LAST EDITED ON Nov-12-15 AT 07:24PM (MST)[p]Thanks to all those who helped with suggestions. This included tips, maps, directions, and even a scouting partner for the day (Thx Fin little!). I also made a new friend from ID who was hunting solo and camped nearby. We spent 60% of the time hunting together and glassed numerous animals for each other.
With unseasonably wet weather and some lingering hot days, the bigger bucks seemed to be hiding. It seemed the talk of the hunt was 'where are the bucks, especially decent 4 points'?
Well, I hunted/scouted from bald knoll down to the north fence. I saw plenty of does and small bucks (a lot of 2x2 to 3x3s), also there were a ton of velvet bucks running around. Overall I saw about 40 racked bucks and about 250 does. Of those 40 bucks, approximately 10 were in velvet.
I missed a 170ish 4x4 on afternoon one. I saw him and 2 of his buddies crossing private heading to a notch of public land which touched the road. I figured they would be on public within an hour. I headed to camp, dried out from the persistent drizzle and hightailed it back to that piece of ground. I was too late, as I stepped on the buck in a tiny patch of oak brush. He bounded up and over a ridge which I ran up behind him. By the time I picked him up, he was almost cresting the next ridge. I mistakenly ranged the wrong bush. I threw the pack down, flopped on the ground and promptly shot over his back. I should have held dead on that 1st shot. Oh well.
7th night of the 9 day hunt found me and Dustin (ID hunter) on a prominent hill overlooking a vast flat. Having put on about 60 miles on the quad that day, found us at this spot with only 1/2 hour of daylight left. We glassed for about 3 minutes and then found a bomber 4x4 that I now think was a 190" buck. He was 450 yards and closing. I had all the time in the world and a perfect rest. I missed...again...I was able to get another shot off but I was way out of sync.
Day 8, early AM found us back on the same promontory waiting for daylight. We were there early enough that I was able to flash my ATV lights at an approaching truck to let them know hunters were on the spot already. They politely turned around and found another area. As soon as it was light enough to see I was glassing up multiple deer hoping to see the big guy from the night before. Within 5 min, I happened to glass close by, right at the base of the knob and low and behold I saw a golden surprise. He was a heavy, tall, and wide velvet 3x3 at 250 yards. It took about 8-10 seconds for me to decide to try and take him. I got a good rest, put the misses out of my mind, and made a perfect shot dropping the buck in his tracks.
After a 30 min search in the tall sage I was able to find him. Relief!
I have zero regrets shooting a mature cactus buck on the next to last day. With a couple of kickers on his bases (which added 3 or 4 inches) he taped out at 180" of antler (By the great guys at Roundy's taxidermy who assisted in the full caping and preserving of the velvet). Dustin and I got him loaded on my quad for the 8 or 9 mile ride out. It was a great trip for me. Thx again for all the help.
