30-30 Marlin. High school girlfriend's dad just gave it to me. Wish I had hung on to it but had to sell it during hard times in college.

Back then doe days opened up the day after Christmas. I got a new ladder stand for Christmas so me and my younger brother went to some land in Elmore county that was owned by my dad's boss. It was up around Real Island and I could hear boats and sometimes folks talking down toward the lake. I put up my stand and got in it. Loaded my rifle and waited. Safety belt? I don't need no stinking safety belt! I think this was 1984.

About 4pm I saw a deer moving on my right side so I turned around to face him. I thought it was a doe but when I moved, I saw he had about 3" spikes. I didn't care. I'd never killed a deer and never even seen a buck before while hunting. So I pulled up to shoot and he moved. I hit him a little back. He took off running behind me and I started working that lever like The Rifleman! I shot again and he ran behind me then came around me on my left side so I turned around facing the other way. He ran down right by me and I shot the gun til it was empty. I was hitting and missing!

Poor deer finally laid down about 70 yards away head up and facing directly away from me. He was looking around so I loaded my last bullet and aimed at the middle of his back and fired. That did him in. I was so proud as if I'd shot a 10 point! I gutted him and me and my brother dragged him out to the road. I loaded him into the back of my Honda Civic and went on home! I shot about 7 times hitting him 3 of those including the final shot. I often wondered what those folks in those houses at Real Island thought when let loose a few hundred yards behind them with that that 30-30 that day.

Dr. B