6th Prize
Hunting Journal with Weatherby Logo (100 awarded)
Russel Peck, Colorado
“My dream hunt would take place in my home state of Texas. Many hunters would take Alaska, New Zealand, Iowa, Kansas...but I will take Texas. I killed my first deer when I was six on the same 50 acres my family still owns. I still hunt the 50 acres and as matter of fact, I hunted it yesterday; the opening day of bow season. I had reservations about going. I had to leave behind my beautiful wife and our first born (12–day–old, 9 lb. 22") baby boy at home. When I got out there I could not quit thinking about them and how lucky I am. I make a modest wage as a paramedic but I have the whole world in my hands. I know material things don't always bring you happiness. I have a new hunting and fishing partner, too. That means the world to me. A new hunting chapter in my life and my family's life begins.
On to the addiction......
I will be willing to bet most everyone has an addiction healthy or not. There are gun collectors, gamblers, alcoholics, health food junkies, fishermen, hikers, golfers and everything else under the sun. My addiction is hunting. At least I am not in denial. Sometimes I cannot sleep at night thinking about killing that big buck or calling in a mature non–typical. When I dream, I usually dream about deer. When I watch TV, I watch deer hunting. My wife has to bump me off the TV sometimes because all I watch is hunting. I work 24–hour shifts at work and my partner says all I watch is deer hunting. I catch myself drifting on the internet to only hunting sites. It's not about the kill for me it is about the hunt. I would never shoot a buck the has been studied up and down and is predictable. I want the unpredictable monster that people have walked five feet from over and over. The buck that beds down 100 yards from camp. The buck that everyone calls the ghost or the unshootable buck. It's about the long hike, the motionless wait, the slow stalk. It's about being patient and making a shot that counts. The countless hours since childhood perfecting your trigger pull. What is passion? Passion is hunting in extreme heat, extreme cold, biting insects, dragging game over a mile, hunting from dawn till dusk on an empty stomach.
The Ultimate Dream Hunt......
As I said before, I would choose Texas for the location of my dream hunt. I would choose none other than the famous King Ranch. I would hunt King Ranch for so many reasons. King Ranch is rich in Texas heritage. It was founded on an Amercian dream and hard work. Richard King was known as a tireless worker. There are many today who know nothing about hard work. He took his dreams by the horns literally. King Ranch was the first in Texas to manage game and first to help create Texas game laws. There is such an abundance of game that reflects that. King Ranch is larger than Rhode Island. Many people consider that part of Texas ugly. I think it is beautiful and with Baffin Bay right next door you could not ask for more. Deer look unique on the King Ranch web site. It's almost like they are saying catch me if you can. I can't imagine taking a deer there...but I can dream about it. This would be my dream.
I would arrive at King Ranch with my wife. We would eat dinner and then take a ride around the ranch. We would try to soak up all of the nature we could. We would watch the sunset and listen to the sounds of the wilderness. It would be the honeymoon we never had. We would wake up and let our feet hit the floor and a new day would begin. I can almost smell a hot cup of joe. No creamer, no sugar, just black morning blend coffee. We would get dressed in camo. We would meet up with our guide who would take us on our journey. We would be ready to hunt even before the sun thought about breaking up and over the mesquite trees. We would get set up at our location. We would see the sun break into the skyline. We would see silouttes in the lowlight. When daylight came we would see bucks and oes walking around. We would hears birds chirping, turkeys gobbling and maybe a bobcat screech. Then a big buck would break the brush. He would look back at the brush. Another big buck would break the brush and a dilemma would begin. Which one? The guide would say both are mature take either one. Then, in an instant a doe would lift her head peering at the brush. A third buck would emerge. This buck would have dark horns and a drop tine or fork brow tines. The guide would say that is the ghost buck. The guide would say take him. My scope would fill up with the vision of a mature whitetails coat. I would ease off my magnification. My hand would grasp my stock. I would touch my trigger. My finger and the trigger would melt together. I slowly squeeze the trigger.........And BOOM! I see the buck take his last breath. My bullet flies flat with surgical accuracy. It's a textbook shot behind the shoulder. The buck falls in his tracks. I look at my wife and she hugs me. I run to the buck with excitement. I have to take several minutes just looking at the buck not saying a word. What a beautiful dream.
Some may say why not the Yukon, Montana, an elk or a bear, why not Bob Foulkrod, Will Primos, Dan Fitzgerald, Lee and Tiffany, Jim Shockey? I would say because it's my dream. It's about the American dream, hard work and family and its rewards. Being with such a great woman on such a great ranch and taking such a majestic and noble animal...that's my dream.”