Debbie Fitch writes, "I am a first time hunter, with a first time trophy mule deer buck. I shot him on the last day of the season. I had walked many miles of the Nevada desert and mountains. I almost blew off a ridge due to the over 75 mph winds and still had hardly saw any bucks. Mostly just innocent does and fawns. When it seemed like all was said and done, and I was sure the season was over and all the ghost and goblins of Halloween were going to be coming out soon, my boyfriend spotted my buck. I looked through my cameo Banister field glasses. Wow what a beauty, there stood my buck over 500 yards away on a sage bush covered mountain with 5 does. I got set up with my shooting sticks and my .243 mag. rifle. It took 2 shots to knock him down. I hit him in the neck and it just wounded him. After tracking him, I shot again just over 400 yards and hit him right near his lung. He stood for a second and then dropped. Nothing, or anyone, ever prepares you for that first season as a rookie hunter, let alone that feeling of possible leaving a injured deer out in the cold Nevada desert. Once I finally knew he was dead, the feeling of joy, excitement, and complete satisfaction of accomplishment swept over me all at once. I really had no clue that he was such a big buck until I began to show him off. He measured 29-3/4 inches and was a 5x4. It took a couple of hours to sink in that I just scored a big Nevada mule deer. I was just excited with the fact that I DID IT. I finally had become a true successful deer hunter."