Made it home from a unforgettable weekend with my to boys. Friday night we left after my son Cameron' and my football game at the same time my daugheter Sofia was in the ER getting her arm checked out(buckle fracture). We drove all night getting to a spot to depart for the next days hunt I set my alarm which told me it would go off in an 1:42 minutes. I rousted the sleeping beasts and promptly made them get dressed and helped me unload the quad and made the 7 mile drive up the mtn. As we were approaching the summit we started seeing deer. We came through a aspen thicket and 2 deer ran out in front of us. Not Knowing If They Were bucks or does we got off the quad and walked the edge of of the trees looking for them. Once back at the quad we spotted several deer on the mtn across from us. I set up the spotting scope but told the boys if there was a buck in that group it was a small one as I could not make out any antlers.
I asked the boys what should we do? Go try and get a closer look at the big group of deer or continue to the the knob and work up hill into the mahogany trees. Cameron said go up hill dad like we had planned.
We pulled up to the end of the road and before I could get off the quad Cameron said dad there's 2 does right below us. I hurried to get my rifle out of the case and loaded when he said there is a bunch down the hill in the trees. I looked through my scope and all I saw was antlers, there was three bucks 2 small 4x4s and a really wide what I thought was a 4x3 which was much bigger than the other two. I sat down to take the shot. I took a deep breath and click. In order to not make to much noise I did not rack a bullet into the chamber hard enough and forgot to hit my forward assist the seat the bolt on my AR. (Rookie mistake) I chambered another round and did the same darn thing. Now I am panicking the biggest buck I have ever had the opportunity to shoot was still looking at me. When I cycled the next round into the chamber The deer ran out of the trees and across a opening I took a 600 yd shot and missed right under him. Thinking he was for sure getting away now I shot again with the same result clean miss low. Afterwards I realised that I was shooting as if on legal ground. The 3 bucks ran up hill still not know what was going on and stopped the big one in the back and the 2 smaller ones in front of him.
I sat thinking I blew it and with my boys watching me. I looked to my left and there was a Ridge that we could seek behind and pop out at what I estimated as 350 yds from the deer if they stayed there. We made quick work of the distance and when I popped up the big buck was feeding. I knew they didn't know we were there. I layed down and what seemed like forever to get my breathing controlled I took the shot dropping him in his tracks. My boys helped my dress the deer and pack it out the did Awesome!!!
I asked the boys what should we do? Go try and get a closer look at the big group of deer or continue to the the knob and work up hill into the mahogany trees. Cameron said go up hill dad like we had planned.
We pulled up to the end of the road and before I could get off the quad Cameron said dad there's 2 does right below us. I hurried to get my rifle out of the case and loaded when he said there is a bunch down the hill in the trees. I looked through my scope and all I saw was antlers, there was three bucks 2 small 4x4s and a really wide what I thought was a 4x3 which was much bigger than the other two. I sat down to take the shot. I took a deep breath and click. In order to not make to much noise I did not rack a bullet into the chamber hard enough and forgot to hit my forward assist the seat the bolt on my AR. (Rookie mistake) I chambered another round and did the same darn thing. Now I am panicking the biggest buck I have ever had the opportunity to shoot was still looking at me. When I cycled the next round into the chamber The deer ran out of the trees and across a opening I took a 600 yd shot and missed right under him. Thinking he was for sure getting away now I shot again with the same result clean miss low. Afterwards I realised that I was shooting as if on legal ground. The 3 bucks ran up hill still not know what was going on and stopped the big one in the back and the 2 smaller ones in front of him.
I sat thinking I blew it and with my boys watching me. I looked to my left and there was a Ridge that we could seek behind and pop out at what I estimated as 350 yds from the deer if they stayed there. We made quick work of the distance and when I popped up the big buck was feeding. I knew they didn't know we were there. I layed down and what seemed like forever to get my breathing controlled I took the shot dropping him in his tracks. My boys helped my dress the deer and pack it out the did Awesome!!!
