Wide Wyoming Buck 2020

JakeSwensen

Active Member
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I found this buck while scouting back in early August with my son, my dad and my brother in law. I took this photo at around 1200 yards through my Swarovski spotting scope with a Sony camera attached to a homemade adapter.

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On opening morning I was up well before light. I couldn't sleep past about 4:30, thinking of all the scenarios of where he might be in the morning. I set up where I thought I had the best chance to catch him at first light. I knew two other hunters had camped on the ridge above the buck the previous evening but I hoped he would still show up. Well wouldn't you know it when daylight finally came I didn't see a single deer. Around 10am two shots rang out at the other side of the basin. There was no doubt the hunter had hit his mark. The tell tale thump of a close range rifle shot hitting it's mark. I leaned back against a big pine... Well he's dead I thought, being that I was hunting an area with a low population of deer I thought, I'll go congratulate the lucky hunter and help him get the buck cut up and packed out, then I'll get out of here and go hunt one of my back up spots that holds more bucks. I hiked around the basin until I was just above the other hunters and I pulled out my binoculars and glassed down to them, to my relief it wasn't the buck I had been hunting! I made my way down introduced myself and offered to help. You couldn't have slapped the smile off of my face! After we got the buck cut up I offered to help them pack him out but they insisted I get back to hunting. The hunt was back on!
 
A few does and two point bucks were spotted over 5 days spent hunting daylight to dusk but no sign of the big buck. On day 10 of the hunt (I had hunted 6 of the days) my dad suggested I get a different angle further away from where I had originally spotted the buck. I had nothing to lose so I laced up the boots and climbed up the mountain to the east the next morning. It started raining before daylight but I was headed home that night so I sloshed up the trail and found a big pine to sit under. The rain finally let up around 11am and I started glassing up deer mostly does but I found a little buck and I thought this is a good opportunity to get some practice. I emptied the bullets from my gun and settled in to dry fire on the little buck. My cross hairs moved just slightly so I cycled the bolt and settled in to dry fire again. I couldn't believe my eyes, a big buck was in my cross hairs standing next to the two point! I set up my spotting scope and it was easy to see that I had finally relocated my big buck. Thanks Dad!
I had a lot of ground to cover but I quickly noted some good land marks and planned a stalk. I had a big pine tree picked out that I thought would put me within 300 yards of the buck and I really slowed my approach as I neared the big pine. Well I sat down and started glassing the near by aspen trees and within a few minutes I heard the sound of a deer bounding away and it sounded close. I ran a few feet to my left and I saw the two point buck running up the hill and the big buck right on his tail. I shoulderd my rifle and all I could see was his butt and big wide rack running straight away from me about 75 yards away. Well from his body language I didn't think he was going to be giving me a second chance so I took the shot I had (Texas Heart Shot). He was dead on his feet but I put another shot in him as he turned broadside to go downhill.
He's my widest buck to date 33" with good mass and color. I sure feel fortunate to have the opportunity to hunt these animals. Already looking forward to next year.

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very nice....it's not often that tip to tip, inside spread, and widest point is the same number...
 
Wow such an awesome buck! Congratulations. Good work sticking it out for the long haul and making it happen.
 
What an exciting time that was! I can imagine the rush. Congratulations to you. Well earned. 33 inch wide bucks are super rare!!!
 
What a friggin giant!!! Congrats dude! That’s one you can proud of for the rest of your life.
 
A few does and two point bucks were spotted over 5 days spent hunting daylight to dusk but no sign of the big buck. On day 10 of the hunt (I had hunted 6 of the days) my dad suggested I get a different angle further away from where I had originally spotted the buck. I had nothing to lose so I laced up the boots and climbed up the mountain to the east the next morning. It started raining before daylight but I was headed home that night so I sloshed up the trail and found a big pine to sit under. The rain finally let up around 11am and I started glassing up deer mostly does but I found a little buck and I thought this is a good opportunity to get some practice. I emptied the bullets from my gun and settled in to dry fire on the little buck. My cross hairs moved just slightly so I cycled the bolt and settled in to dry fire again. I couldn't believe my eyes, a big buck was in my cross hairs standing next to the two point! I set up my spotting scope and it was easy to see that I had finally relocated my big buck. Thanks Dad!
I had a lot of ground to cover but I quickly noted some good land marks and planned a stalk. I had a big pine tree picked out that I thought would put me within 300 yards of the buck and I really slowed my approach as I neared the big pine. Well I sat down and started glassing the near by aspen trees and within a few minutes I heard the sound of a deer bounding away and it sounded close. I ran a few feet to my left and I saw the two point buck running up the hill and the big buck right on his tail. I shoulderd my rifle and all I could see was his butt and big wide rack running straight away from me about 75 yards away. Well from his body language I didn't think he was going to be giving me a second chance so I took the shot I had (Texas Heart Shot). He was dead on his feet but I put another shot in him as he turned broadside to go downhill.
He's my widest buck to date 33" with good mass and color. I sure feel fortunate to have the opportunity to hunt these animals. Already looking forward to next year.

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Coolest buck I've seen on here in a long time!
 
You weren't helping those guys with their deer, you were getting them off the mountain as quick as you could! :D

Congrats on a stud! Isn't it nice when you spot one and watch him through the summer and are able to take him! Congrats again!
 

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