G
gaetz
Guest
LAST EDITED ON Nov-23-11 AT 11:36AM (MST)[p]So my wife had an interesting 2011 hunt. After having a rough opening day and going through a box of shells, we re-sighted in her gun and she was golden. She finally connected on a small 2pt and she was happy with her 2nd deer ever. After we got the deer cleaned, hung up, and skinned, we immediately noticed that this deer was not healthy. It had virtually no fat and it's bones had almost worn holes through the inside of it's skin and fur. As we peeled the skin down further and further, we noticed a big tumor looking mass on it's hind leg. In fact, the more we looked, the more we could tell that this buck wasn't healthy. His whole body was emaciated and frail. It was clear that we weren't going to be eating this deer. The next day at the checking station, the DWR issued her another tag and took the deer off for study.
On the second weekend of the hunt, we spotted a nice 3x3 buck and my wife and daughter each shot 1 round but missed. As we watched the buck walk down the mountain, we started making our plans for a stalk. Just as we were getting ready to go after him, a family sitting in their truck jumped out and shot the deer. I was sad that they had shot the deer out from under us, but that's hunting I guess.
While glassing on the last day of the hunt, we saw a big buck about 2 miles away trying to get out of the morning sun. He ran up over the ridge and into the safety of the cedars and the steep canyons. We hoofed it over to that side and spent a few hours glassing the canyon looking for the bedded buck but didn't find anything. As we were about to pack it in for the year, my wife spotted a nice buck standing head-on at 250 yards away, just looking at us. She tried chambering a round but was having trouble and my daughter was having her own problems getting ready. When they finally got ready, my wife took my advice to lay down and steady her gun on a perfect rock. As I watched through the binos, my daughter said "who is gonna shoot?" and I said, "I don't know, but someone better do it soon," just then I heard my wife shoot and I watched the deer's body stiffen up, turn 180 degrees and walk behind the cedars. With excitement, I said, "you drilled him, you drilled him...."what a great shot, you dumped him." My wifed wanted to run up there and see it but I wanted to give him time and not have to chase a wounded deer all over the mountain. As we sat there arguing over the matter, my daughter spotted the dead buck's head poking out from the cedars. When we got up the deer it was clear he had taken about 3 steps, face-planted into the hillside, and slid about 50 feet down the steep canyon. She made a great shot hitting the deer through the front of the chest, opening the heart, and out the side of it's shoulder.
Anyways, it was a fun hunt and I'm sad my daughter didn't get a deer this year, but that's how it goes. She had a few chances on some smaller deer but wanted to equal her last year's harvest. Now she's learned the other side of hunting; that by passing up smaller deer, she may have to eat tag soup. I'm proud of her and her choices to try to take a more mature deer and to learn that it's not all about the harvest.
It was a good story, and kind of funny that my wife was able to kill 2 OTC bucks in the same state, in the same week. How many people do you know that have done that?
Here's a few picts of the hunt. Notice the differences in their heads and necks.
The first buck...
Us inspecting the deer, it's maladies, and the ticks
The Second buck....
This picture was taken by my daughter through her 3x9 scope
Next year should be interesting to see what tags we'll all draw. My son will be able to hunt next year, and I'm not sure if I'll go muzzy or not. All-in-all it was a great Utah hunt where we were. Lot's and lot's of bucks. I think that early storm kicked them around and helped out.
TRH
On the second weekend of the hunt, we spotted a nice 3x3 buck and my wife and daughter each shot 1 round but missed. As we watched the buck walk down the mountain, we started making our plans for a stalk. Just as we were getting ready to go after him, a family sitting in their truck jumped out and shot the deer. I was sad that they had shot the deer out from under us, but that's hunting I guess.
While glassing on the last day of the hunt, we saw a big buck about 2 miles away trying to get out of the morning sun. He ran up over the ridge and into the safety of the cedars and the steep canyons. We hoofed it over to that side and spent a few hours glassing the canyon looking for the bedded buck but didn't find anything. As we were about to pack it in for the year, my wife spotted a nice buck standing head-on at 250 yards away, just looking at us. She tried chambering a round but was having trouble and my daughter was having her own problems getting ready. When they finally got ready, my wife took my advice to lay down and steady her gun on a perfect rock. As I watched through the binos, my daughter said "who is gonna shoot?" and I said, "I don't know, but someone better do it soon," just then I heard my wife shoot and I watched the deer's body stiffen up, turn 180 degrees and walk behind the cedars. With excitement, I said, "you drilled him, you drilled him...."what a great shot, you dumped him." My wifed wanted to run up there and see it but I wanted to give him time and not have to chase a wounded deer all over the mountain. As we sat there arguing over the matter, my daughter spotted the dead buck's head poking out from the cedars. When we got up the deer it was clear he had taken about 3 steps, face-planted into the hillside, and slid about 50 feet down the steep canyon. She made a great shot hitting the deer through the front of the chest, opening the heart, and out the side of it's shoulder.
Anyways, it was a fun hunt and I'm sad my daughter didn't get a deer this year, but that's how it goes. She had a few chances on some smaller deer but wanted to equal her last year's harvest. Now she's learned the other side of hunting; that by passing up smaller deer, she may have to eat tag soup. I'm proud of her and her choices to try to take a more mature deer and to learn that it's not all about the harvest.
It was a good story, and kind of funny that my wife was able to kill 2 OTC bucks in the same state, in the same week. How many people do you know that have done that?
Here's a few picts of the hunt. Notice the differences in their heads and necks.
The first buck...
Us inspecting the deer, it's maladies, and the ticks
The Second buck....
This picture was taken by my daughter through her 3x9 scope
Next year should be interesting to see what tags we'll all draw. My son will be able to hunt next year, and I'm not sure if I'll go muzzy or not. All-in-all it was a great Utah hunt where we were. Lot's and lot's of bucks. I think that early storm kicked them around and helped out.
TRH
I think thats great that if a hunter kills a sickly deer, they get another tag. In Cali, she would be done hunting and the Game and Fish would say tough doo-doo....shouldn't have shot the deer then. Good for Utah! 
