Just reminiscing about hunting season and wanted to share my 2023 multi season buck, I had never been to this unit before and just picked a spot. Drove all night after getting off work at midnight, hiked 11 miles and only saw does, discouraged I slept in the next morning, almost changed spots, then talked to a nice gentleman who said they had been helping his nephew with a buck and they were headed home, I was slightly discouraged but decided I had to give it a good solid effort. Hiked in around 4 miles until I got away from boot tracks, the wind wasn’t ideal but I planned to loop around. I bumped a small 2 point and a coyote, watched them crest the ridge and after having a snack of a few handfuls of tajin seasoned peach rings I followed, after I crested the ridge I dropped down about 10 feet so I wasn’t skylined. The area that I was now looking at was a bowl roughly 90 yards across, with several trails running through it, I stood on the shady side of the hill next to a tree for about 5 minutes deciding where to go, when I heard hooves pounding the dirt, I look left and see him crest a small saddle and immediately look back. Once I saw his antler width and that he had 3 I pulled my hammer back, he looked forward and ran down the trail towards me, I quickly whistled and he stopped, I got a bead on his shoulder and dropped the hammer. He bucked 6 feet in the air and landed on his chin. Definitely and awesome hunt in a very special place to me.
