Don't get me wrong guys, it was a privilege to be able to hunt and take this buck and I am definitely not complaining. But let me tell you about the one I was after and maybe you will have a better understanding of my original post.
The area is a draw area and most of you know how getting those tags are, I was lucky to draw the tag in 05 and really beat the odds when I drew it again this year. I found a buck the first year that was around 195 and just a beautiful typical. After spending every moment I could chasing him through the September archery hunt and then the rifle hunt, I began to refer to him as the Ghost. I lost a lot of sleep thinking of that deer. On the last day I could hunt in the 05 rifle season I was able to take a very respectable 28 inch buck.
Fast forward to 07, I have the tag again. The biologist for the area (who I went to High School with) told me he had seen a giant buck in the exact area. After archery hunting him most of September, I saw him for the first time on day 12. I was able to get about ten minutes of shakey footage and was amazed at how huge this deer had gotten. Not only antler inches but body size, he resembled a horse. After studying the video footage I estimated this deer to gross around 220 and net around 205, he had grown matching in-lines from his G-3's and a hook cheater on his left. I came extremely close to getting him with a bow but come the end of September he was still alive and well.
There is a two week timeframe between the end of archery and the start of the rifle hunt. I hunted his escape route on the first two days of the rifle hunt. I was worried about the amount of people that would be after him with a gun because he is no secret, many of the locals knew about this deer. Just like 05, the predawn pressure of opening morning pushed him through the saddle before it was light enough to shoot. My hunting partner spotted him along with four other bucks as they topped out against the skyline and disappeared, that was the last time I know of anyone seeing him. Now you know why I call him the Ghost.
Anyway, I have not been able to find where the Ghost goes once he is pushed from his core area. I was able to find the buck pictured above and make a good stalk and shot on him. He is a great buck and very respectable, I wouldn't have shot him if he wasn't.
WyoXtec
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