Camper_A1
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I spent 5 days scouting before the muzzleloader deer hunt and never saw a true monster buck. Never the less I had high hopes as I headed out for my hunt. On Tuesday night I found a good buck and was able to film him but wasn't sure if I would shoot him if I saw him the next day. Opening morning we saw 30 bucks and just enjoyed the morning with no monsters to temp me. That night I found and passed on the deer from Tuesday night and passed him again twice on Thursday. I had him at 50 yards twice and just couldn't pull the trigger. Looking back I didn't want to end my hunt so soon after all I had the whole hunt off and was seeing plenty of bucks. Also I talked to a hunter that had killed a great buck opening morning that was 31 wide and extra heavy, this probably added in my thought process of letting a good buck walk. Saturday rolled around and it seemed like more people rolled into the area I was hunting but I did pass another deer I probably should have shot. He was about 23" wide and 26" tall with good forks all around. After that the deer were getting more scare and more spooky as the week went on. All my friends and familiy had left by Sunday afternoon and I was on my own. After Tuesday mornings hunt I decided to go back to where I had seen the buck Tuesday night and decided if I saw any of 3 different bucks that I had passed on earlier in the hunt I would try to take one of them. Well just before dark I spotted the buck from Tuesday with a heavy 3 point I had passed a couple of times earlier. As I made my stock the deer were in the tall sage and kept moving around with 5 or 6 does mixed in as light faded I tried to keep track of their positions. I was ready but needed one last look to verify which deer was which and got busted by some does whick took off and took the big 4 x 5 with them. The heavy 3 was still standing there but was getting nervous, just as he turned he gave one me one last chance which I took, one well placed shot in the neck and he dropped. As I walk up to him I knew exactly what I had shot and the chances I had passed on. The hindsight is scouting enough to know what quality of deer is in the unit and if the chance to shoot a quality deer early do it. You can still camp and enjoy a good camp fire for a few more days even if you have killed something. I had a great hunt with no regrets. The first couple of pictures are of the deer I passed 3 different times all at 75 yards or less early, He's a 4 x 5 and had an inline between his left G2 and G3. I figured him around 27" wide, what do you guys think. The rest of the pictures are of my deer. He is 24" wide and 20" tall with good mass. Thanks to all who helped me with my hunt and shared advise. Shout out to TSTEWY for the info it helped.
Here is the Buck I passed, any guesses on a score? I guessed around 175.
Here is my Muzzy Buck
Here is the Buck I passed, any guesses on a score? I guessed around 175.
Here is my Muzzy Buck
