New Year’s Eve Buck
This buck had hung on the wall in the old ranch house on our family homestead for as long as I can remember. The stories my father told about the deer were from an earlier time and generation. Our family lineage traces its roots to Cotulla, Texas, in the latter part of the 19th century. The Hattermann family settled east of Cotulla near Los Angeles, Texas. The family worked the land, and enjoyed the bounty the crops, livestock, and game provided.
This is my father, Rayburn Hattermann. He always enjoyed telling the story about this deer. Rayburn and his childhood friend, Dudley “Brother” Storey, were out of school for the holidays and spending time at the ranch. On a cold New Year’s Eve morning, they both encountered this deer while sitting on a stock tank. Rayburn shot the deer with a .30-06 Model 70 Winchester he had won in a raffle for $1.50 a few days prior. The deer had a perfect typical frame, with lots of mass, and scored in the mid 160s. Sadly, Rayburn passed away in 2012.
After his passing, we found this picture buried away among a bunch of old books and other photos. His mother’s distinct handwriting on the back of the photo indicated this deer was killed Dec. 31, 1960. The property remains virtually unchanged, and our family still enjoys hunting by this same original stock tank where this buck was killed so many years ago. This deer still hangs proudly in our home today, and the same rifle sits tucked away safely, ready for use by the next generation.
— Ellen Hattermann Snider
Editor’s Note: The farther along we crawl through the 21st century, the more we crave just a little bit of nostalgia. If you would like to share some vintage hunting photos (anything before 1960) with our readers, please send them to [email protected], along with a brief description or story. Or you can mail them to:
TTHA Blast from the Past
Attn: Editor
326 Sterling Browning Rd., Ste. 101
San Antonio, TX 78232
