Back home and showered. Okay. My two brothers and I put in together for the first time In 15 or 20 years. As luck would have it we got our 5th choice and one of the least popular hunts there is.
In August my middle brother doubled up with his son in archery in the unit, sacrificing his muzzy tag. Much cooler moment to double with your son.
Fast forward to last Saturday. Sportsmans was having their bubble pop. Me needing nothing thought I would pick up a cheap back up muzzleloader to loan out to friends after I missed a couple of otc elk with it after loaning to a friend. My wife talked me into getting the 45 cal cva with the bergara barrel. We got 50%off on Saturday. Wednesday the ammo came in and I shot 6 or 7 rounds and sighted in.
Thursday night I step foot in the unit for the first time In over a year. My youngest brother did not make it down the hill from showlow all the way and spent the night in globe. Instead of doing what I originally planned, 2.5 miles hike up with 1500' elevation gain with my nephew. We decided to go to a spot right off the highway where my middle brother saw some bucks in August.
My nephew and I walk a few hundred yards to our vantage point and glass for a bit. We reposition 50 yards down the hill and I hand him my binos and tripod and tell him your my guide find me a buck. I am bored and walk around for five minutes or so. When I walk back I see antlers walking up towards us from below. I push him off the tripod find a couple of bucks and one looked big in the orange light of dawn. I throw my backpack on a rock and set up for a shot.
Quartering to me, I settled in and place the crosshairs on his front shoulder and contemplate waiting for him to get closer for a nanosecond and squeeze the trigger. No visible reaction. The buck takes a few steps and disappears. My nephew on the glass says the big buck is going off to the right and I say are you sure he looked like he was walking left.
Just then this runt pops out 100 yards below us .
i text my middle brother to come to our spot. As we wait i see antlers below us and when he gets there 45 minutes later. I catch a bush moving aggressively. My nephew and I hike down there and find him. My other brother shows up and I now teach two of my nephews how the gutless method.
Shot placement was two inches to the right of where I aimed
The buck
i will post some glamor shots shortly. My brother still has not sent them to me.
Should I get it mounted? I have been back and forth on this.
