I hope I dont bust a few people's bubble, but here is the story.....I have had a very dear friend (he is actually like a big brother to me)of mine with me on several hunting ventures in southern colorado and up in wyoming. He has never even gotten to fire a shot and was convinced that he was a jinx(sp) to us us on hunting trips after blowing a tranny in cheyenne and a few other situations, and not being with us last year when I scored on a 241". Even though I scored on a Wyoming buck of 2001 that scored 192" and change and him being with us ...
I had my opportunity this year, but let it slip thru my fingers when a couple of guys from out of state(wont mention the state, but) that saw me catch a buck thru bino's and pull out the spotter and get details, then started combing the mountain side thereself's....this buck would have gone 195+ typical with a very symmetrical rack and pushing 30, surely making the books. I have learned to watch the bucks till they bed down for the day, then go after them. Well, make a long story short, these guys tried to beat me to the punch and didn't know where on the mountain he was but went up blind trying to find him....shortly after my dad pulls up and I show him the buck and discuss options, I head after him right after bedding down, not knowing the other guys were going to go up the mountain....the ?&*#*$(& guys.... Knowing I am going after him, get in there and jump the buck out...worse yet, they take a shot and miss by a mile and send the buck whirling around the mountain...I followed the buck for 4-5 hours, never getting close enough for a shot, but close enough to see white rump staying just enough ahead, crossing over other tracks and staying in the dark timber.....oh well, next year I will not make the same mistake.....guess I could have fill my tag a few other times, but convince I would go home empty handed before shooting a buck that just needed a few more years....
back to the story at hand, the very next day(last day of the season I might add) I spot a buck same situation, and Jim is ready to go after him....so we made a plan and sent Jim up the mountain right behind me, and purched him on a knoll above the buck. I continue up and around on the opposite side on the buck knowing that if I didn't get a chance for a shot, I would surely make him move in the direction I wanted him to go, then up...I get within 80 or so yards and he bust out, not having a shot, he goes the direction I wanted and seconds later Jim fires...I think, well it is over....not yet, I hear another shot and starting running up the mountain as fast as I can thru the snow hoping he didn't miss and if he did, I could head the buck off and take a shot thru a clearing---hoping.....never happened, both shots connected within 2" right behind the shoulder.......some may not believe me when I say... I am more EXCITED & HAPPY that he got the buck,then for me to get him, knowing Jim never really knew just what kind of buck he just killed! and I did....and maybe realizing there never was a jinz involved, and if there was, he just broke it......Not bad Jim for your First Colorado Monster Muley!....CONGRADULATIONS my friend, and glad I could help out in finally covering that bare wall that you have had in your house in colorado( I really got tired of looking at it..HA HA HA) for as long as I have known you wanting to put something there!!!!
just for kicks, I throw this in....later that evening actually about 15 minutes or so before the last of the last...Dad connects on a decent 5 pt.(small in our books) bull for meat to take back to OKla.......
as for me it was a HUGE success in Colorado this year.....seeing and helping a GREAT friend fullfill a dream come true!!!!..... Dwayne