Another Dosen, and Another Hunt to Remember
Written By: Devin Leissner
Months before deer season arrived, John Dosen was a busy man. Surprisingly, it wasn’t work he was busy with — he was enthralled with preparing for his hunt in South Texas at the Trinity Ranch.
Dosen has orchestrated annual hunting trips with his family for over 25 years, and this adventure was no different. He spent countless amounts of hours getting ready for this hunt. The Trinity Ranch was a new destination for the Dosens, and they were devoted to making it count.
Dosen and his family have a cohesive and interesting dynamic — all of them enjoy hunting, his wife enjoys driving, and he doesn’t. This is particularly helpful for a family who travels to South Texas or further every year, while residing just 75 miles south of the Canadian border in Minnesota.
Dosen is no stranger to hunting on a new ranch. On this trip he was full of anticipation and questions, just like he had been on many previous excursions to unfamiliar locales.
“I wondered if I would really be impressed with the ranch, and truly hoped I would be,” he confessed. “I was also anxious to see if there really was quality, mature whitetails living there, as well as what my family might have in common with the folks that ran the operation besides an affinity for hunting.”
Upon his arrival to the Trinity Ranch, Dosen encountered a warm, Texas-sized welcome and accommodations that were downright hard to beat. Soon after his first outing in the brush, Dosen began to take everything in. He was definitely blown away.
“I hadn’t even seen a buck under 155 inches yet,” he admitted. “I couldn’t believe it.”
From the phenomenal encounters with trophy whitetails to the rousing banter and shared laughs around the lodge, a plethora of variables began to set the stage for an unforgettable trip.
“Harvesting a trophy would just be a bonus,” Dosen thought to himself.
A particularly massive stud of a buck caught Dosen’s eye during his first sit in the stand. He decided to pursue this deer with his bow, committing himself to the true South Texas challenge.
Dosen was seasoned in the art of hunting the elusive brush country whitetail and he was up for the arduous task at hand. Taking the stand during the mid-day hours proved successful when his buck paid him and his guide a visit. The majestic monarch slowly but surely came to a distance of 23 yards.
Dosen began to coach himself through the next few moments.
“Stay focused on the deer’s vitals,” he said to himself as he steadied his nerves. “Wait for him get into the right position to take the shot.”
When the opportunity presented itself, Dosen let his arrow fly. The shot was a little less than perfect, at least in his eyes, but the buck went down within sight. He had accomplished his goal, and he still had plenty of time left to enjoy all that the Trinity Ranch had to offer. Celebrations ensued, and the emotion continued to build as he relived the hunt, took photos with his trophy, and shared his story with the other hunters in his party.
Because he was able to harvest his trophy buck in the early stages of his family’s trip, Dosen was able to spend the remainder of the time hunting with his daughter. This gave him the ultimate joy of being in the blind with her when she harvested her trophy.
Unlike most hunters, John has a different outlook on hunting. Although the 206 inch beast that he harvested with his bow at the Trinity Ranch is not his personal best, it will forever resonate in his mind.
“There is way more to hunting than killing a deer,” Dosen stated.
The memories made during his family’ hunt have far surpassed what any antler measurements could ever mean. The trophy doesn’t make the memory, the memories make the hunt. And that’s exactly why Dosen and his family will be returning to the Trinity Ranch. Until next season, Cheers!
