Can't sit on this story any longer. Two Saturdays past this last one my son Ryan (15) and I drove down to Patoka to brave what turned out to be strong winds. We launched at Painter to the booms of deer guns to the west. Lots of hunters launched out of there that day. I was cruising down the right hand shore after going under 145, just kicking back, watching the Lowrance. After a few hundred yards there is a small notch in the shoreline. As we got closer to that I moved out away from the short to avoid the two treetops sticking up about a foot around 20 feet off the shore. As I got closer something nagged at me - something was wrong. I got nearly even with the treetops, eyes glued to the sonar. My son said "Dad, check out the deer!" The treetops were a buck and doe that I guess had swam clear across from the other side to get away from the hunters. I made a sharp u-turn and told Ryan to get the camera. As we idled back the deer got out of the lake and ran up on a high bank - and proceeded to do the nasty. After the buck was done - didn't take long - I swear the doe turned her head and gave him a look like "I swam all that far in 48 deg. water for THAT?" That spike horn was a heck of a stud in my book. At my very best I don't think I could have done much for at least half an hour after a cold dunk like that! Ryan believes he got a good picture. It was a disposable camera, and just has three shots on it but I am going to get it processed asap just to see how it turned out. Could be a bummer, but could also be a masterpiece. If it is at all decent I will post it on my foxcrafter.com website and let all know when it is up. Hope you enjoy this story as much as we did living it. Catch a few!
Tracker 60 Jon



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