NEVER TELL THE FIRST STORY

   I called Savage the other night to get the report. "How'd you make out?" he asked. I'd hunted Bird's new parcel. It was 30 acres that butted right up against his place. Some guy had been trespassing for over ten years, hunting and erecting ladder stands. When Bird told the owner, she gave him permission to kick the guy out and hunt it. The guy was obviously disappointed, but left the stands. We'd never seen such luxurious digs. The first afternoon I hunted the gully stand. I saw nine does and let them all walk. I was waiting for the 8 to show himself. I excitedly told Savage about our new spot and asked how he made out? My report pales in comparison. Here's the report.

SAVAGE LYNCH'S DEER REPORT

  I had to take my truck into the dealership in the morning so didn't get in the woods. Bobby hunted that piece of woods behind G's house. He saw a group of does and a buck with a nice rack but he couldn't get a shot. Then he lost them. I got down to the farm about 12:30. We had lunch and plotted the afternoon. Bobby thought we should push that woods first. We set Youngbob by the barn, and Bobby went behind G's. I put on the waders and no sooner stepped in the woods and I heard a shot. The radio crackled. It was Youngbob. "I knocked down that buck, but he got up and is heading for the airport."

   We rushed to get in the truck and park it, to be legal. I saw the buck. He was hit high in the shoulder and moving fast. Bobby and Youngbob tried to get in front of him and I picked up the blood trail. He was heading for that big swamp behind McCaffery's. I heard another shot. Youngbob hit him again. But the deer kept going. We had to keep him going or we ran the risk of him bedding and not finding him. In the time it took for the Bobs to get in position again, the blood trail was thinning. Once he hit the cold deep water the bleeding lessened. At one point he crossed ten yards behind Bobby. He never saw or heard him in the soft snow. I kept moving blowing the crow call so they knew where I was.

    By this time we were all the way behind the old Maybrook railroad yard. I got him moving again and the blood trail picked up. Then I heard a shot. Over the radio came word. It was Youngbob. "He's down." He was a real nice ten pointer. We had a helluva drag out, but latched onto those horns made it all worth it.

Editor's note: I went back to Bird's yesterday and hunted all day in the fucking cold. I saw 14 does and 3 bucks. At 2:45 I shot a nice high 4 with unique curves in his antlers. Savage would've let him pass, but I'm not Savage. I'm pleased as punch.