Wife's First Buck

Kayak_to_hunt · Nov 13, 2013

Last winter I wandered in the house to see the wife watching a documentary on the process of meat - well the next thing I know she was signing up for the local hunters safety class... I told her I would baby sit any time that she needed for class and once she passed we would find a gun that would work for her, start putting in for the draws, and see what the next season would bring. She said she wanted to help get some meat for the winter.

While I was a bit apprehensive at the start the process has been very rewarding for us both. When I get some more time I will post a better story but here are the pics of her first ever buck or any big game animal.

DesertGhillie · Nov 13, 2013

Nice buck, and great looking terrain!! My wife doesn't even want to see the meat come out of the package!

mntman · Nov 13, 2013

awesome, but why did you have to spoil her right off the bat like that ;-)
Was this off private land you have access to over there or public?

Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"

Let me guess, you drive a 1 ton with oak trees for smoke stacks, 12" lift kit and 40" tires to pull a single place lawn mower trailer?

Kayak_to_hunt · Nov 13, 2013

Man we did have permission to hunt some of that very good private and I know you have seen the quality of buck that is a very real possibility. On that note that big 2 never showed back up kinda wonder what happened to that old dog

.

Anyway when we were scouting the week before the season and seeing some very solid bucks - where she could hunt but she decided against it and wanted to do a "real" hunt on public land... At first I was honestly just a bit disappointed as there are some solid deer this year. Not to mention the fact that she was giving up a real chance for a shot at a true monster we had seen 2 days before the opener - but respected it as this was her hunt.

So we were packed in about 2-3 miles when she got this one. All in all it was super rewarding and we both are happy that she choose to get out and work for her buck. It is a cool story that I will post up here soon.

rmanwill · Nov 13, 2013

Congrats to her. Nice buck and well done. Keep her hunting.

tailchasers · Nov 13, 2013

You've just got yourself some great competition!!! That's awesome!

"Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway."

TheKnack · Nov 13, 2013

That is awesome. Congratulations to you both.

cmbbulldog · Nov 13, 2013

Great first buck, or any buck for that manner.

mntman · Nov 13, 2013

>Man we did have permission to
>hunt some of that very
>good private and I know
>you have seen the quality
>of buck that is a
>very real possibility. On
>that note that big 2
>never showed back up kinda
>wonder what happened to that
>old dog

.
>
>Anyway when we were scouting the
>week before the season and
>seeing some very solid bucks
>- where she could hunt
>but she decided against it
>and wanted to do a
>"real" hunt on public land...
> At first I was
>honestly just a bit disappointed
>as there are some solid
>deer this year. Not
>to mention the fact that
>she was giving up a
>real chance for a shot
>at a true monster we
>had seen 2 days before
>the opener - but respected
>it as this was her
>hunt.
>
>So we were packed in about
>2-3 miles when she got
>this one. All in
>all it was super rewarding
>and we both are happy
>that she choose to get
>out and work for her
>buck. It is a
>cool story that I will
>post up here soon.

That is awesome! VERY FEW people would give up that opportunity and let them be to hunt on public land! Still a great buck she has there!

Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"

Let me guess, you drive a 1 ton with oak trees for smoke stacks, 12" lift kit and 40" tires to pull a single place lawn mower trailer?

Kayak_to_hunt · Nov 13, 2013

Thanks everyone for the kind words and yea it is cool that it worked out for her. She is already making plans for next years hunts.

Once she passed her hunters ed class we put in for tags and started looking for a gun that she liked. After a few sessions at the range shooting various calibers she really liked a freinds .257 weatherby mag with a break. After looking around we were able to locate a used one that was still a tack driver so she had her gun. We are shooting a load with 120 gr bullets. Well she drew her bull elk tag as well as this buck tag so we worked at shooting off a pack or tri pod out to 500 yds on metal targets.

Well the elk season came and went and although we were into the elk we just could not get a shot at a legal bull. Great hunt but she was a bit disappointed that she did not get a chance for a shot. She still had the deer tag for 3rd season so we made a plan for her to get a shot at a buck.

As I mentioned a friend offered up a chance to hunt some prime mule deer area that would have probably offered a amazing chance at a great buck but the decision was made to hunt some of the surrounding public land. So we started to scout.

In the week before the season we were able to turn up a few good bucks as I could scout in am and we would both go out in the pm. The first choice buck became obvious as we were able to locate a big palmated 4x that we saw a few days before the opener. I wish I had a pic of this buck as he is a real heavy pry solid 28" wide 180 class straight typical buck w great eye guards.

Since she could not hunt on the opener or Sat due to her work I went out ans was able to locate the buck and was happy to see no other hunter around or even a truck at the trail head - so we were set for our Sunday hunt. Sunday just after first light we were able to locate the buck and ranged him at 349 yards as he was feeding in some pinon trees across a canyon with no idea we were there. First we set up to shoot prone on a pack but that did not work out so we set up on my tri pod for spotting scope and he was still just feeding. Finally she got him in the scope but lost him when she took off the safety the gun moved, the process started over, and he moved. He came out in a opening again and she could not locate him in the scope for a bit then when she did he was feeding in a tree and she could not see his head. She asked if it was a doe, I said no and to shoot, but she did not feel comfortable and hesitated. Then he walked over the hill. Heart breaker of a hunt but a lesson well learned for her.

The next couple of hunts turned up a bunch of doe's and small bucks but no shooters. We did see a couple of bucks fighting and every day more bucks were showing up. It was our hope to see the big palmated 4 again soon as we were hunting the same area. On the 3rd day of the hunt we came across 3 different small 3x and 4x bucks. I told her that it was her choice if she wanted to shoot but with a few days left to hunt she passed on the opportunity. While glassing about a half a hour later I turned up this buck and another that was larger on a ridge a mile or more off so we were off. When we arrived the bigger buck had moved down into the bottom of the valley and this one was feeding and that way. After looking at for a bit she said this was the buck so we set up for the 230 yd shot. After a bit of work she found him in the scope and settled for the shot. As the buck stopped broadside all the work of the summer was realized as the .257 barked. I watched the buck dip down and take off running I knew she missed him! The shaking foot was a sure sign of buck fever.. I said If you can and if he stops take another shot he will be at about 300 yards. Well he took a look back and the 2nd shot hit its mark and dropped the buck in his tracks.

While it was not the biggest buck we were around and while it would have been interesting to see what we could have turned up on the private land it was a buck well earned and the 2 mile pack out was well worth it.