Thursday night we saw about 200 head of elk down in the valley on private land. We decide to head over just above that place on the national forest Friday morning.
My friend Sean and I push through a steep and dense valley hoping to either find some elk bedded or push them down to my dad, uncle, and brother. We spot a doe in some thick and dark trees. Sean tells me to look and see if there's a buck around. I see another doe moving away (wind was freaking ripping right at them) and look for a buck. I spot what appears to be a massive frame moving through the trees. "There's a real big buck" I tell Sean. He looks through his bino'a and repeats my words. "BIG BUCK". We're quickly moving through the trees trying to get me a shot. I finally have a clear look at the vitals, settle in, and "click". In the commotion my bolt was knocked up. I wasn't even sure what happened yet, so thinking that somehow I forgot to chamber a round, I rip open the bolt (a round flies out, so I know now I had one chambered) and slam another round in. The deer had moved. Sean is still looking through his binos, drool seeping through his lips. The only other shot I get is a brief look at the neck, which I didn't take. He meanders over a hill and disappears. We meet back up with the rest of the group at the bottom of the valley. Since in one had seen, heard, or smelt elk, we decided to go back after the black antlered beast (his rack was extremely dark). As we skirt the edge of the valley, about 10 deer scatter below us. I didn't see any horns, so I keep moving, and immediately see the beast standing there. I take a glance at the head and see dark antlers, with wide bases, but am preoccupied with the fact I have no shot. I take two steps sideways, now with a clear shot of the vitals - but the head is obscured. I can only see the bases, which are dark. "It's him, I'm taking him!!" I shoot and he drops on the spot. He tries getting up, and stumble-rolls 15 yards down the hill. I rush down the hill, but find that it was not the brute I thought. This deer was still amazing, it had no teeth and must be deep into regression.
For reference, the deer I thought it was was 5 inches wider in each side, and was 24-28 inches deep.
