# Hunting with Eric



## Bean_counter (Nov 23, 2021)

The family and I drove 1,369 miles from Texas to Virginia to meet up with @Eric Rorabaugh. It was a fun two days and Eric put me on my first buck which ended up being a 15 pointer and shot at approx 275 yards. He is a great guide and can skin and gut a deer quick. Eric it was a great time and my family and I appreciate you inviting us up and hanging out the last couple days. Thanks again man and glad I finally got to meet you and your wife. Here are few pics

Reactions: Like 3 | Great Post 1 | Way Cool 12


----------



## Ray D (Nov 23, 2021)

Congratulations. Great pictures

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


----------



## William Tanner (Nov 23, 2021)

A beauty of a deer and a heck of a trip to remember.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------



## Barb (Nov 23, 2021)

Very cool!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------



## Nature Man (Nov 23, 2021)

Congrats! Great trophy and time spent with fellow WB! Chuck

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------



## T. Ben (Nov 23, 2021)

Great buck,and sounds like an overall great trip.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------



## Eric Rorabaugh (Nov 23, 2021)

Oh man it was great! Such as great guy and family. So let me tell y'all a little about this deer. I knew that he wanted his first deer. All of us that hunt the farm have made an agreement to let decent bucks walk for a year or two. I hunted last week and saw a pretty 8 pt that I let walk. I thought it would be a good one for his first buck. So we were setting there watching the field and some does. I saw a doe way to our left and looked back out in front of us when Mikey said there's another deer that walked out to our left. When I looked, I saw the rack and said that's the 8. We got him on the gun and ready. Mikey made a good liver shot but it never ran it just walked off. It stayed out there in the field for what seemed like forever and finally walked off into a thicket. We waited a while and then went and found blood. Tracked it for a little ways and jumped him up. Waited a while, tracked some more and jumped him up again so we backed out. We went and had supper and went back about 2 1/2 hours later. A buddy of mine that hunts there texted me and asked if I was hunting tomorrow and I said no but I may be there if I don't find this deer. Told him Mikey shot the 8. He said he'd come over and help. We got back and he and his son came and jumped right in helping us track. About 50 yards through a briar thicket we found him. My buddy said that's no 8. Well let me tell you when I grabbed that rack, it was AWESOME! Mikey shot one of the biggest deer on the farm this year. I was more excited that he shot this deer than if I had. @Bean_counter it was great to meet you, your lovely wife and great kids in person. I am so happy for you to harvest a true stud of mountain deer. And a trophy for your first one!

Now get to selling some stuff because it is on the way to the taxidermist! Man this handling, shipping and guide fees are going to be EXPENSIVE!!! LOL. Well the guide fees aren't too bad.

Reactions: Like 3 | Great Post 1 | Funny 1 | Way Cool 4 | +Karma 3


----------



## Eric Rorabaugh (Nov 23, 2021)

And the weather was a little cooler than in Lubbock!

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 1


----------



## ripjack13 (Nov 23, 2021)

That is soo awesome. I love meet ups. And that is a great one.
Congratulations Bean!!!
Kudos to Eric!

Reactions: Thank You! 2


----------



## 2feathers Creative Making (Nov 23, 2021)

Congrats. To both.

Reactions: Thank You! 2


----------



## Karl_TN (Nov 23, 2021)

Congrats. Any idea how this buck weighe?

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## woodtickgreg (Nov 23, 2021)

That has to be the best meet up I have seen yet! I've met Mikey and he's a great guy. Eric your on my list, lol. You better make it to Chattanooga next year! What an awesome deer, nice mass on the main beams. Did you guys weigh him dressed out? Liver shots I usually give 6 hours before I'll track em. I hate jumping them and then having to chase them. I liver shot one once with a bow, I watched him hump up and walk off into the weeds and lay down so I quietly walked out. I came back 6 hours later and he was right where I saw him lay down. I have since given up hunting after I had to sell my land, just don't have it in me after that loss, but I have a lot of memories and experiences that I'll never forget. Very cool that the 2 of you got to do this together.

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 2


----------



## Bean_counter (Nov 23, 2021)

Karl_TN said:


> Congrats. Any idea how this buck weighe?


Karl we think around 160 but didn’t weigh him. @Eric Rorabaugh could probably give a better guesstimate


----------



## Eric Rorabaugh (Nov 23, 2021)

Probably 160ish. Wasn't a big bodied deer but he was heavy in the antlers. Had good mass all the way through. After he's mounted, I'll get the jawbone and age him.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Steve in VA (Nov 23, 2021)

Congrats! Awesome hunt and great memories of your first time meeting!!!

I think @Eric Rorabaugh is holding out on those honey holes! Mickey must have something on him!

Thanks for sharing this one guys! Congrats all around!

Reactions: Funny 2


----------



## drycreek (Nov 23, 2021)

Congratulations all around what a great first and it’ll be hard to beat.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


----------



## Tony (Nov 23, 2021)

Awesome time guys, wish I could've been there!

Reactions: Agree 2


----------



## Wildthings (Nov 23, 2021)

Eric Rorabaugh said:


> Probably 160ish. *Wasn't a big bodied deer* but he was heavy in the antlers. Had good mass all the way through. After he's mounted, I'll get the jawbone and age him.


"Wasn't a big bodied deer" Geeesh than you don't need to come to Texas! When first looking at the pictures my thoughts were 1) good mature deer 2) wow look at the mass 3) good golly that is a huge bodied deer probably close to 200 -225 and 4) Mikey looks cold!

Reactions: Funny 2


----------



## Eric Rorabaugh (Nov 23, 2021)

#1- I'll find out how old but he was mature 
#2- He definitely had some really good mass
#3- He was smaller in body than I thought but it was hard to look at the body with those antlers 
#4- I can't speak for him but I'm pretty sure he was.
Mikey got the full gamut of hunting. The excitement of seeing it come out, the patience/frustration waiting for the deer to turn to give you the right shot, the excitement when you pull the trigger, the tracking and crawling on your hands and knees through a briar thicket looking for the blood trail, having to know you need to back out and give him time, then the recovery. It was an AWESOME time and memory for me. And figuring out he is ruined by shooting that beast for his first one. Lucky @$$! Lol.

Reactions: Like 4 | Agree 1 | Funny 2


----------



## Eric Rorabaugh (Nov 23, 2021)

Now to get @Tony up here in this weather!!! It was a warm 17° the other morning. Not as cold as some of you guys have/will see but cooler than that San Antonio weather that the short guy lives in.

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 5


----------



## Bean_counter (Nov 23, 2021)

Wildthings said:


> "Wasn't a big bodied deer" Geeesh than you don't need to come to Texas! When first looking at the pictures my thoughts were 1) good mature deer 2) wow look at the mass 3) good golly that is a huge bodied deer probably close to 200 -225 and 4) Mikey looks cold!


Haha Barry it’s even colder today!

Reactions: Like 1


----------

