By Craig Nyhus, Lone Star Outdoor News
Chance Morse of Irving had only been on a few waterfowl and varmint hunts before getting introduced to the Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation.
Now, he is buying a four-wheel-drive truck and getting on a deer lease.
“I went to the Wild Game Supper at the Beretta Gallery last October,” Morse said. “When David Sams asked who hadn’t been deer hunting, it was only girls that raised their hands. My friend, Kameron Martin, made me raise mine.” Morse filled out some information, and later he got a call from Mimi Sams of the foundation with a chance to hunt.
“I had something going on so I couldn’t go,” Morse said. Morse thought he had missed his chance until the phone rang again with a last-minute opportunity in late January. “I was ready and available,” he said.
On the short weekend trip to Managed Lands Deer Program ranch in West Texas, he had heard the stories that the deer weren’t moving. But on his first time in the blind with his guide, David Sweet, a tall 8-pointer stepped out. “I have never felt adrenaline like that,” Morse said. “I was panting and sweating — Sweet had to tell me to calm down and breathe.” Unfortunately, a button buck came out right after the 8-pointer and the two bucks moved off.
The next morning, more deer came out.
“There were five deer, three bucks and two does,” Morse said. “David (Sweet) asked me, ‘Do you want to take this one?’ I said yes and made the shot.” Morse was happy his guide was so calm. “David was super happy for me,” he said. “And it was his birthday. You could tell he really loved what he did.”
Morse is boiling the buck’s skull, planning to do-it-yourself European mount. And he took the meat to Cinnamon Creek Wild Game Processing in Roanoke. “I had eaten their stuff at the Beretta Gallery and it was delicious,” he said.
The just-turned 30-year-old spent his birthday weekend trout fishing at Broken Bow, Oklahoma, and, on Feb. 19, was using the President’s Day holiday to shop for a new truck.
He’s hoping to finalize plans on a deer lease. “My buddy and his dad had a place open up on their lease near San Angelo,” he said. So I’m going to look at that —hopefully, it will work out.”
