My Colorado deer hunt pics

one_dryboot

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Just got back from our Colorado 3rd season hunt. We went out a few days early to look around trying to find a few good bucks for opening mourning. Well, that was a waist of time because it was snowing and blowing all day long causing the deer to hold up out of the bad weather. We saw very few deer in the three days before the hunt. But we did manage to seal the deal on a few yotes
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Opening mourning brought sunshine and warm temps. It seemed like when the storm broke and the sun came out so did the deer. Around noon, as I was taking a nap in the warm sun my uncle spotted a good buck he wanted to take. Six shots and a few hours later we could not find any sign of a hit. As we were driving out we spotted a decent buck just off the road. we looked at him quickly and decided to keep on going. When we got back to our room I realized I forgot my Gps up on the rock I was glassing from. We made a plan to run up early and get it, then head to a different spot. After I found my Gps we were heading back. We spotted the buck from the night before laying in the open on the skyline. We looked him over and realized he was better then we thought. I told my uncle it was bigger then anything he has shot. After thinking it over he decided to try for this buck. A few shots later we were walking up to his biggest buck to date.

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After we got his deer taken care of we headed out with hopes of finding a good buck for me. Monday turned up alot of smaller bucks but nothing that got my crank turning.
Tuesday we decided to meet up with my good friends Shane, Tj, and there father Steve. We wanted to try a different area a little higher then we were hunting. We drove the roads looking over new country. on the top we found this old cabin. If this old place could tell storys, I wonder what it would say??
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Later that afternoon we went back to an area we have hunted in the past. As we were sitting on a cliff overlooking a big canyon, Tj spotted a Monster 3 point. We figured this buck was 30 inches wide and would score over 170 as a straight 3. We made a plan to go after him and kill him. As we were working our way to him, I jokingly asked Tj "what if we see a shooter buck on our way over to the big 3"? We smiled and carried on knowing we would shoot it. Well, to our total suprise and about half way to the monster 3, Out jumped a shooter buck from a little ravine 50 yards ahead of us. We instantly got into position and tried to give this buck a dirt nap. Around a dozen shots later and some buck feaver, this buck was still on his feet and making tracks. We knew we hit this buck but we didnt know how well he was hit. We watched him go over the hill. I turned to Tj telling him I was out of shells. He looked at me saying Im low also. He gave me one bullet and off I went looking for this deer. I found him bedded on a open hill under a cedar not 200 yards from where we last saw him. I closed the gap to about 300 yards. As I got ready to shoot I decided to try and get closer. I did not want to miss because I had one bullet left. As I crept closer the buck spotted me and busted out of his bed. I made it to where he was laying wanting to see if I could find blood and what kind of blood. As I got there I looked up to see the buck looking down at me. Just as I got ready for the shot, he layed down behind a rock. The only thing I could see was his ears and his antlers above the rock. I told Tj I found him and come to where I was. We were set up 300 yards from him waiting for him to get back up, but he couldn't. It was getting dark and we were starting to worry. We thought about backing out and coming back in the mourning. My uncle, Steve and shane were across the canyon and had a clear view of the deer. We told them to set up for a shot and try to take him out in his bed. At the shot he bolted from his bed allowing for a shot. I missed low then Tj shot. Moments later he bedded down again and at this point we decided to back out for the night and come back in the mourning. This was the first time in my life I have had to leave an animal not knowing if he was dead or alive. Many thoughts went through my mind wondering how well he was hit, if he would be there in the mourning. ect... It was the longest night of my life. I worried myself to the point I felt sick.
The next mourning we were perched back on the cliff glassing where we last saw the buck bedded when we backed out. He was not there. I instantly felt sick knowing he got back up at some point during the night. A few minutes into glassing shane spotted a great buck bedded in the open. I was hopeing it was the wounded buck but as I looked him over it was not. Tj and his dad went after him and shot him just after he got out of his bed.
I worked my way over to them, dropped off there packs then started over to where I last saw my buck bedded. As I got over to the ridge, I slowly started working the thick rocky cover glassing and looking for sign. My uncle was still on the cliff guiding me to where he was last bedded so I could try and pick up a blood trail. As I neared the area coming in from above, out jumped the buck from his rocky bed. I was in such shock that he was still alive and in the same area I missed my first shot by a mile. I instantly felt like I just lost my best chance to find and kill him. I ran down through the pinions trying to find an opening. As I was running he came into view and instantly stopped and looked at me. As I came to a stop he snorted and started running. only having a split second I put up my gun and shot. Not knowing if I had hit him tryed to find him again. Then I see him sneaking away giving me one last shot. As the recoil hit me I saw him fall over.
At last it was over. All the feelings of doubt and worries running in my head were over. As I walked up to him I sat down next to this beautiful animal and just enjoyed the moment. It felt as if a burden was lifted from my shoulders. I felt very blessed not only to kill a great buck, but also to find a wounded animal that easily could have never been found. As I sat waiting for my help to arrive I cracked open a Mtn. Dew to celebrate thought about how everything that could have gone wrong didnt. everything went our way and usually that does not happen.
This is my biggest buck to date. I finally feel like I have accomplished my goal of killing a great buck. We passed many smaller bucks along the way and just enjoyed being out in the hills enjoying the country. Spending time with friends and creating memories is what it is all about. I cant wait for next year trying to top this one.
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Nice ODB! Looks like a great trip. I love stumbling on to places like that old cabin. Makes you wonder who built it and what famous figures shacked up there. Nice story and pics! Thanks for sharing.

It's always an adventure!!!
www.awholelottabull.com
 
LAST EDITED ON Nov-09-09 AT 01:32AM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Nov-09-09 AT 01:30?AM (MST)

Congrats, thats an awesome buck and you are the type of hunter that deserves a buck like that! (we met on a 08 muzz deep creek elk hunt).

Tell your uncle great buck also!
 
Boot that is a hell of a buck. Congrats to both of you. Love the pictures and the story. Send me the GPS coordinates. LOL.
 
Really Nice buck, congrats!

____________________________________________________________________
Success is failure that tried one more time
 
a couple of great lookin bucks. i really like how the main beams curl around on your buck.

thanks for sharing the pics and your story.

well done.

mshred
 
LAST EDITED ON Nov-09-09 AT 12:51PM (MST)[p]I guess i am going to have to be the first to say what everyone is thinking 18 shots for one DEER ??????????? SOUNDS LIKE YOU ALL NEED TO LEARN TO SHOOT!!!!!!!!!
Nice looking buck


Just Living The Dream
 
sounds like you might have scared him to death. how many shots? blam blam blam.... ran out of amo, had to come back the next day, blam blam, got em. I'm laughing my a$$ off. My 1st year out of state I shot 21 times without a hit at one deer. great story, nice bucks. thanks
 
Awesome bucks.

I hope you learned your lesson, "Pack More Bullets".:)




Jake H. MM Member since 1999.
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thanks guys for the good and bad comments. In a perfect world he would have been dead the first shot. But thats not how it went and I felt it was better to try and put him down. I dont know exactly how many shots were fired but I know I shot at least 8. All the extra shots were trying to put him down for good. we thought he was hit somewhere in the front shoulder. he kept going so I kept shooting. Maybe next year I can take some shooting lessons on how to shoot directly into the sun after a buck has been hit and is getting away.

If you have never been in this situation, just wait, It will happen no matter how good a shot you think you are.
 
I've always thought that the perfect hunt would be shooting a great buck on the last day with my last bullet. Great memories of a good time. Hunters that say they haven't missed, either haven't shot or are liars.
 
What? You didn't kill him on the first shot? Thats weird? Thats always how it happens for me, I never miss sun, running, doesn't phase me....NOT. Good work buddy! You got it done, and thats what matters. Props to your persistance too, heck of a buck and it sounds like you have earned him! Congrats!! How did those other boys do? I haven't heard form them yet?
 
brushbuck,

Thanks buddy, them other boys are still trying to get out of the dog house for being gone so long. You will hear how there hunt went just as soon as they can come out and play again. :)
 
Finally someone mentions the Mt. dew. :)

Manny, I was shooting a .300 win mag 190 gr. bullet. I can tell you even if I was using a 750 gr. 50 cal. A bad shot is a bad shot no matter what your using.
Like I said a few weeks ago in a different post, I bet most animals that are wounded and not found are probably shot at less then 300 yards on a rush shot. Well maybe I cursed myself because it started at less than that.

I posted the "Whole" story because im not affraid to admit a bad shot. I could have very easily said it was a one shot kill. I chose to tell it like it was.
 
Sweet Bucks!
Kudos for telling it the way it happened!
Congrats!
------------------------------------------------------
"Yeah, I'll shoot him"
 
>Finally someone mentions the Mt. dew.
>:)
>
>Manny, I was shooting a .300
>win mag 190 gr. bullet.
> I can tell
>you even if I was
>using a 750 gr. 50
>cal. A bad shot
>is a bad shot no
>matter what your using.
> Like I said
>a few weeks ago in
>a different post, I bet
>most animals that are wounded
>and not found are probably
>shot at less then 300
>yards on a rush shot.
> Well maybe I
>cursed myself because it started
>at less than that.
>
> I posted
>the "Whole" story because im
>not affraid to admit
>a bad shot. I
>could have very easily said
>it was a one shot
>kill. I chose to tell
>it like it was.


hey man not complaining, you stuck with n got the job done, i just thought maybe you were using something like a 270....
 
Nice bucks. Briant, I hope you are putting that one on the wall. That is a beautiful trophy.
 
Yes Stu pidazzo, Aka Caption Scabby

I had my wife photoshop the Mtn. Dew. It was sitting on a rock and I had her move it so it looked like it was sitting on the buck. Now please dont give away my secrets.

P.S. How do you like being a new daddy? I hear it is a boy and you bought all girl stuff? I hope you can take it all back and trade it.
 
Great looking deer! If you don't mind sharing, where was the first shot on the deer?? What kind of blood were you seeing and do you think he would have lived on if you had not got the last bullet in him. I'm glad it played out to your hand in the end and that you're man enough to tell the "whole" story. Good job!
 
That really is a nice series of photos. Your buck is huge and certainly one to be proud of.

I'm pretty sure I know where that cabin is; gonna have to check my hunting pics of years ago. Looks like you aren't too far from our camp.


Compromise, hell! ... If freedom is right and tyranny is wrong, why should those who believe in freedom treat it as if it were a roll of bologna to be bartered a slice at a time?
 
Shhhhhh, Feddoc

It will be our little secret. :)


Next year Im going to sleep in that old thing. It will save me 60 bucks a night at the motel. Times are tough, gotta save money where we can.
 
Hmm, ok, I'll keep my mouth shut....


There is another cabin and milk barn about 1/2 mile north of that cabin. It is on private property, but, it's never been posted. Lots of little nooks where a guy could set up a tent or even pull a small trailer in there. Wolves and lions in that area too. We had a wolf walk right through our camp 3-4 years ago.


Compromise, hell! ... If freedom is right and tyranny is wrong, why should those who believe in freedom treat it as if it were a roll of bologna to be bartered a slice at a time?
 
Lol,

I believe you on the wolves. We saw a few Huge "COYOTES" that were on steroids. They were chasing deer and running all over. After my uncle shot his buck we went back to our camp to get the packs to pack it out. when we came back, one of the "Coyotes" was having a little snack on his deer as we came around the corner. Lucky for the dog there was no bullet in the chamber when my uncle pulled the trigger.
It is nice country up around the cabin, but alot of elk hunters. all our deer were shot in the unit to the north.
 

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