lone_hunter
Active Member
- Messages
- 131
I have not checked in for a few days since the rifle season opened. I am surprised to see so few posts. Every one must be afraid of getting blasted for not shooting a 190" buck.
Anyway here is mine. By no means a monster muley, but it was a good hunt. I could go-off on the typical Utah public land stories of 5 guys sitting on the tailgate, atv?s, and the kids that were afraid to approach the deer after they shot it, but right now I am too mellow from a few days of being in my favorite spot in the world, sitting on a rock as the sun sets and having my soul renewed.
For those who like a story: Actually the opening morning was really slow. A lot more hunters than deer. The highlight of the morning was a nice 6x bull elk. I kept at it, taking a break on a rock to eat a salted nut roll and rest my shoulders from the day pack in a small grove of trees. After a few minutes a couple of does came through, obviously pushed by someone. I decided to stay put for awhile. A few more came from the same direction, and I spotted a group of several does in the clearing below. I was glassing a small group with a small buck on the other side of this clearing when I heard leaves russle below me. Here came a string of deer right at me. At first I could see 4-5 does. Then a few more with this buck at the end. How I was sitting, I was turned the opposite direction. It was so dry and noisy I knew I could not turn without being noticed. I held still as the group came to within about 25 yards. The doe in the lead was even with me on the hill and the buck was behind some trees. I spun around, stood and raised my 300 win mag. They reacted as I hoped, by scattering to the movement, but stopping to see why that rock moved. The buck took a couple of jumps down the hill. I could not see him, so I took a couple of sidesteps. He was about 60 yards below me, checking out the direction that he was heading, away from me. I could see him from the front shoulder forward, but a fairly sharp angle. I quickly raised my rifle, put the crosshairs on his shoulder and shot. Through the scope I saw him buckle and drop. The bullet entered high in the forward shoulder and through the lower neck.
It was easy to find the buck, but then my head must of went up my a$$ as it took me about ten minutes to find my pack again! The hunter that pushed the deer come by after a few. I felt bad for him. He had made a long trek from where he started to that area. He had seen this buck enter the trees where I was and then heard the shot. However, I have been on that side many times by the way I like to hunt. I am quite sure that I pushed a 3X4 to some kids about an hour before.
Personal note: This hunt had some special sentimental attachment. It was exactly 10 years ago, on the 16th that my brother, best friend, mentor and hunting buddy was in an incident and was put in the hospital to never come out. Even though he officially died 4 weeks later, that was the day he really died. There was no place on earth I would have rather been on that day. We spent a lot of time together in this hunting area. The last time I saw him was the end of an archery elk hunt, just a few weeks before he died. Almost to the exact spot where this buck dropped, I shot a small buck many years ago. My brother had dropped below the same grove of trees to see if he could push something up to me. He did, and I dropped that buck much the same. Do not take for granted time spent with those that mean the most to you. It may be the last, and life will never be as sweet.
Anyway here is mine. By no means a monster muley, but it was a good hunt. I could go-off on the typical Utah public land stories of 5 guys sitting on the tailgate, atv?s, and the kids that were afraid to approach the deer after they shot it, but right now I am too mellow from a few days of being in my favorite spot in the world, sitting on a rock as the sun sets and having my soul renewed.
For those who like a story: Actually the opening morning was really slow. A lot more hunters than deer. The highlight of the morning was a nice 6x bull elk. I kept at it, taking a break on a rock to eat a salted nut roll and rest my shoulders from the day pack in a small grove of trees. After a few minutes a couple of does came through, obviously pushed by someone. I decided to stay put for awhile. A few more came from the same direction, and I spotted a group of several does in the clearing below. I was glassing a small group with a small buck on the other side of this clearing when I heard leaves russle below me. Here came a string of deer right at me. At first I could see 4-5 does. Then a few more with this buck at the end. How I was sitting, I was turned the opposite direction. It was so dry and noisy I knew I could not turn without being noticed. I held still as the group came to within about 25 yards. The doe in the lead was even with me on the hill and the buck was behind some trees. I spun around, stood and raised my 300 win mag. They reacted as I hoped, by scattering to the movement, but stopping to see why that rock moved. The buck took a couple of jumps down the hill. I could not see him, so I took a couple of sidesteps. He was about 60 yards below me, checking out the direction that he was heading, away from me. I could see him from the front shoulder forward, but a fairly sharp angle. I quickly raised my rifle, put the crosshairs on his shoulder and shot. Through the scope I saw him buckle and drop. The bullet entered high in the forward shoulder and through the lower neck.
It was easy to find the buck, but then my head must of went up my a$$ as it took me about ten minutes to find my pack again! The hunter that pushed the deer come by after a few. I felt bad for him. He had made a long trek from where he started to that area. He had seen this buck enter the trees where I was and then heard the shot. However, I have been on that side many times by the way I like to hunt. I am quite sure that I pushed a 3X4 to some kids about an hour before.
Personal note: This hunt had some special sentimental attachment. It was exactly 10 years ago, on the 16th that my brother, best friend, mentor and hunting buddy was in an incident and was put in the hospital to never come out. Even though he officially died 4 weeks later, that was the day he really died. There was no place on earth I would have rather been on that day. We spent a lot of time together in this hunting area. The last time I saw him was the end of an archery elk hunt, just a few weeks before he died. Almost to the exact spot where this buck dropped, I shot a small buck many years ago. My brother had dropped below the same grove of trees to see if he could push something up to me. He did, and I dropped that buck much the same. Do not take for granted time spent with those that mean the most to you. It may be the last, and life will never be as sweet.
