The Mountain Eagle
WHITESBURG WEATHER

Struttin’ Time:

Writer gets his first Axis deer



Steve Brewer relaxes in Texas after killing his first Axis deer on a recent hunting trip there.

Steve Brewer relaxes in Texas after killing his first Axis deer on a recent hunting trip there.

Our last journey for 2017. It has been a year of ups and downs, the face of victory, the agony of defeat. We have traveled the United States over, you and me, hunting this year, you and I together, we have thought outside the box.

While others were content planning to hunt Eastern turkey, which is in their backyard, you and I were on our way to hunt Rio’s in Kansas. While they planned to hunt whitetail deer, we were on our way to Texas to hunt Axis deer.

The miles and the years have taken their greatest toll on this old hunter this year. The Texas trip was a total of 2,700 miles round trip, just a few miles short of our Maine black bear hunt.

While at the hunting lodge in Texas, I was reminded every day that I could take a whitetail buck, but if I did, I couldn’t take an Axis buck. I was allowed one Axis buck, two Axis does, all the wild hogs I wanted, and a couple turkeys.

Every day on my weeklong hunt I saw a group of wild hogs, always at daylight. I wouldn’t shoot for fear of running off my Axis buck that may have been just around the corner. Same with turkeys, man they had the numbers. I wouldn’t care to say I saw well over 500, most of which where hens, but I would not kill a hen, and that was what I was allowed.

On the third day at dark I did tag this nice Axis doe. She was a five year old. As soon as I posted her, some people were saying, “You killed a fawn.” Although I told them it was an Axis deer from the start, and Axis deer always have spots. You see how much people pay attention.

Well, I promised you an update on my Texas hunt, and here it is.

I never got my Axis buck, but I got a Axis deer, which means, you and I were thinking outside the box.

Well, see you next year, merry Christmas, and a happy New Year. Till next season, sit high in the saddle, and ride with the wind at your back.


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