Got an odd one

[EMPyre]

Took this guy yesterday in the Spokane GMU.  Sorry for the cell phone pic.  More pics and story to follow.  Not sure what to call the rack, 5 points on the right, and a tall spike with two good stickers on the base for the left...

[bow4elk]

He probably suffered an injury to the right side of his body or right testicle.  Injuries will often affect antler growth on the opposite side of the body for that year.

Nice deer - Congrats!!  Post a story and more pics.

[Axle]

You could call it a nerd - or good meat!

[jackelope]

way to go E!!!

[EMPyre]

Story...  Pics to come later tonight.

Ok, well its been a long season this year and I’m glad to have a little venison to flavor my tag soup from the Little Naches cow tag I’ll be eating this winter.  My deer general season went pretty well, although we didn’t see any animals during we did learn some familiar area much better.  And I managed a couple days in the high country for the September hunt, which was a first and a great experience that I can’t wait to expand on next year.

But as miles wore on and the seasons drew to a close I was preparing to settle for a second season with nothing in the freezer.  My hunting partner and two other mutual friends had a three-way birthday party planned for last Saturday night (11/14) and I had planned to attend knowing full well that I’d pass up the final chance for my buck this year.  I’m happy to have such understanding and forgiving friends that they don’t harbor any hard feelings toward me for canceling on them when I got the invite to hunt some private property around Spokane.

So Friday I rolled on down I-90 to meet up with Ryan in Spokane, and we loaded the truck and took off to his friends place north of town.  We settled in and had a few beers and chatted some and settled in after deciding to hunt the backyard in the morning.

Saturday was cold and the snow from the night before was about 2 inches deep in the old pasture off the back porch.  I trudged through it and parked under a tree for a few hours as the other guys ran a creek bottom.  It was not to be however and nobody took any shots.  We hunted the afternoon at a different area behind a locked gate we had keys for.  Another property own hunting in there said he hadn’t seen much, and suspected the 6 different bull moose on the property we likely the culprits for the reduced deer sign.  So Saturday came and went, a few more beers and quick nap in preparation for Sunday.

Its something else to hunt with locals, I have never had the privilege to access so much wonderful land, much of it bordering public, but just managed in a more controlled and wildlife friendly manner.  Sunday morning was no exception.  The short truck ride up the hill and then a quick walk into a wonderful field and as we came into view 3 does crossed 500 yards below us.  This was the spot, I was certain of it and after sneaking down the road, settling under a tree, taking ranges and getting comfortable and trying to stay warm for 45 minutes I realized the guy below thought the same thing!  I didn’t even see him, and I don’t think he knew I was there, but he beat us in, and had come in from below so I hadn’t cut his trail. 

I packed up and snuck back up to the top where Ryan was pretty confused as to why I was leaving.  A quick conversation and the raising of binos and he was at a loss too.  We backed the truck down the road and started cruising the property.  Up higher and through a few selectively logged cuts we drove, eyeing the draws as we passed.  When I jumped out of the truck I wasn’t entirely sure on the plan.  We were creeping up to 8 o’clock and beside the does at first light hadn’t seen anything.  I worked a finger ridge above two cuts and after a quick ‘constitutional’ that I was sure would bust me to anything in the area sat and watch the draw the put my face into the wind.

I sat, and I rattled some, but nothing.  Fighting numbness in the regions connecting to the earth I decided to stretch my legs.  The ridge I had come down had plenty of sign in the nearly four inches snow, I had even found a couple of day old beds under some of the Hemlock starts.  I moved over the top of the ridge fast enough to warm up, but still trying to go slowly and quietly, looking for a good tree to sit against.  I parked myself down and began to get comfortable and get the feel for the draw. 

Not five minutes later I see a grey silhouette against the snow and bent, naked berry bushes and shrubs, about 125 yards down in the bottom of the draw.  I haven’t even taken ranges yet, nor really figured out my shooting lanes.  Quickly raising the glasses to the deer grazing its way up slope, I spot horn.  To say I was desperate for a buck would be a grave understatement.  I raised the rifle but not having setup yet in my spot the shot is awkward at best as the slope I was sitting on didn’t provide for the use of the bipod, and I couldn’t get my elbow to me knee and the right angle to shoot comfortable either. 

So I stood up, slowly and center the cross hairs on the bucks shoulder, steadying my forearm and rifle against pine, and simultaneously reconfirming the growth on the head of the deer.  The shot rang out well before I anticipated it, the buck jumped and kicked.  I was certain I had him dead to rights and it was just a matter of time.  But as I racked the next round, he jogged behind a pine and began to saunter away uphill directly behind the pine.  I took a few good breaths and calmed myself.  I pulled the gun down, and adjusted the scope up for a tighter image, re-sighted and waited what felt like an hour.

Finally instead of quartering away with his head down working up the opposing slope the buck gave me a second chance.  He raised his head and held as he reached a false landing on the hill.  The cross in the scope settled with my exhale just below his ears, and right between them.  This shot rang out when I wanted it to.  The buck didn’t take another step.  I was ready to get my ranges.  From the shot to the deer went 187 yards, I holstered the rangefinder, grabbed the two spent brass casings, took a few deep breaths and tied off a ribbon from where I shot and began the walk across draw.

The first shot was a clean miss, no blood in the snow as I followed the tracks up the hill.  I found the buck in the grass, 25 feet down the hill from the road.  I went to work and by 11 o’clock had him sitting next to the road as I waited for Ryan to drive back out from his spot.  Only buck taken between the 3 of us this weekend, although the other two guys have some more time.  I wish them both luck, and thank them for taking me out to some wonderful terrain I wouldn’t have otherwise been privileged to be at.

[Watimberghost]

Congrats on a nice buck. Cant wait to see more pics of that deers character

[EMPyre]

Thanks all!

[carpsniperg2]

congrats

[KillerMiller]

Nice job!

[eastside boy]

Cool Buck!!!

[jdb]

good to see selah well represented!

[jjdavis2222]

  Nice WT and great written story

[EMPyre]

Thanks a gain everyone.  Pics are edited and uploading to my server.  I'll resize and get them up tomorrow during the day.  Sorry for the delay, I'm beat.  Had to skin and quarter this evening without being able to hang it.  I won't do that again if I don't have to!

[EMPyre]

Some pics for ya all!
.






Just so I don't catch any flack, the orange is off, but I was 10 feet from the truck on the road...

[Dustin07]

that would make for an oddly cool mount.