Thanks guys for all the kind words and positive thoughts. A couple friends and I have been lucky enough to hunt this ranch for the last 6 years. I look forward to it more than about any other hunt or time of the year. I have gotten to really know the ranch owners/guides. They are the absolute best, they work so hard to make this hunt awesome. Thier wives and families go out of thier way to make us feel at home. I can honestly say this place has gotten better and better every year. It is not a huge tract, about 4,000 to 6,000 acres. But big enough where they can really have an affect on their deer. These deer are migratory and this is thier summer ground. They have added water, and have some ridges set aside as "sanctuaries" where we don't go in after a deer unless we have an arrow in one, so as to give them the security they need to not want to leave the ranch. That and a nice size alfalfa field planted 6 to 7 years ago really hold the deer. We hunt the travel corridors from three ridges to the field, and set up ground blinds and tree stands, we have also taken quite a few deer spot and stalk. It is almost impossible to hunt the field but their is some amazing trails that come off the hills that you are sure to see a good number of deer, especially in the evenings. With it being hot and dry the weeks prior and that being true the week we were there the water sources were seeing AMAZING activity. My son set several times with me in a couple of ground blinds. Even though we were covered in deer, we didn't let an arrow fly while together. The fourth night. This buck we affectionately named Ralph made an appearance. He was angling away and I let one fly from my tree stand from 35 yards. It hit right behind the shoulder and I beleive stuck in brisket. He jumped into the water and struggled after only 50 yards. Blood was pumping out and I thought I saw him tip over. I got the whole thing on camera as I had set up a little sony CD and a gorilla pod on one of the branches. AMAZING footage. After waiting 15 minutes and calming myslef down i decided to check out the trail. It looked like a gorey movie, blood everyhwere!! When he stopped it would actually pool up and run down the trail. I peeked over a little hill expecting to find him piled up instead his head was up and he was laying down about 80 yards from the water. I decided to back out as I was sure must of had at least one lung hit from all the blood and would be right there in the morning. I didn't want to risk poking him again and giving him a shot of adrenaline and seeing where that would take him. I COULDN'T sleep. My son was so excited to go early in the moring and recover my deer. We went to where he was laying down and he wasn't there. After a couple hundred yards of trailing him I was getting pretty worried. Jeremy, was back on blood about 60 to 75 yards behind Gavin, my son and I. I was sneaking along trying to pick up blood when I peeked around a hill and there was Ralph 1/2 way up the hill laying down, with his head up, in a patch of Manzinita. Gavin pointed at him and I motioned for him to be quiet. I had an arrow already knocked and I pulled back. I guessed him at 40 and let one fly. It went right into the bush he was lying in and he jumped to his feet. I quickly knocked another arrow, my 5 year old Gavin, who seemed as calm as a cucumber pointed again at the deer and then gave me a thumbs up. I was FRANTIC!!! I had shot low so I put my 50 yard pin on the now standing buck, I let it go and it hit perfect he let out a loud grunt and kicked, he ran 30 yards jumped into a big bush and rolled over dead with his legs in the air. My son looked at me and said Dad why did that buck say BAAH so loud? Jeremy yelled over what is all the racket, I was shaking like a leaf and said I just shot Ralph again!! He ran up and we were all yelling and freaking out. I am so thankful I got one more shot, and I think Ralph was a pretty determined deer to make it through the night, I felt bad I hadn't dispatched him earlier, but glad early the next morning he gave me one more look a couple hundred yards from the water. He is an amazing buck that is ANCIENT two teeth broked off in the front and down to the gums along his back jaw. Gavin has been there twice to see big bucks shot... he is definitely my lucky charm. I am going to take him with me on my upcoming 3a 3c elk hunt that I FINALLY was drawn for, with him along I wouldn't be surprised if I didn't kill a 400 inch bull. That was the way it played out no sugar coating. Thanks again for all the nice comments!!
