Well, my pops (Jimmie Sr.) took an unbelievable 10 point on the second to last day of the season. I was in a doctor's appointment when they brought it in and my phone blew up. The doctor just about kicked me out! No one understands our obesessions!
So here is the story. He was sitting in 96, gas line stand, one of our best stands that took more deer than any other this year. The number 1 draw every morning goes here every time, and he was lucky enough to draw number 1 this time. WAIT, let me back up, for the record, my Dad hunts about no more than 5 or 6 mornings a year, so miracle number one, HE WOKE UP! Miracle number 2, he drew number one! Miracle number 3, HE ACTUALLY WENT HUNTING instead of doing one of his I'll go out about 8:30 ventures! My Dad has become very allergic to temperatures under 40 degrees in the past 10 years, and it was 25 degrees on the morning of 1/30/2009.
So, it was a morning of miracles before he even got to the stand! But he bundled up, and went out. Well about 7AM he realized that he was so bundled up he didn't know if he could shoot if one came across our big gas line. So he started to adjust his jacket. As he was fighting this jacket, the he heard a stick break off to his right between the stand and the green field. He wasn't too worried until he did a second look to see nothing but these horns tearing out of the woods and burning fast across the gas line. He barely had time to get his rifle up and fire right as the buck made it to the other side of the gas line.
He was certain he had missed. And strangely enough, as he told me this story, he said after getting upset about his miss, he began to think of me!!!!! THANKS DAD, just cause I can't hit the broad side of a barn, huh? So he couldn't take it, he got the shakes really bad, the not knowing and the questions of "what just happened?", "what did I do?", "did I get him or did I miss?" and he just couldn't take it, he got out and went to go look for blood. He found nothing! This gas line is extremely hard to find the actual spot you shot on because there is nothing but grass and no trees or bushes to landmark from the stand. He knew a road came down the wood line and he might be able to spot blood on that road a little easier so he worked around to the road.
Back and forth up and down the road he looked and looked finding no blood. Now when I saw wood line I should say thicket because you might be able to see 10 to 15 feet MAX into this thick stuff, I should know, he was only 25 yards from one of my stands on the thicket edge overlooking the creek with HUGE rubs I found in the early season and told him about. As he was looking for blood he kept hearing some leaves ruffle around every once in a while and he was certain it was nothing but birds in the leaves. But right about the time he was ready to give up and go to plan B (GO GET HELP JUST IN CASE, WE DON'T QUIT) he heard the noise again and spotted a horn move through the brush. UH OH!
He went in after the buck and ended the hunt as quickly as possible. The buck's final resting place was 6 feet from my stand (the one my future brother in law helped me hang earlier in the year).
My Dad has been hunting for basically his entire adult life. He began driving to Alabama and bringing a pain in the butt little 6 year old son 24 years ago. No matter how much the kid moved and wiggled around and they didn't see deer, he kept bringing that boy and built a never ending bond that for sure still exists today. About 15 years ago that passion for the Alabama Outdoors brought my Dad and his wife to the Birmingham area. Almost 6 years ago, the same Alabama Outdoor passion he passed to that pain in the butt son of his picked up his life and moved to Alabama as well. This move is the reason his son met his wonderful wife and also the reason they now have their son, or his grandson, who bears the proud name Jimmie Wayne Loats III.
In his lifetime, he has only killed one true wall hanger before this buck who is still his biggest buck ever. But this beauty has more character than the one he has on the wall now and will make an excellent addition as his second biggest, but nicest character buck. Out of the three kickers on the base, we only believe one will actually score, most would call this a 12 point, but we believe it will only score as a 10 point (it is going to be very close). Nevertheless, and unbelievable creature, and just a great end to our 2008-2009 Fur & Feather Hunting Season!
GREAT JOB DAD! I'm so very proud and happy for you and your AWESOME accomplishment!
YOU DID IT, POPS!
Thanks for introducing me to the beautiful woods of Alabama, thanks for bringing me even when I now know it was hard, and thanks for all of the great times we've shared together in the woods and at hunting camp!
Love, Your Son, Jimmie Wayne Loats Jr.
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