2008.10.21
Would you pass on this buck? Nino Ripepi did.
OK. This the kind of buck you'd expect Mark Drury to say about, "He's got good potential and could be really nice in a year or two."
But in Southwest Virginia, this is a shooter for just about anyone.
So why did Nino Ripepi pass it up during a recent bow hunt?
Because he was hunting at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant, and he was drawn this year for the doe hunt. (He got one, too.)
Nino said he saw six bucks, and he got good pictures of this seven-pointer and another eight. The other four bucks were all bigger.
He said action was so good all day that the hunt flew by. Now that he's done his doe hunt -- Radford has been using an earn-a-buck program for its quota hunts for years -- he'll get to start applying for an archery hunt.
Now that sounds like my luck there! See a nice buck and can not shoot it! That would just stink.But as I have learned in the past 7 years,just being out there and seeing such is an awsome feeling and a blessing at that. I met a gentleman in Bass Pro Shop 2 years ago who was injured in an accident which left him paralized neck down for life.We talked for an hour about huntin and how much he had enjoyed it and then we exchanged email addresses.To this day, he still writes me and sends all kinds of encouragement on killing my first deer and tips. Every time I climb in my stand or look out over the pasture where I hunt, I think of Mr. Propst,about how he would give any thing to be doing what im doing.I used to cuss and fuss every time I left the woods not being able to release an arrow,but after meeting Paul,my attitude changed totally! I love bow hunting and to have that taken away would kill me. I may not have a buck on the wall or a deer tag punched yet, but I enjoy what I do,from talking about it with my buddies to watchin one walk away out of bow range! It's life for me and I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I do! So the next time you settle down in you climber or ground blind,please take a moment to think about Mr. Propst, and how he too, would love to be doing what you are doing.
Comment by JR mitchell — October 21, 2008 @ 9:00 pm
Awsome words of incouragement JR. Your day is coming real soon.... Keep it up dude. Nice photo Nino thanks and good luck.......Moe
Comment by Moe — October 22, 2008 @ 12:12 pm
Have any seen that MONSTER BUCK in Field and Stream being a world record above all deer.
Question: Have anyone used Hyper Shock broad heads, and if so what do you think of them in a 125gr. mechanical?
Comment by Backlash — October 22, 2008 @ 12:31 pm
I didn't think you could take pictures in the Radford ammo plant.security reasons.
Comment by Allen — October 22, 2008 @ 10:35 pm
I believe they recently changed the rules and now allow you to take a camera. Every document I had said that you could take a camera. I figured if you could take a camera, you were allowed to take pictures as well. It was definitely an interesting hunt for sure.
Comment by Nino — October 24, 2008 @ 12:48 pm
I have done a story on the hunt and was allowed to take pictures, as well.
mt
Comment by marktaylor — October 24, 2008 @ 3:42 pm