My Screwdriver Buck

by Greg Baron
(Kendall, NY)

Prior to the 2013 opening day gun season my brother and I went scouting and moved some stands around. While doing so I used a screwdriver with a wood handle I found in my garage that was my fathers. He passed away in 1981 and was also a hunter. I told my brother that I was using dad's screwdriver for good luck and know he's watching us, wishing he could be with us as he was taken from us to soon do to alcoholism. My brother could not believe I still had that screwdriver, he remembered it hanging in the garage at the house we grew up in.

It was a very warm morning for November with no snow, you could hear a squirrel a mile away. I heard alot of distant shots and saw some deer at first light, but no clear shots or the deer were running. The morning passed and noon time came quickly. I packed a lunch and took out my smelly tuna sandwich and started eating.

I got halfway through the sandwich when I heard the the dry leaves making noise from the east, I turned my head and saw a buck coming about 75 yards away straight for my treestand. I stuffed the other half of my tuna in my top pocket. When he got 25 yrds away, he turned and I let out a mouth grunt and he stopped. I took a breath and very calmly sqeezed the trigger... he went down instantly and never moved.

I've never felt so calm on a hunt, then in an instant I thought about that screwdriver and my father. I know he was watching and was there with me. This was the biggest buck I had ever had taken, an 11-pointer that weighed 195 lbs. and green scored 147. My brother was thrilled for me. Thanks dad for being there... I miss you.