Abigail's 1st Buck

As some of you know already, one of my hunting highlights is taking my Grandaughter, Abigail, hunting with me each year. It is just "our time" and no one infringes on it.
Abby's an excellent archer and rifle shot, through education and practice by her archery coach, her archery club teammates & of course...The grumpy "Ol Captain. She has taken several does during our years of hunting but never a buck.
Don't get me wrong. We have seen many bucks. Most were out of range. Not out of range for her capabilities but for her rifle's, mostly. In those cases the Old Man usually takes the shot. One year, 2015, Abigail shot a buck, wounding him in the leg. We trailed blood until the trail went cold as the blood had dried up. It was devastating but I knew the buck would heal as I heard him haul buggy, as we jumped him up a couple of times.
This past season, hunting out of the same shooting house, her buck return to the field. He was quartering, slightly away and from our right to left. The distance was 175 yards. I told Abigail it was "time" to take close aim, hold her breath and "sqquueeeeze"! The Thompson Contender, loaded with 125 grain Noslers out of that 300 Blackout case, range out as I watched her buck (through my scope, ready to take a follow-up shoe if needed) haunch up and fall. No follow up would be needed. The buck never got up and we watched and waited patiently as he faded to his happy hunting ground.
He weighed in at 175 pounds (live weight) and sported 7 points. He was 3 1/2 years old, the perfect 1st buck! We drove him into the hunting camp with him loaded in the polaris, hung him in the cleaning shed, pulled the jawbone, skinned, caped and gutted him and drove the meat to the processor. The cape & horns went to my buddy, Mark Mims, of Mims Taxidermy in Selma, Al.
I am posting Abigail's story now because I got the call from Mark this week, telling me that Abigail's 1st buck was ready! He also texted me a quick pic. I shall share it with all of you.
1st, a couple of photos of Abigail, on the field with her buck & with the 'Ol Captain. In one of the shots, if you look closely in the far right corner of the photo, you can also see the shooting house. A nice buck on a nice hunt with a great girl!
Can't wait till this hunting season!
Stay sharp, Capt. Chris

LOVE IT!!!!!!!
And that field is full of deer too, making it an excellent spot for sure.

That's a wonderful memory for sure. What caliber was the TC?

Pap

300 Blackout. I know a few members rave about T/C's but I am never happy with the groups. I put this together for Abigail because she's a southpaw. As you can see in the photos, she is plenty grown-up enough for her "real rifle". I am looking for a left-hand action, preferably a Remington #700, which I will have built in a whitetail caliber, probably 7mm-08, 257 Rbts., 25-06, 260 Rem., 6.5 Creedmore or a 6.5x55.
Best, Capt. Chris
PS: Don't mean to get a debate started about the merits of T/C's...Palleeasse!!

Nice mount Cap. Perfect ending to a great story.

Hi Cap, what are those things in a circle over the Buck's right ear?
The look like shark's teeth , but figure unlikely.
cheers, Wayne

Great mount, great deer and she did it with you; that is the real trophy for both of you!

Happy hunting!

Tom Flynn

Look like Turkey beards.

Eric,

Over right ear. Looks like gator teeth perhaps.

Warren, You mean my Military Right. They do look like Teeth.

The pic came from Mark Mims and Abigail's deer was mounted and on the wall in Mark's lobby. I believe they are shark teeth. I will ask him whenever I get a chance to pick up Abby's deer.
Best, Capt. Chris

They are turkey spurs which grow out of the back side of each leg near the foot - they are as much part of the trophy as the beards are to most turkey hunters. The leg bone is cut on each side of the spur and then hollowed out so it can be strung. There are some more mounted directly above the beards in the photo also.

Nicely done on that 1st buck, something she will always remember for sure.

You're dadgumed right they're spurs Dwight, and some pretty nice ones too. In VA, a decade or two ago when you killed a spring Gobbler you also had to report the length of the beard/s and the Spurs and send in a small bunch of feathers pulled from the breast to the Game Commission. It was for their research to help determine the bird's age; feathers proved the gender (some hens have beards). The Spurs are sharp as needles and, in the spring mating season, the boys jump in the air and try to blind and do damage to their opponent. Pretty amazing to watch and hear.
I do love to spring Gobbler hunt and call the old boys in.

Thanks for the clarification. They look like fossilised Great White Shark teeth, however , they have too much dentine around them. Shark teeth have supporting Dentine that extends upwards as a continuation of the tooth shape. (not enough to make a rectangle).
I was lucky enough to be offered a Lion Molar,(inverted "V") many years ago to mount in Sterling Silver. Very impressive chunk of enamel and dentine. Huge supporting structure. Easy when seen to understand how they can crush BIG bones.

Here's another angle for you on the spurs - these are from my last season that I still have prep and string. I've had others ask if they were teeth after they've been mounted so its an honest mistake.

Duke - Tennessee used to do something similar a long, long time ago as part of the harvest record. We're covered up in birds here, you ought to come get some..

Capt, failed to comment on the shoulder mount - your taxidermist does good work.