TAM Report post Posted January 3, 2005 Just wanted to make a report on my succussful December hunt in unit 31. After months of scouting and planning Treestandman and myself headed out after work on December 16th. We arrived in camp about 9pm and quickly set up camp and hit the sack. The wind was really blowing and making a lot of noise blowing the tent which made sleep difficult. We were up early ready to hit the trail for our mile long hike to get to our pre determined glassing point. The wind continued to blow pretty hard all morning as we glassed with only a few pigs sighted and a couple of does. As the afternoon rolled around and the wind finally died down, Mike glassed up a decent 3 point that had gotten up to stretch. After a quick evaluation Mike decided that he wanted it so off we went only to find the hillside empty when we got to where the buck was. We never saw him again even though we spent the next several hours trying to relocate him. Day two found us looking at a different ridge in a nearby area. Even though the wind was gone and conditions seemed perfect we saw only a few does in the morning and decided to look at a completly different area for the evening. That afternoon we saw plenty of does but no bucks. It was starting to look like the rut was still a ways off and perhaps our luck would be better when we came back after Christmas. That night Mike left to go back to work so he could come back in a week or so when the rut would be in full swing. For the next three days I would be going solo! Day three and I started seeing quite a few does and even a couple of small bucks right off the bat. After looking at one doe feed out into the open I noticed a bush a few yards off shaking like crazy, I knew it could only mean there was a buck working it over! After a few minutes the buck finally showed himself and proceded to chase the doe for awhile and even chased off another smaller buck. It looked like the rut was finally coming into play. The buck was not quite what I was looking for, but I continued to relocate him every time I looked in that general area over the next three days. On the morning of day five I woke up and decided I would shoot the buck I'd been watching if I saw him. As it turns out no sooner than I sat down and looked through my binoculars I located a doe and then about a minute later here came my buck! I immediatly range found him at 267 yards, fed a round into the chamber of my .270 Weatherby mag, rested the rifle on my shooting sticks, waited for the buck to stop walking, and squeezed the trigger. BANG, he dropped in his tracks! After a short hike and a little work with the knife and saw I had him loaded in my pack and was back at the Jeep. Even though this buck was not as big as the 100 inch goal I had initially set for myself I'm still pretty happy with him. It was a lot of fun and a mental challange on the second half of the hunt being all by myself. I decided he's not quite big enough for a shoulder mount so I'm having a european mount done instead. My wife was thrilled that I wouldn't have to go back for the second half of the hunt and my boys were just happy I shot a buck. I tried to attach photo's but I guess It's not working - Sorry! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jamaro Report post Posted January 3, 2005 GREAT JOB...Post pictures if you have them.. jason Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted January 3, 2005 email me the photos along with your name and mention this posting so I can get it in the right place. Thanks. Amanda Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
recurveman Report post Posted January 5, 2005 Tam, I hope you saved the cape. Most of the taxidermists will either give you some store credit or they will boil your head for free if you save the cape for them. Most taxidermists are looking for well taken care of capes. Plus, it saves you the stink and mess of boiling the skull yourself. Great story and congrats on your buck. Later, recurveman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted January 6, 2005 Here are the pics of his buck from rifle page 48 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brandon Report post Posted January 6, 2005 Very Nice! Congrats on the buck! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ScottAdams Report post Posted January 6, 2005 Good job Tim!! Very nice buck. Great photos too! Scott Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Rabbit Report post Posted January 6, 2005 TAM, Congrats on a nice buck. That euro mount should look good. Did that 270 WBY bark on both ends (noticed the red spot on the brow)? I have one of those photos too that the double flash couldn't get rid of the red-eye , after shooting uphill in the prone position. Doug/RedRabbit Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Ernesto C Report post Posted January 7, 2005 Tam he's big enough for my wall!! Nice buck,congratulations. Ernesto C. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
az4life Report post Posted January 7, 2005 YEEEHAWWW another success story! Great going Tam... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tucson John Report post Posted January 7, 2005 Great job TAM! Nice deer, and great story. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coueshunter Report post Posted January 7, 2005 Great pictures and great buck......like Red said, looks like you got wacked by the scope........congrats on a great hunt......Allen.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TAM Report post Posted January 7, 2005 Yes, for those of you that noticed I got it right between the eyes from the scope! I also saved the cape and I'm trading it with the taxidermist for the european mount. Scott Adams, did you get my email a few weeks ago? You sent me an email about not talking for about a year or so and just wanted to see how things were going. I did send a response but never heard back from you. Hope all is well. You may want to give me a try at my new email address tmaddock@fordycefloors.com Thanks to Amanda for posting the pic's and for everyone's kind comments! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ScottAdams Report post Posted January 8, 2005 I don't remember Tim. I'll go back and look or better yet I'll just email you. Scott Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DesertBull Report post Posted January 8, 2005 I have a permanent scope hickey right between my eyes too. A moon shaped scar from a 7 mag. That's funny because I was just watching a show the other day and some caribou hunter shot at a bull and the scope wacked him good. They showed the bull falling and you could hear the guide in the backgroud start laughing really loud. I thought, that's kind of weird, but when they pulled the camera back the old fat guy had blood all over his face and the guide was rolling on the ground in a full belly laugh. Great buck by the way. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
