11 minute read
PAPA’S GUN
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Being raised in a hunting family, I always knew that I would eventually test out the hunting fields too. I have had the opportunity of experiencing all that goes along with the sport of hunting all my life.
However, I’ve never actually done any of the hard work for the end result. Early on I would go hunting with Josh (my brother) right by my side. He would be the one to set up the stand, get the deer coming, and check trail cameras. Then when everything was ready, he would take me out and all I had to do was shoot the gun.
Hunting for me was simple, or so I thought. I didn’t realize the time, effort, and passion it took to get to that last stage, pulling the trigger. It wasn’t until this year that I decided I would do all the heavy lifting. This year I was going to be the one to setup the spot, check the trail cameras, and sit in the stand day in and day out. I didn’t know what I was getting into, but I was following in the footsteps of my Grandpa, Dad, and brother, only hoping to get a buck but not actually knowing what would show up.
There’s a backstory as to why 2019 was going to be my hunting year, why I was so determined on shooting something. You see, my Grandpa (Gordon Dillabough) or Papa as we all called him was the most amazing man. He was an idol and role model for so many. His passion for everything he did, runs deep through our family. He was a generous, loving, humorous man and one of the greatest hunters that I’ve known in my lifetime. He lived in Battleford, Saskathewan and often times when I would be passing through, I’d stop in and we’d go for on a lunch date. We would talk about all his hunting adventures that he has been on, my future hunting plans, and anything else that we could fit in. On one particular lunch I had mentioned to Papa that I was looking to purchase either a 270 or 300 rifle. Papa, being the knowledgeable man that he was, went into great detail about each gun stating all the pro’s and the con’s. He told me to think long and hard about which one I wanted and to not go buy one too quickly without researching them both first. Fast forward to the next lunch date I was so excited to tell Papa that I had decided a 270 would be best for me and my hunting goals. Once we got back to the house, he mentioned that he had something to show me down in his gun room. I followed him down and he went into his gun safe, pulled out one of his old 270’s and went into great detailing explaining everything about that gun. He then handed it to me and said, “Here ya go kid, go shoot a big one”.
Later that year the role model that so many loved, Papa, had passed away. I was now DETERMINED to shoot a deer with the 270 that he gifted me. I wanted to make him proud and shoot that big one.
At the start of October, I began setting up the spot. I was lucky enough to have my boyfriend Connor’s old deer stand to go out to. He had a ground blind set up about 85 yards away from the camera. Unfortunately, he was gone to work for most of October so he couldn’t join me in this exciting part of the hunt. Josh was very excited when I told him my plans to go hunting with Papa’s gun. He is one of my role models when it came to hunting. He knows so much and is always willing to share and teach. He helped me get started with some peas and hay and sent me on my way. I laid out the hay, spread the peas, and set up the camera. A long week later I went back so I could lay more peas and check the camera. There were 489 pictures on that first chip, and he was on one of them! Holy crap, I took a picture and sent it to Josh and he called me right away. “Tash you need to get out there now and shoot that guy, he’s massive! It’s muzzleloader season so you can go out there and shoot him with a muzzleloader before someone else shoots him!” But that wasn’t the plan. The plan was to shoot him with Papa’s 270. I showed a couple other people that picture and they said the same
thing “Get out there Tash, he isn’t going to last long.” I ended up sticking with my plan and waited, but boy was it hard! I saw him a few more times on the camera after that but then nothing. Nothing for a couple weeks. He was gone, “Someone must have shot him. I missed my chance,” I thought.
Rifle season came and I started sitting out there morning and night. I had been going out there for about a week and a half with no sign of the big buck who we later named Gordon. Going to bed the night of November 10th, I wasn’t sold on getting up and going out, especially when it was going to be the coldest morning that we’ve had so far. However, I still set my alarm and told myself I’d decide in the morning if I’ll go or not. When that alarm went off at 6:30AM I rolled over, looked at the weather on my phone, -22°C. I shut my alarm off and had every intention to go back to sleep, but after lying in bed for another ten minutes I couldn’t fall asleep. That was my sign, “Just get out of bed and go Tash, you can’t sleep anyways so you might as well sit out there and see what comes in, you’ll probably regret it if you don’t”. I got dressed in all my layers, ripped open a couple hot packs, grabbed Papa’s 270 and headed out the door. It was a short 10-minute drive and 500 yard walk to the stand. I got there around 7:30, loaded the gun, and started the wait of a lifetime. As I sat in silence watching my breath, I could hear the coyotes howling in the distance at the full moon. It didn’t take too long until a couple deer walked in, a doe and a fawn. They’ve been in almost every morning I’ve been there. There’s something so majestic about sitting in the silence watching nature.
It was now starting to get light out, legal shooting time was 8:02. The time hits 8:32. The doe and fawn were still there and then a little spiker walked in. He had also been there many times before. More deer walked in and out. They were following a path that came from behind me, went off to the right side and then headed for my shooting lane. There was does all around. Then, I heard a sound beside me. I looked through the little slit in the wall, maybe an inch thick, and I saw a doe maybe 10 yards away from the shack. As I continued watching this doe, I glanced a little further behind her and low and behold there he is! My heart instantly starts pounding. The buck of a lifetime is maybe 20 yards away from me. I sit and wait. I watch him through that slit as he stands in the same spot for what seemed like FOREVER. I swear he could hear my heart beating. My gun is loaded, my glove is off, and I’m ready to shoot whenever the chance arises. It’s now 9:04 and Gordon starts to move. I watch him for as long as I can and then he is out of sight. My heart is still pounding as I’m thinking to myself “Did I miss my chance? Is he going to come back? Where’d he go?” I’m trying not to make a sound, but I also want to peek my head out and see if I can see him. Before I do that, I finally see movement. He’s coming in from the North. “Now’s my chance,” I thought but I knew I had to be patient and wait for the exact right moment.
I keep thinking in my head, “Be patient, be still, be quiet. Don’t move Tash, let him come in all the way.” I watched him as he walks closer and closer, and I wait for him to turn broadside. As he gets closer, I start to look through the scope to ensure I’m ready when the perfect moment happened. And then he turned perfectly broadside. I slowly placed my hand on the trigger, take a deep breath, and as I released my breath I pulled the trigger. I heard Josh’s voice in my head, “Whatever you do Tash, after you shoot make sure you watch him. Watch how he acts, watch where he goes, and stay in the blind”. Gordon jumped, hunched up, and kicked his back legs. I’m watching as he started to run. He goes maybe 20 yards, runs in a circle, and then runs another 20 yards and I see him fall. I grab my phone with shaky hands and call Josh. “I shot him, I shot him with Papa’s gun, holy Sh** Josh and I think he’s down!” I can’t see him anymore but I’m hoping and praying he’s exactly where I saw him fall.
I couldn’t stop my brain from thinking all of these things and the suspense was insane! Finally, after 30 minutes of waiting I snuck out of the blind and walked towards the truck (in the opposite direction of where I shot) to continue waiting the full hour before going out to see if I could find Gordon.
After waiting the FULL HOUR as instructed by Josh, I went to begin my search. I’m talking on the phone with Josh as he instructs me step by step on what to do. I reached the spot and began looking for blood. At first, I couldn’t see any, but with further investigation I found my first drop. “Now follow the blood trail and keep looking up as you’re walking,” Josh instructed. Still shaking, I was following the blood trial as it was leading me along the path that I saw him run right after I shot. Gordon ran about 20 yards; blood went about 20 yards. Gordon ran in a circle; blood started to go in a circle. Gordon took off north; blood took off north. I was slowly and quietly walking north, not to spook him if he was still alive. As I turned into the little nook in the bush, I saw him. I was walking towards Gordon, gun in one hand, phone (with Josh still on the line) in the other. As I was getting closer I was getting more nervous, watching for him to stand up, to run away. “This can’t be real,” I think as I get up right close and poke him with the barrel of the gun. He doesn’t move! GORDON IS DOWN! I just shot the buck of a lifetime with Papa’s 270. What a rush and a dream come true; I hope I made you proud Papa.
GEN-600
Trigger Speed 0.15 seconds Flash Range Photo Resolution 32MP Photo Modes
& Photo + Video Video Resolution 4K, 1080, 720, 360 AsAspepec ct t RaRatitio o 1 16 6:9:9 PhPhotooto & & Video Video Audio Yes Display Screen Connectivity Batteries Required 6 AA Batteries
(Not Included) Memory Card Up to 256GB Full SD card Warranty 2 Year
PS-X SERIES
Trigger Speed 0.15 seconds / Flash Range 85 Ft Photo Resolution 32MP / Photo Modes 1-9 Burst & Photo + Video Video Resolution 4K,1080, 720, 360 / Aspect Ratio 16:9 Photo & Video Video Audio Yes / Display Via Hunt Zero App Connectivity Bluetooth / Batteries Required 4 AA Batteries (Not Included) Memory Card Up to 256GB Micro SD card W Warranty 2 Year
He will forever be a reminder to never give up. As Brandon always told me before each hunt, it’s about being at the right place at the right time and that day I certainly was.
