I was suppose to work. But instead I went for hunt about this morning. My son Neilo couldn't stand me in bed so off we went headed for the hills. Then we Hiked 2 miles back in steep stuff. Neilo took high and I took low working around the end of a ridge. I was working really slow a few steps and stop catch my breath and look around it was really quite. If it wasn?t for my heart beat. The fog was drifting in and out. I stop and at about 30 yards I see the cream white of the butt of a deer that is behind a cedar tree. Then I see a doe about 10 yards from this butt. I am close enough that I don't dare move. Hoping the deer will move so I can see what it is. I check the wind and it is not good swirling. I felt the wind at my back and wa la. They both bolt and when I see what the butt is it is a monster buck he left in a little wash and all I seen was his antlers, I couldn't get a shot 30 incher for sure. I run to vantage point and nothing this is the buck I wanted. My anxiety and buck fever settles I look up and see Neilo. He is about 100 yards above me I motion for him to take off and try and get a vantage point. He did but no luck. I was figuring I would give him a minute then I would push hoping to push the buck to where Neilo might have a shot. Well while I was waiting for Neilo to get ahead I spot a deer in the fog where as the fog was drifting in and out at about 800 yds away feeding and working across this meadow. I just watch him pretty soon I see he is a pretty good buck. So I wait hoping Neilo gets back. I draw down on him a couple times but he is getting closer I have a good steady rock. Well he is finely about to go in to the trees. And I take a last look cause the light is better the fog is lifted a bit and he is closer 600 yds and I figure he is better then I first thought. He was a few feet from being out of sight. I practice at this range and know what I can do. Steady breath vitals hold about 8? above his back. 7mm. Rem. Mag. 120 gr. Ballistic tip hand loads talks softly. I choose this round only cause I have had such bad luck with the heavier loads just poking holes through with out expanding and the buck not adsorbing maximum energy. The buck jumps straight up lurches forward and is dead before he hits the ground. I watch wait for movement and knowing Neilo would be by after hearing the shot. While I wait a 2-point and 4 does come out just below me about 100 yds. Then a few minutes later a 3x4 comes out bird-dogging the does with his nose to the ground. They drift into the fog and the oak brush. Neilo shows up just after they are out of sight. He asks about the noise I was making and I tell him of the buck I just shot. But the fog was so thick I couldn't point him out. So we wait a few for the fog to clear thinking one of the other bucks might give Neilo a shot. We then head out towards the buck down a steep hill after making a mental location of the deer. This will be easy one tree just off to the right and out in a meadow on the edge of some oak. It gets really foggy. Then a tree appears we search no tracks no blood no deer we look for about 20 minutes. The fog lifts and I look down the hill a couple hundred yards and what the heck a tree. I knew then we were searching by the wrong tree. In all my days I have never seen a tree grow that fast. So off down the hill we go. The clouds are heavy with a cold furious wind about them. It starts to rain and moments later turns to sleet, thunder roars and fog gives way to knife like sleet. So wet we are even with gortex water runs down our face and our lowers are sopped by the time we arrive at the magnificent buck that lays within feet of where the shot took place. Finding no blood scattered about I knew it was lethal and high fives from my son. And he asks with a twinkle in his eyes and the voice of excitement like a kid in a candy store. ? Why is it dad you always kill a big buck?? I thought for a sec and I knew there was no buck that is as great as the moment that is as great as that moment with my son. My reply to him was well son to kill great buck you have to pack this one out for me then I will tell you. He can hike faster then most deer can run and makes more noise then a train. He didn't think that was to funny when I accused him of that. So we disassemble the buck and examine the trouble the ballistic tip did. I am tickled plumb to death with the results. So we load this buck in our backpacks and off like a heard of turtles. I never in all my days would reckon a hill could get that steep slick and rock infested as it was. This buck had to weigh at least 500 lbs. And our cloths being wet must have put on 67 lbs each. I know when we hiked in it was about 2 miles but when we came out it was more like 22 miles. I am still cold from the wet. WE were home by 11:30 a.m. I took a recovery nap and my legs and back still hurt. We will go after the big one for Neilo in the morning> I am glad I don't have to pack that heavy gun or 5x4 buckskin!!!! I am headed to Phoenix to warm up and dry out. I didn't and don't have a camera. If you go back and check the post who knows big bucks. I think I hit that post right on the head. Lets see how many buck come in this weekend I know just lucky.
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