LAST EDITED ON Nov-09-17 AT 03:29PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Nov-09-17 AT 02:47?PM (MST)
It was a long season but I finally managed to put my draw tag on my target buck on Nov. 8, 2017. Unfortunately he broke off his ~10" club droptine sometime during the past week. I was a bit hesitant to pull the trigger due to the loss of character, but having a couple years of history with him helped make the decision.
I watched him most of August and he was very consistent in his routine. I had a couple of opportunities to get close on the archery opener on Sep. 1st, but couldn't quite make it work. I was back on Sep. 3rd and due to harvest operations I watched him and his buddies move about a mile away into a pasture consisting of a deep valley. I figured they would just bed down in this area but still feed in the same area as previous.
Day after day I checked every possible hiding spot I could find but he disappeared from the area. It wasn't until Oct. 27th and down to the last few days of muzzleloader season that I caught a glimpse of him (still sporting his droptine) 5 miles from his summer area.
I was a bit worried about getting permission in this valley that he was in but fortunately the landowner gave me permission on a 0.5mile x 1.5mile strip of land that included the bucks new haunt. The rest of the ranch was closed off due to cattle.
Rifle season opened on Nov. 1st and I spent the first few days trying to get another glimpse of him. I did manage to find a couple of larger bucks but had fully committed to waiting my target out.
On Nov. 8th, I caught of quick glimpse of him heading down into the valley and knew right away that he had broken off the drop tine. I still wanted a closer look though and was able to find him getting ready to bed down at 500 yards.
With a decision to shoot not yet made up, I started closing the distance using a hill as cover but hurrying a bit. When I thought I was close, I peaked over the side of the valley and saw him bedded at 125 yards. A couple does spotted me and trotted away which got him out of his bed. He walked to the top of a little ridge and looked back at me broadside and the decision was made at that moment to pull the trigger and drop him on the spot.
Although I wish he still had his droptine that defined his character to me, I am very happy with harvesting a mature buck that I have hunted hard for 2 years. Some quick measurements put him at 206" gross, 196" net non-typical.
Watching them change up their routine on Sep. 3rd:
Early August:
2016 on the left, 2017 on the right:
It was a long season but I finally managed to put my draw tag on my target buck on Nov. 8, 2017. Unfortunately he broke off his ~10" club droptine sometime during the past week. I was a bit hesitant to pull the trigger due to the loss of character, but having a couple years of history with him helped make the decision.
I watched him most of August and he was very consistent in his routine. I had a couple of opportunities to get close on the archery opener on Sep. 1st, but couldn't quite make it work. I was back on Sep. 3rd and due to harvest operations I watched him and his buddies move about a mile away into a pasture consisting of a deep valley. I figured they would just bed down in this area but still feed in the same area as previous.
Day after day I checked every possible hiding spot I could find but he disappeared from the area. It wasn't until Oct. 27th and down to the last few days of muzzleloader season that I caught a glimpse of him (still sporting his droptine) 5 miles from his summer area.
I was a bit worried about getting permission in this valley that he was in but fortunately the landowner gave me permission on a 0.5mile x 1.5mile strip of land that included the bucks new haunt. The rest of the ranch was closed off due to cattle.
Rifle season opened on Nov. 1st and I spent the first few days trying to get another glimpse of him. I did manage to find a couple of larger bucks but had fully committed to waiting my target out.
On Nov. 8th, I caught of quick glimpse of him heading down into the valley and knew right away that he had broken off the drop tine. I still wanted a closer look though and was able to find him getting ready to bed down at 500 yards.
With a decision to shoot not yet made up, I started closing the distance using a hill as cover but hurrying a bit. When I thought I was close, I peaked over the side of the valley and saw him bedded at 125 yards. A couple does spotted me and trotted away which got him out of his bed. He walked to the top of a little ridge and looked back at me broadside and the decision was made at that moment to pull the trigger and drop him on the spot.
Although I wish he still had his droptine that defined his character to me, I am very happy with harvesting a mature buck that I have hunted hard for 2 years. Some quick measurements put him at 206" gross, 196" net non-typical.
Watching them change up their routine on Sep. 3rd:
Early August:
2016 on the left, 2017 on the right:
