OUR STORY: The Deerslayers Have Returned

...and they have lived up to their nickname...

This picture cracks me up. Dad, Aaron, and the MONSTER BUCK all smiling for the camera!

They both brought home big bucks from Alberta... Aaron got a gnarly mule deer which I think will look super cool when he mounts it "european style" {just skull and antlers}. He nailed this bad boy at 300 yards. Now that's talent. And that's my man!!

And Dad killed the buck of a lifetime. Yes, this dude is bad to the bone. This {whitetail} deer scored 170 {if you're into hunting scores}. He dropped him on the spot at 175 yards. We are so proud of him. As a lot of y'all know, he has been hunting in Canada for years and has passed on some pretty good bucks because he was waiting on the Grandaddy buck to show up... and he finally got him!

This 12 point is a horse... He weighed 325 pounds.

I will show you my favorite picture of the week. This was sent to my mom's phone like a few minutes after he shot the buck. Definitely look at the deer, BUT look at their faces.

Sure, it's "iphone" picture quality but their faces say it all. They were so excited they could barely hold still for this picture... And you know their faces were so numb, yet they are literally grinning from ear to ear. ~~I don't think Aaron smiled this big at our wedding!~~ This picture was taken right after the shot was fired, after Aaron picked Dad up and shook him half to death out of pure excitement screaming, "WE DID IT! WE DID IT!" I love that he said "we" because they are such a pair, those two. They had been hunting this buck that whole week and Aaron ranged the distance and Dad made the shot. Aaron said he was literally so excited that he doesn't remember hopping this certain fence that is very difficult to hop over... They're adrenaline was pumping so much that they dragged that 325 POUND deer 200 yards, and hoisted him in the truck like there was nothing to it! I don't think I've ever heard of or seen two boys as "giddy" as they were. Dad has the horns with him at home now and they go everywhere he goes... It's hilarious.

Since I've shown you the bucks, now I will show you the scenery. From seeing these pictures and from what I've heard from Dad and Aaron and other Canadians I know, Alberta is a beautiful place.

While they were there they, of course, primarily hunted deer... however my mom was on the phone with my dad while he and Aaron were driving down the road and she hears a very loud BOOM!! And then she hears Aaron say, "Got him!" And she said, "What in the world was that Joey?" Dad said, "Oh that's the second coyote Aaron's shot while we've been driving down the road." If you know Aaron, that might just crack you up. If you don't know him, don't be alarmed... He just likes to kill things. But, nothing goes to waste in these parts! All Aaron did was provide a meal for this bald eagle and the wolves to come that evening.

I am so thankful that they had the opportunity to go on this adventure together and deepen their bond of friendship {actually it's more like brotherhood} even more.