"...got to be the genes?"
Yeah, that's what we figured. My Pards buck had a nice bunch with him. There were several considerably bigger racked than the one he took but none of them was anything special 22-23" 3x4's and 4x4's. He has taken his share of true monster bucks. Being nothing big showed, that last hunt was for the BBQ.
Interesting that my buck, had a dwarf buck hanging with him. He was a spike to me at first glass but i threw down my daybag and hunkered into shooting position just the same as if he were a monster and that eventually gave me the slight window of opportunity i did have and made the most of when it was there.
Anyway, the "spike that i thought alone but was with my buck laid down on the trail root ball hump, uphill side of a large conifer tree. Not knowing any other bucks were with him at the time, i was playing around figuring out just where between his rack i'd need to hold to hit him in the nose at the ranged 360 yards if i'd wanted to. Then he turned his head and i couldn't believe it but he was a clean well proportioned 4x4!! Here, head on i thought him a spike or maybe a small fork. His rack was maybe 12-13" wide and maybe the same tall but he was a 4x4 sure enough. Again, genetics i'd guess.
Watching that little guy was when my buck stepped out from behind that big conifer tree trunk. Within a second or two, he was dirt napping. We figured him for a 3 1/2 year old buck that really could have used another couple years but at 28" and decent, was just too nice to pass.
Joey
"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"
