Sending an email with pics to bonecollector shortly. Now the rest of the story. Sunday rolls around and I cannot find heart at all. He has disappeared. The does are gone and few full sized lopes are around. Then Hef shows up with Maybe and I start stalking. I have my full accompaniment of spotters (brother and nephew) and they keep telling me I should really go after that double cutter buck. "I said no he just deceiving. He is really not that big." They called me names questioning my intelligence. total their are 6 bucks that I make a play on at once and crawl within 100 yards much of the time laying flat on the malapai and cactus. My brother keeps telling me go left after that double cutter and I keep saying Hef is bigger. eventually they take off to the windmill on the other side of the field. I circle the very longe way around to get within 175 yards before they all bolt going in two directions. Smaller bucks leave the field and hef and maybe bed on a sort of plateau, I stalk within the edge of my range and miss by ten miles.
The bucks go to the other side of the field and I follow then they reverse field and go to the side. One of the hunters and his crew get a bead on him and make an attempt. I watch and have some lunch. Similar results that I had with the two going to the next field. My brother said get to the southern portion of that next field NOW. I move as quickly has my oversize butt will allow and get to the edge. they are figuring my stalk when they say oh shoot, they are headed right to you. get into the middle behind that tree. I do and start ranging all of the outer ranges of my area thinking thats where I will shoot. I get behind the full size pinion see Hef and Maybe get the outer range. I pull back and my arrow falls off. I grab it off the ground and reknock and pull back and step out to find them much closer than I ranged. I panicked and pushed the shot literally grazing his tail. My spotters and I track him for several miles and he never stops.
Frustrated, on monday I go after Trophyhntrs buck to find he is not with us anymore. Tuesday I try something a little different I come in from the north side that evening (work got in the way) finding a quick orange flash and head that direction. I see that Heart has moved into the cedars and I get into range. I pull back and the same thing happens. I pull back again and he bolts not to be seen again.
work in the valley makes me not hunt until Saturday. My team has disbanded so I am solo now. I can not find a decent buck and take the two mile walk to find Jacque. A game of chess where ensued and after a couple of bad moves he leaves. it was a day where I walked 17 miles and pretty much only have one day left to get it done.
Sunday I go the perch where I started, I find Hef/or heart with the does on the east end of the mountain tantalizing close to the truck. I search some more to the north and find Maybe and he picked up a couple of does. Good to see he was alive after my bad shooting. He and his girlfriends go in to the big field. I get with in 200 yards and get picked off. they run to north east and I follow in the trees then they reverse fields and head to the southwest. I take a wide path and stay just out of sight. they stop and I make a 1/2 mile stalk using two tree between me and them to hide my pursuit. I am now within 200 yards and they are starting to bed.
After an hour I decide to take some pictures, a bit later I post some on facebook. I eat every carb in my backpack and then take a nap. All of this behind a single six foot wide tree.
Only picture I can get to download
when I awake one of the does are up. i pick up my garbage and get ready to move. They mill around for bit going to the east and then the west and I really start second guessing my location. I start cursing myself then something happen. the does change course and jog my way. With Maybe following behind. Like the expert hunter that I am, I forgot my rangefinder I estimate ranges in my head.
The second doe has small horns and I think for a moment she is legal. I am moving around to the Hidden side of the tree to stay out of sight. the does get by me and here comes Maybe. I am toggling between 3rd pin and 4th pin in my mind. The move past me and my tree. Maybe stops and I pull back settle my pin and release like it looks like I know what I am doing. As I am releasing he takes off again and I hit him squarely in the leg. I am thinking WTF. I am determine to watch him wherever he goes, he catches up to the does and then falls behind. I am watching him through my bino's and see him stop for a second and then tip over within 45 seconds of me releasing the arrow. I start dancing in the middle of the empty field. Call my wife and text my brothers, step dad and nephew. My nephew is several hours away on the wrong side of nutrioso.. He calls me and say he will be there in two hours and is (including the three mile walk in) I am horrible at selfies so I take a few and start breaking him down.
The next day I drop him off with Kevin @majestic taxidermy (best taxidermist I know) and in his stoic way, he starts freaking out. 'do you what you that is?' thats a booner' I respond with I thought he was about 82" or so. and his response is thats a booner you have to get him entered. He capes the head and gets his tape measurer and goes to satisfying our curiosity. he grabs his calculator to do the final sum and I am looking upside down and sideways and add it in my head faster than the calculator. final rough score was 87 1/8" . Not bad for a buck I thought I might not shoot and my brother and nephew were right, he is the biggest
