Apatkelley

Thanks everyone. We did score him at 95 and change gross. The pictures do make him look bigger than he really is, but I'm super happy with him and would shoot again if I had the chance. Condor, I'm using a Nikon TF3 ED 60mm spotter with a 20-45 eyepiece. I don't have an adaptor, do I just hold up my Kodak digital camera, center it up and take several shots. Sometimes they work out ok and sometimes they don't. I do love my spotter though. It's small enough to pack, has an excellent focusing system and it's super clear.

Well I decided to shoot. I'm really happy with him. He's not quite what we thought he would be when we first glassed him up, but he's a really cool buck to me. It's a long story, so I won't bore you with all the details but here's a few. He was right at 1200 yards when my friend Kyle spotted him. He was across a deep canyon on the edge of some really thick stuff. We didn't get a real good look at him before he bedded down. While he was bedded, we would could see his horns every now and then but still couldn't tell how big he was. While we were watching him, some javalina we had seen further down on the same bank were feeding right to him. They ended walking right up to him and he busted out of his bed and ran up the bank about 50 yards or so. That's when I got the pictures of him in my spotting scope. I have to admit, I thought he was bigger than he was. He looked high, wide and had great eye guards. We couldn't quite see how good his thirds were, or how much his main beams came around, but he looked good. Soon, the pigs walked right into him again and this time he tried to stomp one of them into the ground with his front hoves. They scattered like rats, and he ran closer to the skyline and was about to top over. Then he turned right, walked down the bank a bit, and disappeared in more thick cover. After talking it over, we thought we better give it a try. We made our move and ended up about 640 yards from where we last saw him. We had to go one canyon past him to get a good view of the bank he was on. We looked for about an hour but couldn't find him. We moved up and closer to get a different look. We looked for about three more hours with no sign of him. It was tough looking at that bank for hours, with the sun beating down on us. Then I look again and see the back leggs of a deer in some brush. I watch it for a bit thinking it was one of the six does we had been seeing over and over. He walked out and I see his antlers. I tell Kyle as I grab my rifle and get set up. Kyle got a better look and said, "he's right at 95 inches" I decided to take him, and one shot later he was down. The shot ended up being 424 yards. I couldn't be happier with him. He's not quite as big as my last buck, but I just couldn't pass him up.

Congratulations!! I would love to get a buck like that someday. One of the best looking deer I've seen posted. He's got it all.

Good job Ryan!! That was one heck of a shot on a great buck, way to get it done.

It looks like you had a good time and were able to take advantage of your last year as a Jr. Excellent work!

Way to get it done hunter, great shooting and nice buck.

That's a great looking buck. Congrats.

Great buck!! That's some cool looking country. Sounds like you guys had a great hunt, congratulations.

That's a great buck, it was fun to watch the lion too. Cool post.

That's a sweet looking buck.

Very cool, nice bucks you guys!

Congratulations!! Way to get it done.

Yes, I think that might be him. In your pic, you can see an extra point on the deer's left antler. This is a pic of the buck my friend shot. I know it looks like this buck comes around more on the main beam, but other pics of the same deer look more like the buck you just posted at the drinker. This picture shows the extra point on the left antler.

Nice pics!! Sent you a PM

Wow!! those are all fantastic deer, I thought that was a bullet hole. That's got to be one of the best groups of bucks taken by one family in a season. Good work.

Cool buck congrats. Any idea how old he is? He's got a thick neck for an October buck. I'd bet he's an older buck.

Great buck!

Very cool, it looks like you guys had a blast. Good work.

Congrats to all, that's one awesome group of bucks. I'll bet there were lots of lookers at the check station. Lance, your buck has got one of the best looking deer I've ever seen, It's got it all.

Fantastic buck!! Someday I want one like that.

That's a fantastic buck. Great pictures too.

Someday I want to kill a buck in that class, it's awesome. I do have a late December tag, so I can hope. Great pictures.

Wow! what a good looking buck.

Looks like a monster to me. Great job!!

Way to get it done on a great buck.