Lindsey Rice’s “Huntingmoon” Hunt
Becky Lou Lacock 09.05.12
I have received yet another response to my plea for women to write! I am always so grateful for the women that take the time to share their stories. I love to hear about a good hunt from a girls point of view, and especially this one! Lindsey Rice has chosen to share her story with me, and it is such a sweet story that I asked if she would share it with the world, and here it is! Thanks Lindsey! Keep us up to date on your new family’s outdoor adventures! –Becky Lou
My husband Luther and I met July of 2010, and we hit it off right from the start. I knew the first night that he was going to be my husband. Our first official date was when Luther picked me up at my fathers boat on the lake. We talked for hours. I told him I hunted and owned a bow and he had the biggest smile on his face. A friend of his later told me that Luther called the very next day and told her that I was a “keeper” because I owned a bow. (Sounds kind of country but we love the country and outdoors so we’ll own up to it!) Within five months we were married., and we have a son named Ledger who just turned one year old. We plan to raise him like we were raised, with lots of hunting, fishing and simply enjoying the outdoors.
Technically my first gun was a BB gun, and I played with it all the time because I was a tomboy. I didn’t really get into hunting until I was in my early 20’s when my Dad gave me my first “real” gun, a savage 204. My father is the reason I have a passion to hunt and fish. He was with me when I shot my first buck, and I will always cherish that moment. I don’t think he could have been prouder of me. My husband and his father have always hunted and fished together, and they each own .30-06 rifles. My father and I both own savage rifles, which are more of a long range gun. My Dad stands behind our choice with a statement “one shot one kill”. It’s a standing joke between our families, and God forbid when someone misses a shot, we never hear the end of it!
After being married, we were fortunate to have the experience of going hunting in west Texas at the Texana Ranch for our honeymoon. We called it our “Huntingmoon”. The first day we got there it was too late for a hunt, so we enjoyed a lovely dinner by Mary Lou who was married to one of the owners of the ranch, Lexi Grigg. They did not normally cook for the people hunting but since we were on our honeymoon we got the royal treatment. The next morning we got up bright and early to hit the stand. My husband went hunting with me so we could video each other hunting. He is a gentlemen and decided to let me have the first shot. After we are settled into the stand, and just before dawn we can see out in the distance a few deer. We really couldn’t determine what they were and needed to wait until the sun came out. This was nerve-racking! The sun finally shed some light on the situation, and while we were looking at the deer already in sight, a monster buck comes walking out into the open. I immediately knew he was the white tail for me! My husband turned on the recorder and I did my thing. I pulled up my Savage .257 improved Ackley and BOOM, the deer falls to his knees and then runs off. We could see that I had shot him a little high on his back shoulder, and as he was limping away, Luther says “Shoot him again! Shoot‘em!!”. I couldn’t get another clear shot without damaging his hide, so I sat there shaking as my husband continues to say “Shoot’em!”. This also was very nerve racking! The buck finally lays down, and my husband said “Oh you got him for sure, he’s yours!”. I reach for my cell and call my Dad, so excited to tell him I had got one, but I had spoke too soon, as my dead buck ran off and disappeared! I was completely mortified. My husband and I spent all day looking for this buck with no luck. We found a blood trail and then it just stopped and he was no where to be found. I knew I had got him good, and Luther of coarse blames it on my gun.
That night I went to bed and all I could think about was this huge buck, and was very worried that I wouldn’t be able to harvest the meat. I only shoot animals if I plan on eating them, and it would be such a waste.
The next day rolls around and my Dad, brother, and father-in-law, call me to lift my spirits, but I still felt horrible. Luther decides that we should go back and look for him one more time. So we packed up and set out on a mission to find my buck. We were in a truck that had some high seats in the very back. I sat in the high seats as Luther drove and we were both searching every inch of ground. Suddenly he decides to stop to take a look at some brush by the fence line where I had shot the deer. I’m standing on the dirt road to make sure the deer doesn’t come running out when I hear my husband yell, “I FOUND HIM!”. My heart sank, I ran over to the brush, and yes he had found my deer! He was surely the best one I’ve ever gotten, and probably ever will!
We continued to hunt, as we were allowed a total of six deer (three each), a buck, a cull, and doe. On the last day of the hunt, I had killed my limit and Luther had killed his cull buck and doe but still waiting on that special buck. I believe he was being choosy and
trying to get a bigger and better deer than me. I had went out that last morning to sit in the stand and enjoy watching the wildlife. My stand was a little over 1/4 of a mile from where Luther was hunting. I turned to look as a big buck comes walking up to the stand. I text Luther and told him that there was a nice buck at my stand. He hesitated for a second but decided to run down to my stand, after all, it was his last day, and may be his only chance to get a buck. As he gets to my stand he’s out of breath from running. He takes a second to get his breath and just when he looks through his scope, out walks an even bigger buck. His heart started pounding and his hands started shaking. This was the one he had been waiting for! He held up his gun and looked at the deer for a second and pulled his gun back down and said “Should I use your gun?”. I just started giggling. He decided that he would never hear the end of it from the family, so he pulled up his own gun again and took the shot. The deer ran off but we could tell that it was a good shot. We went down to see if we could find a blood trail. Luther was shaking in his boots, but after ten minutes of looking I found the deer and boy was it a good one (I still say mine was a better buck)!
It was a very memorable hunting trip/honeymoon/hunting moon, and I have learned a few things during this trip as well. One is that I’ll never go hunting with my husband in the same stand again, and although it started out bad, it ended up very good. He had found my deer, and I found his! All’s well that ends well!
Born and raised in Louisiana, my Outdoor adventures began just a short time ago, with a weekend workshop, B.O.W. 'Becoming an Outdoors Woman' in the Spring of 2000. A nationwide program , in Louisiana it is facilitated by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Educational Dept. I was feeling a little adventurous, and chose “Intro to Shotgun” as one of my 4 workshops for the weekend. I had never had the opportunity to shoot guns, and decided that this would be the perfect place to give it a shot! This course required a detailed Firearm Safety course held in a classroom the day before various guns handy for some “hands on” instruction. I was very anxious the day of shooting, but as it unfolded, with patient expert instructors by my side, (helping to muffle the voices inside of me shouting NO! NO! NO! You're a Girl! Its gonna hurt!) I hit the second clay target, thus began my passion for Shooting! I absolutely LOVED it!! I have always loved to fish, sharing many hours with the only outdoor influence in my life growing up, my mother Tommie Lou. She and I spent many hours in the Freshwater Marshes of SW Louisiana, searching for that elusive HOG (Large Mouth Bass) but also pulling in huge Redfish, Speckled trout & Flounder in and around the salt water lake "Big Lake". I always joke that we had to use our running lights to get out to the fishing spots, and we had to also needed them to come in, as we would spend all of the precious daylight fishing hard…. the days were always too short. That was the limit to any outdoor activity for me, but shortly after my "Shooting Incident" I met my husband Lou, and was introduced into hunting, starting with a west Texas whitetail hunt, at which point my life took a drastic turn from inside to "EXTREME OUTSIDE"!! Without a doubt, I am all girl, I don't like bugs, critters, or Snakes, but because of my willingness to Take a Chance, I have learned that a little DIRT..or even or a TICK will not keep me from this new adventure!
With the first hunt of my life being shortly after the workshop, I understand first hand the skepticism that some women have to step outdoors, and I believe that most women just need to be aware of the resources readily available to them, along with a little pinch of encouragement. I have been fortunate to have both, for without it I would not be doing what I am today.
With great encouragement from Greg Martin of RealHuntersJournal, an online resource for outdoor information, I began writing, and going to the industry shows such as Shot Show, ATA, NWTF, and others to review the latest and greatest products in the industry. I met several wonderful people, and began to realize that the people behind the products, TV shows, and outfitters were just down home people, real people just like me! I think of it as a large family, and like most, they may not always agree on every method, design, or camo pattern, but all share a common dream, and ultimately work together to make that dream a reality for the rest of us. I have been blessed with a lot of energy and enthusiasm that just seems to spill out onto everyone around me, I love people and Lord only knows how I like to talk, and over the past few years I have been encouraged to take more of an active part to promote women in the outdoors. I was invited on several exciting hunts to experience many new adventures, and share them. With a style all my own, I have really enjoyed writing. Loaded with lots of adventures and information to share, I started my own website in 2009, www.BeckyLouOutdoors.com. The following year I was asked to participate in a Reality Television series with 5 other women, consisting of 11 episodes. Somehow with my determination, some skill, and a lot of luck, I won the first season competition!! The show was a success, and continues on each year for a new season with 6 new contestants and many new challenges. . In 2010 I was honored to be named Pro Staff for Commando Call Products. I do a lot of freelance writing for many websites and most recently InterMedia Outdoors with an article in print for Dec/Jan 2011/2012 nationwide Game & Fish and also Sportsman. I have a trademark phrase, “Camo can be Classy”TM for women like me that are 110% all girl, but can enjoy the outdoors to whatever level we desire! I have grown to believe that if you Love Life it will Love you back! I hope to provide some information, encouragement and inspiration for women to get out in the Great Outdoors. It has made such a difference in my life, and I truly believe that I am Happier and Healthier because of it! Shooting may not be for everyone, but it is definitely worth a SHOT!
