Blown stalk on a Big Buck

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Foxskinner

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LAST EDITED ON Aug-24-12 AT 10:31AM (MST)[p]This big buck was bedded in an open meadow at the bottom of a valley next to road. I couldn't believe people weren't seeing him. I watched as 2 guys blew what could have been an easy shot opportunity. Granted it wasn't me on the stalk but the situation did look pretty good for an opportunity.

The buck was originally bedded facing to the right so the two guys were coming in from behind him. They had good pine tree cover up to about 40 yards or so from the buck. Well the buck stood up, stretched, and then laid back down but was now facing to the left. Maybe the hunters didn't know that. The dad (I presume or older hunter) stood at the left opening of the pines incase the buck ran through to the left. The kid (younger one) made the final approach to the buck. Well the buck saw the kid in the pines about 40 yards away and bolted to the right into the thick pines. There wasn't even an arrow released from what I could tell. By their body language I could tell they were pretty bummed about the situation. We later watched the buck go up and over the top rim of the canyon right at nightfall.

I took several pictures and video through my Vortex Razor Spotting Scope from the truck. This was the first time using my Scope)Cam Adapter and it turned out pretty good. I need to play with my light settings a little cause the video was very light. Youtube edited my lighting in the video which is why it is darker. You can still see the buck pretty good though. Counting eye guards he is a 5x6. Any guesses on width or score. His g3's flare out a little which makes him slightly wider. I would dare to say this buck is a solid 28 inches wide. The video gives you a chance to see him face you with his ears out for width comparison.

Oh and he is a general unit buck too!

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www.biggamedrawodds.com
 
We tried our best to stalk in on him. When we got close to the last place we had seen him (prior to starting down after him), my son decided (after some discussion) to go left, so I went right. We had seen his companion - a spike - to the right as we approached, so we had an idea that he was still there somewhere, but we had no idea he had bedded or where. As I went to the right around the pines, I saw a deer bedded - but I could only see the back half of him through the pines. I stepped to the right and could see his left antler so I knew it was him. I ranged him at 44 yards, ate a mosquito, drew my bow and started side stepping right. As I cleared the pine tree, he slowly turned his head to look at me. He didn't get up - I don't know what I expected - but he just looked at me, and I rushed the shot. When the arrow hit the dirt in front of him, he jumped and was gone. I am pretty sure my son won't forgive me for some time to come. What a deer - what an opportunity!
 
That's a great deer just about anywhere. Sorry Godfather....there is no way to soften the blow. It's gonna sting for a while.

But hey, that's why we do this. Archery hunting big mule deer is such a roller coaster ride of highs and lows..........

"That's a special feeling, Lloyd"
 
You know me - it will be later - probably much later, but I'll keep shooting 'em though!
 
Hey Gadfather, there is nothing wrong with that video; that is just how it is when digiscoping a moving target. Those big shakes can be edited out and no one would know the difference. A good fluid tripod head helps a lot, but they can be $300 for just the head. That looks way better than my early days of digiscoping. Nice buck by the way. You are doing good to find a buck that big, and even better to get within archery range.
 

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