My swakane late hunt.

[gutsnthegrass]

Well, to start off I would like to thank you guys for the info that was PM'd me, especially Deep Forks, he's a hell of a nice guy with alot of good info.  So the hunt didn't go quite as planned.  When I found out I drew this tag, I set a goal for a 160" buck, as I thought this would be pretty realistic.  I hunted this unit for the first 2 weekends and then took the last 3 days off.  I was in deer the whole time but the weather didn't want to cooperate for the first 2 weekends, if finaly cooled down for the last weekend I had to hunt.  My wife hunted with me for the first weekend, I was solo the 2nd weekend and had a good buddy Timberhunter as a packmule for the last weekend.  I felt like I hunted hard but wasnt seeing anything but lots of immature 2 points and spikes.  I was the 2nd to the last day of the hunt and my expectations at that point dropped from 160" to any mature buck, I hated doing that but I just wasn't seeing any shooters at all.  At one point I think Timberhunter thought he was going to have to take my rifle from me on a small 2 point .  We were on our way down the mountain to another spot that we were going to make an evening hunt out of when I caught some movement up on the hill.  There was a buck chasing a doe on the hillside in a small opening, so I jumped out of the rig to check it out closer when he ran out in the opening and I shot him.  He is a mature heavy horned 2 point that needed to be taken out of the gene pool anyway, or at least thats how I am going to justify it.  One shot with the .260 and he went right down.  So he is definitly not the biggest buck on the mountain but I guess he will have to do.  And thanks to Timberhunter for coming along, it was a good time for sure.

[WAcoyotehunter]

holy smokes!  that is a big two point, nice work!

[bobcat]

That's a nice buck. I'd be happy with that if I was down to almost the last day. It's kind of good that the late permits are "any buck" to allow the taking of those big two points, that can't be killed during the general season.

[Timber_Hunter]

I am glad that you decided to post the pictures.  I know you wish he had more points but he was a pretty buck.  Thanks again for letting me tag along.  I had a great time and got to see some new country.  Only 9 months and counting and we get to do it all over again!

[jdb]

thats a great buck! I had made the descision that if my late hunt went down to the wire I was going to take a big forky.

[ICEMAN]

Nothing wrong with posting that. I have wanted for years to blast a big fork horn like that. Good job!

[509er]

Congrats.  That buck has an awesome cape!

[gutsnthegrass]

Thanks for the kind words guys.  Like I said before he's not what I had in mind but I am happy to have had the chance to harvest him.  He made some fine pepperoni, and the backstraps have been pretty tasty too.  He did have a really nice cape on him, my buddy asked if I wanted to save it and wasn't even thinking that his dads taxi friend would have liked to save it.  I was just thinking about getting him taken care of and I knew he wasn't going on the wall.  Anyways thanks again for the kind words.

[400out]

Good for you thats a super deer 

[cooneyes]

That's a BIG 2 point! Nice job. At least you got some venison in the freezer.

[Lowedog]

Really nice looking buck!  Congrats! 

[180-GRAIN]

That double throat patch on that thing is as bright as snow. Nice buck!

[agchawk]

Nothing wrong with that buck at all! CONGRATS!!!!

I would have done the same thing. These tags are great on the surface but they never guarantee anything. Weather/migration and a lot of other factors play heavily. You should be proud of that buck IMO.

[inkfish86]

nice!
 

[mkcj]

Nothing wrong with that buck under the conditions nice thing about this state you might draw the same tag next year and shoot a hog.

[Smokepole]

Ice is right.  You gotta have a big forker in your pile of bones.  I got me a blacktail that isn't too bad, but never killed a fork mulie.  Nice buck!

[elkslare]

nice 2 point and meat in the freezer.

[longrange7mm]

That bucks got a beautiful cape congrats.

[Dmanmastertracker]

 Salamander neck too, pretty buck, nice job.

[Pathfinder101]

Well, I can understand your disapointment in taking a 2 point with your late tag, but on the plus side, that buck has about the prettiest cape of any deer I have ever seen.  I would stuff him, just for the cape...