caelkhnter
Very Active Member
- Messages
- 1,526
What a crazy hunt! On the second day of the hunt we located 2 shooter bucks. The Big One we estimated to be in the 115 range and the other one was in the 100-105 range. Did not seem like much rutting going on since they were hanging together. Unfortunately we spotted them from about a mile away, and between the rough country terrain and vegetation we were not able to keep track of them and put them to bed. We spent the better part of the day trying to relocate them with no luck.
Day 3 we located them moving about 8:00. Once again they were too far off and we lost them before they made it to their beds. They were gone by 10:15. We climbed a steep Butte to try to get a better vantage point within what we thought would be shooting distance, but never relocated them.
Day 4 we were back to our original ridge and located them at about 8:00 a.m. My buddy headed to the Butte as I kept watch of them and was close to getting a shot off, but sure enough they moved on and were lost by about 10:15.
Day 5 we were on the Butte before first light. Did not see either buck all day long.
Day 6 we were on the Butte before first light and never saw them.
Day 7 were were on teh Butte before first light. After not seeing them by 10:15, we moved up to a higher ridge to look over another canyon we thought they may have gone to. Again never saw them.
Day 8 on the Butte at first light. Nothing! We moved to another ridge and never saw them that day.
Day 9, we went back to the original ridge we had spotted them from. Our concern about this location was that they were never within shooting range of that ridge and we never had enough time to reposition ourselves to within range before we lost them. Anyway we were on that ridge before first light. My buddy had the bigger of the 2 spotted by 7:30, at 384 yards!
He got set up to shoot it with his 300 Weatherby. He had been bringing his 270 WSM, but had decided because of the distance we might have to shoot he would bring the rifle with a longer distance ability. Anyway he took the first shot and it looked like he might have got it, but a few moments later he appeared a few yards form the cedar where he had taken the first shot. I saw his second shot, and it was a good foot and a half to the right miss. Third shot same result. 4th shot same. He was out of amo and we decided his scope was off so we he would give a try with my brand new Browning A-Bolt 270 WSM. Believe it or not, that buck was not moving. Apparently he had found a hot doe, and she did not run off so he stuck around feeding after being shot at 4 times!
Anyway my buddy got set up to take a broadside shot but all I heard was a "click". Well to our extreme disappointment he had 4 misfires in a row. The firing pin was not hitting the primer with enough force to fire the bullet!!! WOW were we frustrated! By the time we had retrieve his 270 the buck had moved on out of site and we were not able to relocate it that day. I had to drive home the next morning, and my buddy did go out the last day of the hunt but did not see either buck.
So there you have it. We were excited to find 2 real shooters early on in our hunt. It took a serious effort to stay after them day after day. To have it all come together thru our persistence, on the 9th day, was rewarding, but what a frustrating ending!
Day 3 we located them moving about 8:00. Once again they were too far off and we lost them before they made it to their beds. They were gone by 10:15. We climbed a steep Butte to try to get a better vantage point within what we thought would be shooting distance, but never relocated them.
Day 4 we were back to our original ridge and located them at about 8:00 a.m. My buddy headed to the Butte as I kept watch of them and was close to getting a shot off, but sure enough they moved on and were lost by about 10:15.
Day 5 we were on the Butte before first light. Did not see either buck all day long.
Day 6 we were on the Butte before first light and never saw them.
Day 7 were were on teh Butte before first light. After not seeing them by 10:15, we moved up to a higher ridge to look over another canyon we thought they may have gone to. Again never saw them.
Day 8 on the Butte at first light. Nothing! We moved to another ridge and never saw them that day.
Day 9, we went back to the original ridge we had spotted them from. Our concern about this location was that they were never within shooting range of that ridge and we never had enough time to reposition ourselves to within range before we lost them. Anyway we were on that ridge before first light. My buddy had the bigger of the 2 spotted by 7:30, at 384 yards!
He got set up to shoot it with his 300 Weatherby. He had been bringing his 270 WSM, but had decided because of the distance we might have to shoot he would bring the rifle with a longer distance ability. Anyway he took the first shot and it looked like he might have got it, but a few moments later he appeared a few yards form the cedar where he had taken the first shot. I saw his second shot, and it was a good foot and a half to the right miss. Third shot same result. 4th shot same. He was out of amo and we decided his scope was off so we he would give a try with my brand new Browning A-Bolt 270 WSM. Believe it or not, that buck was not moving. Apparently he had found a hot doe, and she did not run off so he stuck around feeding after being shot at 4 times!
Anyway my buddy got set up to take a broadside shot but all I heard was a "click". Well to our extreme disappointment he had 4 misfires in a row. The firing pin was not hitting the primer with enough force to fire the bullet!!! WOW were we frustrated! By the time we had retrieve his 270 the buck had moved on out of site and we were not able to relocate it that day. I had to drive home the next morning, and my buddy did go out the last day of the hunt but did not see either buck.
So there you have it. We were excited to find 2 real shooters early on in our hunt. It took a serious effort to stay after them day after day. To have it all come together thru our persistence, on the 9th day, was rewarding, but what a frustrating ending!
