Returning for an old friend.... Pics

IdahoBugler

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LAST EDITED ON Nov-02-06 AT 08:03AM (MST)[p]Well some of you have probably had the chance to see the video of the one that got away. I beat myself up for 7 days thinking of what went wrong and of what could of actually happened. A buddy and I had planned on hunting a different area when I had one of those visions.. I made a decision to make the 5 hour drive and try one last time to find the dropper buck. I was hoping I could catch him out and about or worse case rotting somewhere. We arrived on Sunday afternoon and glassed all day long with no luck. The deer were not moving well and we never saw anything worth a dang. It was starting to set in I wasn't going to find this deer.

After a crazy night of gusting 40 mph winds and a tent laying on top of us instead of above us we woke up for the day. It was freezing cold and the wind chill was down right low. We decided to hike into the area I had last seen the buck and hopefully get lucky. To make a long story short the wind and cold had held up the deer in the thick cover and by 12:00 we had only spotted 8 does. Those were the ones that we snuck up on in the thick pines. We hunted two ridges before and after the ridge where the buck was last seen with not much sign of anything.

What happened next can only be described as absolute crazyness, pure luck or some help from above but as I was stepping into this timber pocket I met an old friend. I was just walking under this limb when I looked up and saw my buck at 10 yards. We made eye contact and he was up and hauling arse. Within a fraction of a second he would be gone. I raised my rifle with scope covers closed and fired a quick shot at about 15 yards. I hit him along his left side and he slowed just barely. I tried one more fleeting shot at 20 yards and missed as he went over the hill. I ran through the trees and found him standing at 30 yards, one more quick shot to the neck and my ordeal was over. My buddy was in awe as to what just happened and all he could say was that is a big buck. I turned to him and told him that he had broken his dropper off. I could tell as he was running away that it was gone. I walked up to the buck and confirmed that it had been broken off earlier in the week.

Seven days earlier, What I thought was a low hit on the buck was actually a high hit. I hit him about an 1" above the spine. So what I think happened is from the shock to the spine the buck dropped and broke off his dropper that day. We went back and looked for 2 hours and we couldn't come up with dropper. Here is the picture of the wound a week after he was initially shot.
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He had already healed up pretty good. His back was crusted over and did have a slight smell to it. When I started caping him the wound looked nasty and I wasn't sure if he would of made it. But later on a local meat cutter looked at the meat and said he was healing fast and would of recovered with no poblem.

I can't say enough how glad I am that I found this buck. No more thoughts of a wasted buck or wounded and dying a slow death. I'm just glad I didn't give up and gave it that last chance It paid off in a big way. I do have good video of this buck and he will have his dropper repaired.

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Here is a stick that kind of looked like the dropper. The stick is about 4" longer then what the dropper really was.
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The brake.
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Buddy Von and I that helped with the pack out.
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Light load. With about 2 miles and two ridges to hike over I decided to cut the legs off for you guys. 3 quarters, back straps, cape and horns. Not to mention all the crap I have to carry when hunting. Let's just say I was ready for a break when I got back.
P1070379fixed.jpg


Thanks for listening to my story.

IB
 
Very nice IB. The last ditch effort paid off. Very nice buck. Congrats.

PS: I think your buck is QUITE a bit nicer than mine. NOT THE SAME BUCK! Ha!
 
Way to go IDB! Congrats on making it happen and for being persistant. That is an awesome buck!

Corey
 
LAST EDITED ON Nov-02-06 AT 08:19AM (MST)[p]Great story IB! Good job on going back and finishing the job. I guess this is one answer to the previous "Wound or kill" thread. You kept your tag and kept going back until you found him - ALIVE. Great job finishing him off. Persistence and patience win the day.

UTROY
Proverbs 21:19 (why I hunt!)
 
Congrats to you on your sticktoitiveness. I wish all hunters had that kind of determination in finding a wounded animal. Great looking buck, he's going to make a beautiful mount. Post the pics when you get him back from the taxi. Scott
 
IB,
Great story!! Congrats on your patience & perseverance!!
That's a good buck and sweet memories.







"Good mass & long brow tines"
 
Thank you!!! for being a great example to all of us of what a dedicated hunter should be like. It shows a great deal of character to go back and "try" to find that buck let alone recover him. You were justly rewarded....
 
IB,

Awesome buck! Congrats. Im glad you were able to go back and find him again. He is definitely one that I would have had trouble sleeping thinking about.

Whats this nonsense about needing help packing that thing out. I figured you'd just pick it up with one hand and carry that thing out! :)

COngrats again!

TUFF
 
Nice buck, I can't believe that you were going to pass on him the first trip until you saw the dropper. That forked cheater would have made me start looking for a rest quick. Way to go.
 
I was just giving you a hard time about cutting off the legs of the last one.......but I'm glad to see that you learned that lesson!! :) Great buck!
 
IB,
That is an unbelievable story. AWESOME!!! That buck is definately a keeper. Congrats on being able to put it all together and finish the saga. Right On!!!!
 
No friggin way, that is one awesome story. A big kudos to you for not giving up, congratulations on a well deserved trophy buck!
 
"We went back and looked for 2 hours and we couldn't come up with dropper."

After that amazing story, you better go look one more time!:)

Steve
 
Thanks for all the kind words guys. I do feel pretty dang lucky to be holding his rack right now.

Tuff - I need as much help as I can get. :)

Oakbrush - The first time I saw him I couldn't see his kickers either. I finally saw all he had when we was 1 mile away.

Again thanks for the kudo's guys.

IB
 
Great Story. Awesome that you decided to go back and attempt to find him again. Congrats on a nice buck.

BowHuntr
 

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