My old J12 buck

[Kellendv]

Back in 1997 or 1998 when I was 13 or 14 I scored a J12 tag that my uncle Werner put me in for. I killed a nice buck with him and we always kind of joked that I would never shoot a buck like that again. I kept it on my wall in my bedroom as a teenager, but eventually, in the interest of attracting girls, I took it down (I've since learned and married a good one...). My uncle was building a little ranchita down in Baja and that seemed the perfect place for it until I decided I wanted it back. The deer stayed there on his ranch, along with the buck he got on his G39 hunt that I joined him on a few years after my hunt.

Sadly, my dear uncle died in June. He was an incredibly fit man all of his life. But about 5 years ago he was in a bad bicycle accident and had to have surgery. He developed some sort of rapidly advancing dementia after that and passed in June.

We all went down to the ranch this past weekend to celebrate his life and what would have been his 71st birthday. I planned to bring my buck home but he looked too good on the wall there so I'll get him at a later date, I still have access to the ranch anytime.

Anyway, I thought it would be good motivation for anyone with an X9 or late season tag to see him. Obviously at this time of year you'll have to work a lot harder to find something like this, but they're out there....








Also, Ed F finished up my opening day D16 buck from last year a few months ago... he's looking great on the wall. Thanks Ed!

 

[Bowman]

awesome memories. may your uncle RIP in the big ranch

 

[MAG 1]

The memories on the wall way cool. The things in are childhood we will never forget. Mounts look awesome.

 

[Kellendv]

The memories on the wall way cool. The things in are childhood we will never forget. Mounts look awesome.

So true. I love having the memories on the wall... that said, I'd trade that buck for another hunt with him in an instant.

 

[SurfNHuntSD]

Great story, and rad bucks. It's cool how a trophy mount can instantly take you back to the memory of the hunt.

 

[Muledeerhunter]

Nice buck.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[baboltin]

You have any pics of the g39 buck that your uncle killed! Sounds like a cool guy ! Sorry to hear he passed .

 

[Kellendv]

You have any pics of the g39 buck that your uncle killed! Sounds like a cool guy ! Sorry to hear he passed .

For whatever reason I didn't take any pictures of it while I was there. He euro mounted it and I think he had it outside in the weather for a while before he brought it inside. It's not bleached out but the color is definitely faded. It's a good sized 2x3. Nothing giant. He didn't seem interested in waiting around to find something really special, that wasn't really his style. I kind of wish I had gotten back into big game hunting sooner because I've learned so much in the last 4 or 5 years and I could have returned him the favor eventually and helped him find some nice deer.

That's life! I'll see if anyone else got any pictures of his buck.

 

[BOWUNTR]

Cool story... sorry to hear about your uncle. That's a helluva California buck. Ed F