When the chips are down...

ChubbyTuna

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LAST EDITED ON Nov-18-17 AT 12:03PM (MST)[p] After missing out on the entire 2016 hunting season, dad and I decided never again and cashed in our 5 points on a couple Colorado 3rd season unit 62 deer tags. Not a great deer unit but we knew it a little bit and loved the country. After killing a great high country bull in unit 76 (cashed in 15 NR points) I was geeked up and ready for the deer season. We arrived in the unit after 20+ hours on the road and set out to find a camp site. Sitting in the vehicle that long you tend to stiffen up a bit. I should have realized that because in my excitement to be in deer camp I hopped out of the truck, bound up a small hill and ?POP?!! , pulled calf muscle. After screaming like a little girl the realization that any walking for me would be out of the question. Anger, depression, some curse words, more curse words, a lot of curse words then a slow determination, like hardening cement, ?F*** this, I'm still killing the biggest buck around?!

Flash forward to opening morning and there I sat at the top of the mountain glassing over some of the most beautiful deer country around?from behind the steering wheel. Yup, I was road hunting opening day of deer season. Sitting in a warm truck with out of state plates even I thought of myself as ?That guy?. And so it went for 2 and a half days. Drop off dad, drive around, pick up dad. The fact that the wind had been howling nonstop for 4 straight days and no one had seen a buck was a little comforting. I mean dad had been busting his butt and I still felt fresh.

I finally decided to give it a go on Monday morning and after doing the pegleg pirate walk for a couple hours, I was exhausted. Depression, anger, curse, curse, curse but still that determination that I'm not beat yet. I figured that the constant wind had been keeping the deer movement down so I pulled out the map and started to search. I found a lower area around the backside of the mountain and decided to give it a shot. I arrived for the evening hunt and the area looked very promising. Rolling hills with aspen patches, a little bit of scrub and most importantly, NO WIND!! I had a good feeling about this.

Dad had joined me to check out the new country and now we were a pair of out of state road hunters. Oh brother. We drove to the end of the road, about 3 miles and started our way back toward a couple spots dad wanted to check out. I was resigned to the ?pick you up later? routine when it happened. Just like it always happens, unexpected, not ready for it, out of nowhere, ?DEER!!!? At first it was just a white spot 350 yards across the gully but as soon as I got the binos out ?SHOOTER!!!? Dad is yelling ?WHERE, WHERE? as I fall out of the truck, grab my rifle and pack and limp to the nearest flat spot. I laid the rifle on my pack and instantly found him in the scope. I quick range told me 353 and new 8? high was my hold. The deer started to bound away but just before the top of the hill he did what a lot of bucks will do. He stopped for the last look back. ?If your gonna take him, you better shoot n?? and before dad could finish , BOOM!! ?and the buck vanished.

He had been standing on an open hillside with tall sage so we figured he had dropped. I cranked another one in the chamber and then realized I had been on 4x the whole time. I cranked up the scope and tried scanning the area. No luck as I couldn't see thru the sage. We decided that dad would stay at the truck and guide me in on where we last saw him. Using my shooting sticks as a crutch it took me over 30 minutes to cover the 353 yards to where he lay. He had dropped in his tracks as evidence of the spray was on the sage behind him. He didn't score much but I had finally accomplished my goal of a 30? buck. 32? to be exact.

We packed up and headed and headed toward home the next morning. Dad never did see a buck but I wasn?t to sorry for him. You see, he had an Arizona Strip tag in his pocket and would be starting his hunt in a few days. (yes he killed a big one).

This is my best DIY buck in over 30 years of hunting. I want to dedicate this deer to my uncle Tom, the best road hunter I ever knew :)


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You did good with a bad deal, Got to play the hand out and hope something good happens and BOY did it ever. Good looking buck.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
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First of all, congratulations! Way to stick it out when the chips are stacked against you great buck.

Second, I know how you feel first hand on the whole road hunter. I lost my leg in a hunting accident 4 years ago and I've had to come to grips that "I'm that guy" road hunter/four wheeler guy. It sucks! Having said that I'd much rather be out there doing the best I can than sitting at home on the couch feeling sorry for myself. I enjoy the hunt, I enjoy being the drop off pick up guy, I enjoy spotting stuff and saying we'll go getm guys. I certainly miss the hiking and getting off the beaten path nevertheless we play the hand we're dealt. And you played your hand the best you could!
 
Congrats, on a cool buck! So are you going to take up being an out of state road hunter permanently now? I hate to mess with a system that's working (just saying)!
 

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