S
SuperTrooper
Guest
Day one of my hunt I decided to hike into an area where I had seen a good buck during the archery and muzzy season. Where I had been seeing the buck didn't look too bad to get to. I knew it was steep but I underestimated just how thick my climb was. There were no trails in the area and I figured I would be the only one dumb enough to hike it. I was right. As I started my hike through the oak brush I began to wonder if it was worth it. It kicked my butt.I don't mind steep, but steep and thick are not a good combo. Every time I go in this area I promise myself I won't get in the thick oak brush but I always find myself in it. Day one was kind of a learning experience on hiking that mountain. I stuck with it though. I was unable to get high enough to where I had been seeing the buck before it got too late. With the warm temps I figured the bucks would hit the beds fast and wait until dark to come back out. I set up for the day and waited until dark seeing only does. Day two I went to another area, but I could still see where I had gone the day before. Right at light and over 1 mile away I glassed over where I was day one and sure as heck that dang buck was out and feeding right where I was the night before. The sun hit his back and his antlers started to glow. It was a dang good buck. Too far to even think score but I could easily tell he was a dandy. I couldn't do that hike back to back days or I would have been right back up there. With one day of rest from hell hike I decided to go back up. I got up the hill faster this time but by the time I could make it to where he was it was after 8 AM and he was gone if he was out. Only does showed up. I found a perch and sat on it until dark giving myself a 350 yard shot if he came back out. Sat til dark and saw 3 20 inch bucks come out to feed but not my buck. So I hiked out. A lot of you are thinking so why don't you start earlier so I can get to where the buck was before light. Well, the area I'm hunting you cannot access until 5:30 AM. It just doesn't give me enough time to hike that mountain. Some of you may know right where I'm taking about. For the next several days I hunted hard. I glassed so much my eyes wouldn't focus through the binoculars as some points. I hiked numerous miles a day and passed nearly 20 bucks through the first seven days. Day 8 came and I found myself on a familiar ridge where I had missed a solid 170 plus buck on the muzzy. We wont go into details about that. Right at light my brother and I spotted a decent buck feeding on a ridge below us. We over looked him for 40 minutes and I finally decided to pull the trigger. I laid down the bi-pod and set the butt of my gun on my pack giving it a dead rest. We ranged it at 420 yards. Using my turret I adjusted to the yards and let him have it with my 300 Remington Ultra Mag(Sendero). He dropped in his tracks. The shot was perfect. It was a fun, tough hunt this year with the warm temps. Thanks to my brother and dad for the help getting him off the mountain.
This is where the ghost buck was hanging out.The other bucks I saw were bedding behind those large white cliffs. I'm guessing that's where he was.
This is where the ghost buck was hanging out.The other bucks I saw were bedding behind those large white cliffs. I'm guessing that's where he was.
