This one is a little late posting but I got a call about a youth hunter who had shot his 1st buck. The dad was unsure of the shot but said there was white hair in the field. I told him I'd be there in a couple hours. We got to the field and there was a bunch of white hair and nothing else. I thought to myself this don't look good, I figured he shot low and grazed the belly by all the hair in field. Ada sniffs around and takes a line out the greenfield. The dad said that's where he ran, I said well lets see what happens. We take off and for about 150 yards didn't find anything, then the deer crossed a creek and there was blood on the bank. I crossed over and found more blood on the opposite bank. We trail him across another creek and this time he starts paralleling the creek and started to bleed pretty good. The dad says he thinks he is headed towards the Succarnoochi river. Well Ada stays about 40 yards from me and keeps looking back for me to catch up. I ask the dad to hand me the gun just in case deer is still alive I've learned when Ada stays close the deer may still be alive. Well I ease up and shes on point looking down a bluff. I ease up behind her and a buck stands up out his bed, I give her a few whoas, and get the scope on the buck with my headlamp it was so bright i couldn't see much of the deer, but had his body in the scope. I told Ada to heel and she comes to my side. I shoot the buck and he falls down the bluff into the river. This is where it got interesting here we are with this deer 10 to 15ft down in the river by the time he quit flopping he was in the middle. Now the succarnoochi isn't a wide river but still has deep enough holes I wasnt wanting to dive in and get the deer. The dad starts taking phones, wallet, car keys and everything out his pockets. I said what you doing? He said I guess I'm gonna get wet, I said hang on, Ada fetch, she dove in the river and pulled that buck to the bank by his flank. I said you don't have to get that wet. Lol. The little boy was apologetic to his dad, apparently he shot an inferior deer and was going to have to pay a fine. He was so upset he was crying, I said hey, don't you cry over that buck, we gonna go back to camp and show him off, and if any of them grown men give you hard time about it you write their names down and I won't bring this dog to track their deer if they shoot one, he got tickled and began to realize that hunting is fun. It's a shame we put so much emphasis on racks that a young man who shot his 1st buck was apologetic about it. But everyone was happy when we got back to camp, now I'm sure his dad might have had to settle up but that boy didn't need that on him.



Oh and the shot was in the back ham and wound up blowing the little bucks pecker clean off, he was probably happy we finished him off. Lol

Good job!!!

I think that is the first deer fetching dog tale I've ever heard. It is crazy to fine a young'un about shooting his first buck and then fining him.

Congrats on the recovery. My how times have changed, not for the better on fines for a dang deer.

That's one proud looking dog.

Good stuff Dano,

Great track, great story Dano! I do have one question though...is it legal to finish a deer off outside of legal shooting hours?

Congratulations to the young man! His pops should be proud and if it was my boy I’d gladly pay the fine.

But That’s just sorry if you ask me! Any man is a real POS to fine a kid or anyone for that matter on their first buck. IMHO

If you have young or inexperienced hunters hunting, you should be prepared for an inferior deer to be shot. that is part of it and If it is that big of a deal someone needs to sit with them to give them the green light.

By the letter of the law NO!!!, however we have spoken with several game wardens and had them speak at our Blood Tracking Seminar each year, it will vary from county to county but a good relationship with your game warden can go a long ways. Most of the wardens around here know me personally, and know that if I am out there with my dog I am tracking a deer not hunting at night. That being said no game warden wants an animal out there that is wounded to be lost or eaten by coyotes, its the ethical recovery part.

I'm glad the GW's are on your side with that. I totally agree with you, there's no need in a animal out there suffering when you can go find them and put em' out of misery.

Great story! congrats on the find.

Awesome story. A club that would fine a kid for his first buck wouldn't be worth being in for me.

Thanks for sharing.

Ada is the deer fetching dog instead of the deer tracking dog.....shoulda had Paul with you and made him go swimming