Missed deer become stories. Stories shared over time become legends. The legend of the Ghost Buck at Rip N Tear meal times began several years ago and it haunts my memory to this day.
It was mid-week through our annual Rip N’ Tear Deer hunt. I thought I would head for the “4-Corners” watch to end the evening by watching a pond and a couple of cut property lines.
Its the kind of watch that is unique because of the directions you actually watch when standing. You can watch down cut lines at the 12, 3, and 9′oclock positons.
On my approach to this watch (despite my attempt at stealth) I had to duck and dodge the incoming flight of a large owl whose wings span must have been close to 1m in length! I could feel the air from his passing wings above my head. Perhaps this was serving to indicate the type of magical evening it would be.
After resuming my initial course from the owl encounter, I was able to scrape some leaves away to clear my watch area. Once I had cleared a small circle at my feet the watching and waiting game began. It was very quiet. Fog began to move in to the swamp to my right as the remaing daylight began to dwindle.
Then the unexpected happened!
I had just finished watching the pond to my right and turned my head left to scan the cut line there. Just as I turned my head to the left, I got a strange shiver down my spine. Unexplainably, I looked right again and at full broad side, 40 – 50 yds from me was a monster buck!
Three of his legs were planted while his front left leg was lifted.. His tongue was licking at the air as he was trying to determine what exactly I was. It was a stalemat for a few moments as I was remained motionless
He took a few cautious steps forward and stopped. His breath was clearly seen in the cool evening air.
I decided to take a chance and slowly lifted my gun to my shoulder. Somewhere between the soft click of the safety and the butt of my rifle tapping my shoulder the deer went into ‘super-pursuit’ mode! He let out three blood chilling snorts that echoed across the swamp. My full broad shot was now nothing more than subtle moving swamp plants and foliage. No shots fired. Plenty of story when I got camp accompanied with the usual ‘cheeky’ comments from the other members…
It’s rack was tall and full. Similar to the deer’s rack in this post. It was the first time I had ever heard a grunt from a buck. It was not the last time I ever saw this deer. I tangled with him last year as well. You can read that story here.
Thus, began the legend of the Ghost Buck of Aspdin.
Bill Anderson
Muskoka Outdoors
