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Author Topic: First Whitetail  (Read 5037 times)

Offline Buglinbulls

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First Whitetail
« on: November 15, 2007, 11:16:09 PM »
Well, I thought that since I am always on this site checking everyone else’s posts, I had better contribute one of my own. 

This was my first year hunting in Washington, and the first time going after a whitie.  After a total of about two weeks of scouting and hunting, I was finally able to seal the deal last weekend on this little buck.  I was hunting in the Coleville area.     

Here’s the story:
   It was just about dark and I was on my way back to the truck when a deer crossed in front of me a ways down the trail.  It was too dark to get a very good look at him, but I could tell from his body outline and his composure that it was a buck.  Since this was the first buck that I had seen all weekend, I decided to set up the next morning in the same area that I had seen him cross in front of me.  I figured that chances were slim of actually coming across that same buck again, but I figured that I didn’t have anything to lose.
   I got up the next morning and started hiking about an hour before shooting light in order to take my time and keep quiet.  I ended up perching myself up on a rock ledge overlooking a patch of pines and downfall.  It was just getting light enough to see, so I started glassing through the thick pines.  As I scanned to my left I couldn’t believe it, but there was actually a buck standing broadside about 100 yards away, but he had me pegged.  Because of the low light I couldn’t get a very good look at his antlers, but I could tell that he was at least out to his ears, so being the last morning that I would have to hunt, I decided to take him.  I put the cross-hairs on his chest and pulled the trigger.  He was quartered slightly to me, so the bullet entered his shoulder and came out a little behind his offside shoulder (you can see the exit hole in some of the pics).  Not a big buck, but I was definitely excited to put a whitetail on the ground.  Whether he was the buck from the night before, who knows?

Offline Cougeyes

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Re: First Whitetail
« Reply #1 on: November 15, 2007, 11:44:32 PM »
Nice buck, especially for your first in WA

Offline Skyvalhunter

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Re: First Whitetail
« Reply #2 on: November 16, 2007, 05:31:01 AM »
Congrats on the buck!! Job well done and welcome to Washington hunting
The only man who never makes a mistake, is the man who never does anything!!
The further one goes into the wilderness, the greater the attraction of its lonely freedom.

Offline Hunting Cowboy

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Re: First Whitetail
« Reply #3 on: November 16, 2007, 05:38:44 AM »
Congrats on your first WA Whitetail! Theres nothing quite like making a plan and having it work out. Thanks for posting the story and pics!

Offline runningboard

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Re: First Whitetail
« Reply #4 on: November 16, 2007, 06:16:55 AM »
nice buck, good story, thanks for sharing. congrats on your success!
Romans 14:2 he who eats only vegetables is weak
Genesis 27:3 Now then, get your equipment—your quiver and bow—and go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for me

Offline billythekidrock

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Re: First Whitetail
« Reply #5 on: November 16, 2007, 06:39:08 AM »
Congrats.




Offline GoldTip

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Re: First Whitetail
« Reply #6 on: November 16, 2007, 06:47:54 AM »
Good Job on your first whitey!
I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.
If I ageed with you, then we'd both be wrong.
You are never to old to learn something stupid.

Offline boneaddict

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Re: First Whitetail
« Reply #7 on: November 16, 2007, 07:10:03 AM »
Thanks for signing up and posting the pics and story. Congrats on your first whitetail.  As Cowboy said, way to make a plan, and have it be successful.

Offline jackelope

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Re: First Whitetail
« Reply #8 on: November 16, 2007, 07:32:14 AM »
I've decided the most succesful hunts are the ones that you plan out ahead of time....way to stick with it and make it work. congrats.
:fire.:

" In today's instant gratification society, more and more pressure revolves around success and the measurement of one's prowess as a hunter by inches on a score chart or field photos produced on social media. Don't fall into the trap. Hunting is-and always will be- about the hunt, the adventure, the views, and time spent with close friends and family. " Ryan Hatfield

My posts, opinions and statements do not represent those of this forum

Offline Buckshot Bill

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Re: First Whitetail
« Reply #9 on: November 16, 2007, 07:50:51 AM »
Nice buck Buglinbulls!  Great job on setting a plan and putting it to work and making it happen.  Nothing like being in the right place at the right time.  Congrats and keep up the good work.

Offline Dman

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Re: First Whitetail
« Reply #10 on: November 16, 2007, 07:58:29 AM »
 Good story and pics, that's a fine whitetail. Your surmization that it might have been the same buck is probably accurate. Whities generally have a home range of only 2 square miles. I found a rub area about four years ago in our NEWa spot in mid-September and tripped over a buck nearly the same as the one you shot while scouting. I came back on the opener to find a boned out carcass with an arrow string leading 50 ft away from it, not over 100' from where I saw the buck a month earlier.  :bash:

Congrat's

Offline huntingnut

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Re: First Whitetail
« Reply #11 on: November 16, 2007, 08:19:48 AM »
Welcome to WA and congrats to a nice buck.

Offline Machias

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Re: First Whitetail
« Reply #12 on: November 16, 2007, 09:18:06 AM »
Congrats, very nice buck.  I'm taking my wife out there tomorrow, I hope she sees one just like it.  What kind of rounds are those?
Fred Moyer

When it's Grim, be the GRIM REAPER!

Offline Muleyslyr

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Re: First Whitetail
« Reply #13 on: November 16, 2007, 09:35:06 AM »
Nice....way to go!!  That's a good buck....especially for your last day.  Congrats and welcome to HW.

Offline Buglinbulls

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Re: First Whitetail
« Reply #14 on: November 16, 2007, 02:09:00 PM »
Thanks for the remarks.  In response to the question above: "What kind of rounds are those?"

I was shooting 168 gr Barnes XLC handloads in a .300 WSM.  It may have been a little overkill on a whitetail, but it did the job.   

Question for all of you whitetail experts: How old do you think this buck is? (1 1/2 or 2 1/2 yrs. old)

 


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