A true dream (Hunt) season 2017

[M_ray]

Ok so I know its been awhile since last season but ever since I posted in AHL I've been getting some requests for a better look at my 2017 buck.

The season started out the same as most, last year about this same time with much anticipation for the upcoming draws. After waiting for the results from about 5 different states it was time to plan. After checking in with the usual suspects Huntnphool, Tmike & JJhunter a positive outcome for company wasn't in the cards. A late attempt to connect with Rafflemule ended when his football coaching turned out too good and they made the playoff's.  So it boiled down to just me and my daughter for this one.

A brutal two day trip through a 600 mile ice storm traveling no more than 30mph and we made it to our destination and got settled. The next morning would prove hard to keep off the trigger, I didnt even get a pic of the best buck we looked at that day because it was last light and by then my camera batteries were dead.

Right at first light I got hung up trying to make a decision on this buck who had me in a snit 5 minutes out of the gate, I needed 150 more yards and I might have been tagged out


Not more than 5 min later I had another nice buck but he needs just another year or two!

 

[M_ray]

going to try and knock this all out so give me a minute 

[M_ray]

about two minutes later I figured out where that last guy was headed as two more bucks were hot on a doe, this isnt the best image but it gives you and idea of another up and comer!

[M_ray]

Seeing the first few minutes of this hunt and I was super excited knowing that "IT WAS ON!!!" Like I said this would be the hardest deer hunting day I have had in terms of keeping my bullets in my pocket.

Another short drive to a spot where my daughter and I would make a hike in to look over a canyon that didn't disappoint so we were occupied looking at good numbers of deer. We watched a coyote get chased by a couple herds of doe that didnt care for his company so that was pretty fun to watch. There were a couple more bucks that thought they were big but these guys would get a first day pass.


 

[M_ray]

So back at the truck and a short lunch we made our way to another spot that I wanted to hike into. When we got close I saw a truck parked and decided to let them have it and I moved on by. We were spotting large groups of deer and lots of bucks so I wont bore you with them all but there were a few that had me thinking of notching a tag. This guy really tested me cause I loved his character but I figured he'd be a smoker if he could make it through! 

[M_ray]

We must have seen 500+ deer the first day and prob 5 that made me think about it especially the last buck at last light when my camera was dead. He was a tall 4x3  with good mass for the area and even missing a point would push 180. Here are a couple more of the best of day one and the last one walking away I never got the best quality image but that was when my camera died.

[M_ray]

Day one in the books.

[M_ray]

Backing up a little bit, I was having the time of my life with my daughter. She joked with friends before the trip that "its a long drive where we look at tons of deer and my dad passes all the big ones looking for the monster"  For which I didnt have much of a reply cause she has watched me pass some really good deer before. But I did tell her to pick out my deer and she was really mad I had passed the 4x3 at last light on day one.

 Day two started with snow and about 20' temps with wind. My thought was to head to where the truck was parked the day before and I wanted to be the first in there. I didn't discuss it with my daughter we just took off early. Approaching our turn my daughter says " Dada don't you want to go where we saw those other bucks yesterday morning?" and my response was "you want to go up there?" and she said "yes" and that was it we changed directions and headed a different way.

Now I wish I had a special story for you all about how I hiked 16 miles and had to go into some deep hole to find this buck but the reality is my little girl spotted it and I couldnt be more happy she did.

[jjhunter]

Be glad I wasn't there, I woulda pushed you down in the snow so fast....

[X-Force]

Liking this thread so far!

[M_ray]

I had to find a way in cause he was about 450 out and there was private land between us so I still had a little work to do and this is where the onyx maps paid off! After making a mile circle around and a short crawl on all fours I thought I'd be about 250 out and as it turned I was 108 and only 88 yards from the doe he was sitting on. She was quartered towards me and with the wind circling I was pretty sure I didn't have all day to wait them out. I looked at my daughter and she was freezing in the 20' weather but wouldn't admit it so I decided to just take him in his bed. He was facing me but behind a sage bush now that we have changed angles compared to when we spotted him. I made a the decision to shout at him in an attempt to get a better shot or to get him to stand up but he didnt. But he did raise his neck just high enough and I could see his white patch and that was good enough for me so I took it. He went straight down and by the time the recoil had me back on target the doe was standin and walked over to look at him, she made a double take at him and walked off and with that I had my buck of a lifetime. 

   

[M_ray]

So that was it and 2017 was a done deal on morning two!!! He seemed to grow as I got closer

[W_Ellison2011]

That's an awesome buck! I love the way his antlers curl!

[X-Force]

Man that's awesome.

[M_ray]

And here is the AHL pic that I posted before