Yesterday, after I stayed my contracted 30 minutes after school was over, I headed out deer hunting for one last hoorah before the weekend. I spotted this buck maybe ten minutes after getting out of the truck. To get the wind right, I had to go like a half mile around the other side of the buck. He never moved from the time we first spotted him to the time he got out of his bed right before I shot. I came up the bottom of the canyon behind the buck, and I kind of had to hurry as I was running out of light. Once I got to about 150 yards from the buck, I jumped a doe at like 30 yards. At first, I freaked out and got all ready, thinking it was the buck. Unfortunately, the doe headed up the hill right above the buck. When he stood up, I tried to range him but kept hitting the grass in front of me. So I guessed it for around 150, settled in and shot. I practice at 150, and felt confident that I could make the shot. Amidst the smoke, I saw the buck drop. Still, I reloaded as fast as I could, and headed up the hill. The buck didn't go anywhere. I didn't exactly hit it where I wanted to (the sage I rested on wasn't all that steady), but I didn't have to track it...which is always a plus. This makes two years in a row that I've shot my buck in the head; last year was on purpose, this year not so much. He's my biggest WA buck to date, and I'm pretty happy about it. I sure love early season muzzleloading.
