Hunting Washington Forum
Big Game Hunting => Muzzleloader Hunting => Topic started by: Gutpile on November 26, 2018, 05:04:24 PM
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I was having a pretty slow , cold and windy day on the late muzzy opener. I saw a few does around, one great big brute across the river from me cruising for chicks. he had a broke right rear hoof, you could see it hanging limp but even so nature was calling so he didn't seem to mind, he had love on his mind. I also ran into a couple of little bitty spike/forkies who were cruising chicks also. I had a good time grunting at one. He showed a little attitude which was interesting but ended up sauntering off. At the farthest edge of the property there is a great double eyebrow separated by a sharp ridge and heavy with Ponderosa pines and wild rose. When I got to the first brow a doe spooked out and headed towards the second brow. I got ready in case she was being followed by a buck. I knew she wasn't too spooked because she didn't just bolt out which was good. I waited a minute or two and no buck showed up. When I got to the ridge that separates the brows it was just full of scrapes. I've seen scrapes here just about every year but this was just nuts, there was a scrape at darn near every tree. This got me thinking that I'd just sit this brow until dark. On the ridge there is a great big Ponderosa with branches to the ground so it makes a perfect tree to crawl up under to look into the second brow. Right away I see a little forkie browsing on the rose. Then a doe and another and another. Just then #3 lifted "her" head and she was actually pretty nice buck. At this point I had good wind and a good spot hidden in the shade. These animals had no clue I was there. Now since I'm self employed and not working until Late Feb or March I have all the time in the world to hunt so I decided I wanted a 5x5 or better and it has to be as wide as the ears. At least for the first week or so. :chuckle: I decided that this buck was going to live another day. I just sat and watched him rake his antlers and stare down the little forkie. It was actually pretty cool. As I glassed him again I saw that he was actually a 4X5 and was a little outside the ears so he got the green light. The only problem was, I was 120 out and with open sites that animal pretty much hides perfectly behind the front site, I needed to get closer. I would have to go above the P-Pine into the sun to make it to a row of smaller trees, if I was going to get busted it would be right now. I waited for the heads to drop or look away and I scooted towards the trees. Stopping and starting as the heads rose and fell. I finally made it to the trees in the shade again and scooched forwars as far as I could go. At this point I was still 100 yeards out but this is a doable shot. I was on side hill so my left leg on the bipod was full extended while the right wasn't extended at all, it was just flipped down to the first setting but I was perfectly level. I settled in and got a perfect broadside presentation. Just then, the damn little forky decides he wanted to mess with the big boy and walked right up towards him not only blocking my shot but potentially causing the big guy to chase him off screwing up an absolutely perfect shot opportunity. Big boy just stared him down and showed his antlers and the little guy wandered off. There it was so I let fly with my old Knight Bighorn. That's when I was instantly reminded of that HUGE cloud of smoke that won't allow you to see the impact . It hung for what seemed like freaking forever (maybe a second or so :chuckle:) but I did hear that awesome thud of the 290 grn Barnes hit home. The smoke cleared and he was doing the death run but only made it 20ish yards.
Now it's time to check out the deer, and as everyone knows, shrinkage happens!! LoL!! I was hoping that I didn't end my season too soon but as I got to him he didn't shrink and I was a pretty happy camper. Not my biggest deer but he is a dandy and I'm satisfied. I had already tagged my "second deer" back in Sept and I took a young man out during the modern season and he got a nice little 5x5 so I've spend my fair share in the deer woods this year so ending the season with a great hunt and a great deer didn't hurt like it does sometimes.
When I opened him up I had made a freaking perfect shot. The heart was literally separated from the veins and arteries that hold it in place and was just loose inside the cavity. The lungs were destroyed also. This deer died so quickly that it didn't exhale a drop of blood and it's tongue stayed in it's mouth. As you all know, you have to tuck that slimy bloody tongue for good pics but I didn't have to pretty him up at all. I've got to give big props to those Barnes SpitFire T-EZ. They are a little spendy but they just totally flatten these deer. I'd never even consider switching.
Well, I needed to kill some time before mama got home from work so I thought I'd bore you all with my little story and pics, I even found a bonus pic of him on my trailcam I set up down there, that's a first for me. Anyways, thanks and I hope you all had a great season also.
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Great whitetail and shot!
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:tup: great pics and story!
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Gutpile
Holy cow! Awesome animal!
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What an awesome hunt and a great write up, thanks for sharing! I'll second the applause for the Barnes T-EZs, they're a great bullet both on paper and for knock down! Too bad you hit the heart though, it's one of my favorite parts to eat (the tongue is delicious also!). Congrats on your success! :tup:
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:tup: :tup: :tup: :tup: :tup: :tup: :tup: :tup: :tup:
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But you ruined the best part to eat??!!
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Good job.
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Nice job, Gutpile! Beautiful deer!
As for destroying the delectable heart, all I have tobsay is that is a good problem to have...
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great story and deer- Nice
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Congrats. :tup:
Nice shot
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Very nice buck! If you're not gonna eat it, heart shots are the best.
Cool to have him on camera, too!
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Great whitey and shot.
