A lucky ticket had Sidney Junek’s number on it at the Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation Wild Game Night in early October, when he won the deer hunt at a Stonewall County ranch.
On Oct. 30, he headed to a Managed Lands Deer Program ranch for his prize. The Canyon Lake resident has hunted all his life, including in Africa, but has only taken a few white-tailed deer.
After watching does and young bucks the evening before, on Halloween morning it had cooled with a light north wind. After watching some other deer, an old, big-bodied 11-pointer moved the other deer away and hung around for more than an hour.
His guide, Lone Star Outdoor News’ founder David Sams, was no stranger to Junek. They had duck hunted together for several years on a Comanche County lease, and they both bird hunted in South Africa this summer.
“You know, if I got to shoot that deer, it would be the biggest deer I’ve ever shot,” Junek told his guide.
“Well, get your gun out the window and shoot when you’re ready,” Sams replied.
An incoming doe got the attention of the buck and he walked within 45 yards of the blind. Junek made a good shot on the buck, which weighed 230 pounds (live weight) and had lots of fat on him. After some time for photos and then gutting and skinning the buck, Junek said it was nice to have some time to relax.
“It was finally nice to be out on a cool morning with a little rain in the area — it was in the 50s with a light north wind,” Junek said. “I ended up with a very nice, heavy buck. It was a good day — and I slept really well that night.”
On Nov. 1, after watching a few nice bucks from the blind in the morning, he was headed home, planning a stop in New Braunfels at the processor with his venison.
