Syracuse.com - Lakeport woman gets nice 8-point buck with a rifle in Steuben County

[HuntingNY-News]

"Something about having that time alone with your harvest and giving thanks in your own way. Field dressing with the utmost respect seems to be mine. Old fashioned I guess."

Submitted photo Lin Menninger, of Lakeport, poses with her 8-point buck.

She wrote:

"Opening morning in Rexville, NY on my farm in Steuben County I had a big big boy in front of me about 300 yards.

"Used to shooting that far in Africa with my 7 mm 08, I pulled up my gun all ready to go and Noooooooooo! The scope was all fogged up and I couldn't see a thing out through it.

"I had just returned from the state of Washington from an elk hunt and boy did it rain all week long cats and dogs. Dang. That's the way it goes.

"So, the next morning, raring to go again and sitting in the same stand 225 yards from the corner of the field a doe runs out in front of me down into the field.

"Wow, here comes a big bruiser running across the top of the wood line non-stop immediately after she comes out.

"I raise my firearm, aim, fire with now my 243. He is hit, turns downhill, fire again and down he goes. For good. Yahoo!! 8 point buck, 18 inch inside spread, 150 lbs after field dressing (which the old lady still does herself).

"Amazing thing was, Burt (her husband) was down the other end of the field in his stand that morning and he didn't realize that I got him.

"I didn't want to spoil his morning hunt, getting him at 7:20 am, so I didn't go take a look at him until later in the morning.

"By that time Burt had gone home. I didn't get the good news to Burt until around noon. I was pretty darn proud of the whole thing and told the old guy, the deer, as I went about field dressing him.

"Something about having that time alone with your harvest and giving thanks in your own way. Field dressing with the utmost respect seems to be mine. Old fashioned I guess.

"Nothing wrong with that. And that's the way it was, the second day of gun season 2012 in the Life of Lin Menninger, Outdoors Woman.

"Good Hunting Everyone!!!"

Submitted photo

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog