lone_hunter
Active Member
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- 131
So he is not a Monstermuley, but decent for public land Utah. I took the pic with my phone as he lay (I did prop the head up), I hunt completely alone so there is no one to pose or take pics.
For those of you that like the stories, here you go: Saturday was a good day of hunting, with some high afternoon winds and snow. Throughout the day I saw 10 bucks. Mostly forkhorns, but the first 7 deer I saw had antlers. One that caught my attention was a long way off, and another I got close to in the brush but could not get a clear look or shot. I am getting too damn old to make it to the clearing before they are gone. He was with at least 3 more bucks. Anyway Sunday morning was bitter cold with probably 30 mile an hour winds. I actually love this kind of weather, even though I will admit it was hard to get out of the sleeping bag when the tent is rattling in the wind and the condensation from your breath in the night has frozen on top of your bag. After only about an hour of hunting, seeing a few deer and one decent 3 point, again too fast for me, I came out of a patch of quakies. I began to glass and spotted a herd of deer leisurely feeding on a the edge of a draw about 300 to 325 yards out. I soon spotted this buck feeding. I stayed low in some tall sage for about another 75 yards to a small patch of quakies. I noticed that there was a stump about waist high a few yards ahead. I crept up to the stump and set up for a shot. It was a great setting. A stiff breeze in my face, snow on the ground and the deer had know idea of my presence. He was slightly quarterly away from, a great shot at about 200 to 225 yards. I caught my breath briefly and squoze off a round. Ah, the sweet thud of the bullet connecting. He slowly did a half circle of about 25 yards, stumbled and went down. For me this shot was a little extra sweet. For no real reason I spoiled myself with a new 300 Win Mag this summer. (It may be my mid life crises. Instead of younger faster women, I went for a younger faster gun?) I hit him a little farther back than I would have deemed perfect. Perhaps some bullet drift in the wind? (I won't BS anyone I probably just shot too far back). Anyway, it obviously was very effective. I quartered him using the gutless method, and packed him out about 3/4 mile to a road. I actually saw one more decent 3 point as I was packing him. I hope he survives another year.
