I woke up all excited about the hunt that my friend asked me to go on in Bunet, Texas. Since I got off my lease from the previous years, I had no place to hunt. So this hunt had me pretty excited.

I had made plans to go into work for half a day and then head on to Burnet to go on the hunt. Well after getting to work the bad luck started. My Operations and Regional Managers from work decided to drive in from Dallas and Houston to pay a visit to see how everything was going. At about 1:30 pm they were still there and I didn't think I was going to get to go on the hunt afterall. I was thinking about what bad luck I was having when my wife called. That's when I told a little white lie and told my managers that my wife's car had problems and I had to go help her out. I took off to Burnet to meet up with my friend thinking everything was good to go.

My friend he finally shows up. And when he is getting out of his truck to unlock the gate his truck keeps rolling! I yell at him and he jumps in the truck and puts it in park, then shuts the door. When he returned to get in his truck, his door was locked with the truck running! The bad luck was back. So we decide the only thing to do is for me to drive back to Austin to his house to get his spare keys while he waits at his truck. I told him we should check the passenger side before I leave. I can't believe it, it's unlocked. So everything is good now. Wrong! As soon as we drive up to the camp and get ready to go on the hunt, my buddies Father calls him and tells him he really needs his help. So he has to leave. I'm thinking, now my hunt is really over. I told him everything is cool, thinking he doesn't want me hunting there without him. But he told me that I should stay and hunt and to just make sure I lock up the gate before I leave. I told him that it's ok, but he insisted I stay and hunt.

So he takes me out to the blind where I would be hunting. I get all situated in the blind. The wind seems like it is blowing 50 mph, but probably about 20 mph. I am thinking that nothing will come out in all of this wind. Two hours go by and not a single deer shows up. Then a doe pops out of the brush. She wasn't there for 2 minutes when she picks up my scent and takes off snorting and running. I could hear her for a half a mile. Now I am really thinking nothing is going to come out. And then the good luck starts.

One doe pops out, then two more, and then before I knew it, there was about 20 deer out there. I am looking at every deer through my scope, trying to find the biggest doe I could see. Since there wasn't any bucks out there. I finally pick out the doe I'm going to shoot. But then a yearling walks up beside her. So I decide not to shoot her. And right
before I put my gun down, I notice antlers come into site. I take a
good look at him. He is big, not just the antlers. I noticed he is about a 7 year old. And fat. I put the cross hairs on him and took the shot. Didn't have time to wait, since it was already 5:45 at night. So I take off to track him down. I couldn't find any blood in the spot where I thought he had stood. So I went down a little closer and found blood, lots of it. So I know I hit him good. I find him about 50 yards away laying down dead. I pulled my truck up as close as I could to him. I grab his antlers and start pulling him like I always do. Now the bad luck comes back!

His antlers slip right off! They don't break off or shed like they normally do in March, but actually slip off. You will see what I am talking about in the pictures. So after trying to load him up for about 45 minutes, with no luck, I have to tie his hind and front legs together with my tie straps. I crawl up in the back of my truck and pull him with all my weight and finally get him into the truck.

I have talked to 4 taxidermists and no one has ever heard of this. But one of them said they could put them back on for me. For a fee of course. But it was well worth the money for this buck and for the memories he had given me. So you now see where the Bad Luck-Good Buck-Bad Luck comes from.