In a world where most things come and go, one thing I have found that lasts forever is a good deer hunting partner. Denver Hall is one such person. 

Denver has been hunting with me and my family since I was barely walking. Now that I’ve grown up, he is still as good a friend and hunting partner as he was the day we met him.

The memories that we have had together hunting — over a span of fifteen years, and much longer with my father — are some of my most cherished.

One of my favorite memories of hunting with Denver happened in the Hill Country of Texas, near Brady. We headed to the blind late in the afternoon and got settled in, prepared for the coming action.

Soon a few does and a couple of young bucks made their way across the mesquite flat. They fed around, and chased each other for an hour. As we sat watching them, the two younger bucks snapped their heads up, and looked back.

I immediately focused my attention behind them and saw a beautiful hill country buck. He was about a 120-class eight point. He was very mature, and was heading right toward us.

Denver had not noticed the buck, so I said “Denver, get your gun up.” I pointed in the direction of the buck. He saw the buck coming, and gave his trademark comment “Heavenly Days”!

He immediately put his rifle up, and began to prepare for the shot. The buck was broadside at about 100 yards. Denver took a deep breath, and squeezed the trigger. The buck jumped straight up, and ran into the brush.

We gave the deer about twenty minutes, and headed to the spot where the buck had stood. But there was no sign of the hit. I could tell that Denver was heartbroken.

"You got him?” I said, “I saw it hit.” Walking in the direction the buck had run, we immediately got on the buck’s trail.

We followed the buck about 50 yards into the brush, and saw the beautiful rack sticking above the hill country brush. “There he is!” I exclaimed.

Denver ran up, and gave me a hug. He was so excited! He kept shaking my hand, and thanking me for finding his cherished trophy. A closer look at the buck revealed he was just as beautiful as we had hoped. The buck had eight points, was seventeen inches wide and scored around 120 inches.

After my father and brother arrived back at camp, Denver, my entire family and myself went to recover the buck. Denver was elated.

We relived the hunt over and over. Since then, I have shared thousands of memories with Denver. The memories will be forever cherished by me and my family for the rest of our lives.

It is not every day that you meet someone that means as much to you as Denver does to us.

I am very blessed to have met him, and am proud to call him my hunting partner for life.

Now, some fifteen years after I started hunting with Denver, both the booming cost of hunting and other factors have taken a toll on the amount of time we spend together in the woods.

Even though we do not get into the woods as often, there is not a single day that goes by that I don’t wish he was sitting in the blind next to me, or sharing a long drive to the deer lease.

Denver, I want to thank you for the countless memories you have shared with us, and for being one of the greatest friends a person could ever have. I look forward to sharing a hunting camp with you again soon, and am indeed honored to call you my “Hunting Partner For Life.”

I would like to thank my father for introducing me to both hunting and Denver. I would also like to thank Denver, for the countless hours of enjoyment, and memories he has provided me and my family. Thanks “Clabber Head,” we love you, and always will.

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