My season started a bit slow so I decided to hit up a white tail spot I like. I saw lots of sign after a rain and thought it looked promising. Dusk came and no luck so I decided to climb out of the tree stand, and I noticed a vehicle driving by mine nice and slow then turning around, parking by my rig. I no sooner than get out of the stand ....BOOM!
Some guy shot a white tail about 40 feet from my rig...so I helped load it in the truck and off he went...sigh...
I decided to head deep in the buck brush
, to where my brother bagged a 2x5 a few years back. Its about 3 miles back.
I headed out at day break, rain and fog were the name of the game. I get to the hill I want to climb and start up, knocking the brush before going through it, to hit the water off. I get to the first bench and notice about 150 yards up, on the ridge, a buck silouetted by the fog...I can tell he has horns, but I cant tell how many points...
Bring up the binos...FOGGED and WET~!
I fall to my knees and extend the bi pods to help steady the shot...still cant tell how many points, as he looks straight at me, slightly quartered.
I get up and move up the hill, falling to my knees in the brush about 4 or 5 times trying to get a decent shooting position, but the angle of the hill along with the brush make it difficult. Not trying to be quiet or slow, I continue on...finally able to get a decent shooting position. He turns his head, looking back over the ridge a few times and I can easily see he is legal.
I steady and aim behind the front left shoulder.....
BOOM!
The hill explodes with doe running in circles....the buck remains....I was dumbfounded, thinking he would be piled up....
I put another in the chamber and re adjust my hold on the rifle to make the 125 yard shot (I was a bit ackward angle before)...now the buck begins to move over the ridge...all I see in the scope is his head, back and neck. I aim for the back of the head....BOOM!
I hear a crash and now the does are really moving out. Since I missed the larger target of him staring at me, I didnt have much confidence I hit him the second time, but as always, you go look for blood. I heard that crash and thought he was either dead or bounced down the hill.
Walking up the hill in the rain, I find him all piled up against this log, thankfully, keeping him from rolling down hill. I hit him in the back of the head, through the eye.
He is a nice 5x5 (4pt with eye guards) with knarled bases, swollen neck and smelled heavy of musk.
My excited face...
I dont see many big bucks, so I was thrilled and actually hopped ontop of the log and yelled out "YES!"
Being wedged between that log was a blessing and curse...it kept him from rolling down the hill, but made gutting a challenge.
I was making great time and was happy to get such a buck...after boning him out, it was time for the first load down...
where are my keys...uh oh...
I normally put them in my pack or in a buttoned pocket...today they were just in my front pocket (I was just tired I guess)...I scour the hillside for over an hour looking where I shot, etc...no luck. Lost keys, soaked and three miles in with a deer...great.
I grab a load and hike to the truck....no keys there either...I was able to get a ride back to camp from some Sedro Wooley boys who were camped near by...they later bagged a 2x3. I was thankful for the ride and showed it by some bear summer sausage (they turned down beer and gas).
Three days later I was able to get back into my rig after getting a lock smith to come out.
The rest of the trip, I found some sheds (2pt and 3pt) saw some big horn sheep and had a great time. Saw a few more shooter bucks, but none as big as mine.
A buddy went up a few days later to hunt that same hill...the carcass had been moved down hill about 50 feet and up canyon about 20....I only wish I had the time to hunt whatever that is...
Its no monster buck compared to lots of you boys and girls trophy, but its my biggest and I am very happy with it! Hope you enjoyed the read.
