 point. I had it mounted and it took center position on the mantel until 1998 when I killed another buck. The mount has been at the camp for the last few years and was getting in real bad shape. Last year Doug Harrell killed "Broken Beam" a 6 1/2 year old buck that I have known since 2003 when I let him walk. Doug was not going to mount the deer so I asked him for the cape. I got it back this morning from the taxidermist. Notice all the scars on the ears. I hope this remount will last me another 30 years.

By the way the 11 point is actually a 9 point because his G4 on the right is only 7/8" and the sticker on the left brow is not an inch either. That's OK he is still a great first deer.

[Professor T]

I was working offshore at the time. A friend of mine was invited to go hunting near Natchez, MS on Rainbow Hunting Club. The welder on his work barge was a member there. The year before he had killed a 300 lb. 8-point with a 24 1/2" inside spread. It was November 30, 1975. We made a still hunt in early morning and then met at the camp for running the dogs at about 8:30 am. Everyone chose there position and I was dropped off on the road behind an old graveyard. As I was walking off the road into the woods I jumped a deer. It was a good size one but I didn't have the experience or the forthought to look for antlers. All I saw was that big white tail.

It wasn't long before the beginning of a front moved through and it sprinkled rain a few minutes and the wind got cold. Not much, but enough to notice and remember. Right after the wind and rain quit I could hear the dogs coming. "Hot Dog, I'm going to see some deer". We could only shoot bucks in this club at the time. The dogs soon turned off to head another direction and I thought I had missed all the action.

I heard leaves rustling to my left. I was standing on the ground, leaning against a tree for some breakup of my outline. At about 30 yards a beautiful buck walked right up and gave me a broadside shot. I was using my 20 ga. model 1100 with a slug, then buckshot, then another slug. I picked a spot behind the shoulder and squeezed the trigger. In my amazement the deer whipped around and started running off. I took a second shot as he entered some switch cane. This I know was a miss. The buck's tail had barely cleared the interior of the cane when.... Here is where I don't know what happened) It was either him or another good buck came out of the same place he went in and was running straight towards me. At about 30 yards again he turned to run down hill and gave me a broadside shot at about 200 mph (or so it seemed). I put the sight behind him passed throught the kill zone shooting as I got behind the shoulder, AGAIN. He kept running. WHAT!!!!!!!!!!! I can't have missed! After about 30-40 more yards I could see blood pumping out his side like a hose. A few more steps and he layed on his side and gave a few kicks. During this time I was not the least bit excited. I just knew what I had to do. But I had never met "Mr. Whitetail" before this date. I tried to reload my gun thinking he may get up again. You know those stories that you hear.

Let me tell you, shotgun shells are not easy to put in backwards. Three is to many to hold in your hand when you are having a heart attach. I know it didn't take me more than a minute to reload but it seemed like an eternity. Now I walked up to him. OHHHH SH*************!!!!! I had never seen this before. I counted 11 points and tried to grow more. He was actually a 9 pointer because two of the points are less than an inch but I had never heard of B&C so mine was an 11 pointer for many more years until I learned better.

The president of the club got to me first and started cussing me out because I killed his pet deer. Kidding of course but I wasn't 100% sure. There was no way he was going to take it away from me now though. We drug the deer back to the road and then went back to the camp. Within minutes the deer was devided 14 ways.

On the way back home I decided that I knew how lucky I was to have made such a kill and I have my head to hang on my mantel so I won't go back deer hunting any more. Well at least not until my next day off. I was hooked. First day gun hunting and a 225 lb. 11 pointer.

It been a little time since that happened but the feeling has never changed. When I shot that 8 point with my bow on Bayou Bucks DVD II there was no difference. I stuttered, shook, had that heavy heart beat and that deep feeling that we all know.
Man I love this sport.