Zeke-BE Report post Posted December 30, 2022 This happen in Aug and really never got around to it. But since I've been home all day for the holidays here we go! Opening morning we got to our high spot and right away looking down I see a decent buck but with nice cutters. I hmm and haw at him and said out loud there is no way this guy is on the Property. Pulled up OnX and lo and behold he is sitting right in the middle of a 1/4 squal mile island of the property surrounded by State land. I put my gun on him and my hunting partner said wait a second I want to film this. I'm on the gun just waiting and waiting. And of course once he is ready the buck started moving after grunting at us the whole time. He ran a bit and stopped. Only at 450 yards I shoot and right over his back. On video it looked like a few inches over his back. He ran off of his little island and back on state land. I thought that was weird how I missed so bad. My hunting partner finds a nice buck a mile out. Through the spotting scope he looked good. He bedded down, So I stayed on the high ground and guided him into him. He gets into 300 yards and sets up waiting for him stand up. After 15 mins or more he stands up. Watching through his spotter I see dust and then a boom. I couldn't believe he missed that buck, then he radios me and says that's not me!!! The buck runs towards him and stops 150 yards in front of Kyle. He radios and says should I shoot him? And then through the binos I watched the buck fall over and then a boom. He radios back and said thats not me!. Some other hunter 600 yards out just shot him. I guess the hunter bedded the buck last night and he told Kyle he was very grateful for not shooting this buck. I guess something like that happen on a bull elk hunt a couple years ago and they got into it with the other hunter that tried to take his elk that he just killed. Well Kyle stayed on the south side of the valley and I stayed on the north side of the property and just worked the valley. I glassed up a nice buck and took after him. In the mean time that same buck I shot and missed started following me staying about 400 yards out and grunting. Can't do anything about he is still on State. I got set up at 600 yards on this bedded buck waiting for him to stand. Once up I made my shot and missed again! Dude what the! What is going on. I hiked back to the truck and picked up kyle. I found a hill and shot at a cow patty at 500 yards and was about 10 inches high. I have no idea why my zero is off. But we go find a spot and re zero it back. Found a soft ball size rock at 500 yards and smack in the center. Ok ok good to go! We made a couple attempts on some bucks but nothing happen. Now its even time and now we are on the bluff looking over the whole area planning for tomorrow. Sure enough that same buck comes off the bluff 500 yards away grunting at us for 20 mins. He slowly comes down. I told Kyle Im going after this SOB. He said he is on state. Yep and he is heading towards the private property. I was waiting for him to get some distance from us. I run down the hill with my gear and the buck goes over this little 4 ft knoll and now he can no longer see me. So I just walk to that knoll. My spotter radios, he is feeding with some does. The 2 does I asked? Yep! Ok perfect because those does are on the property. I come over the knoll and ranged him at 710 yards and can't get prone due to the high grass. So I extend out the bipods to 36" and grab my second hand held bipod and rest it under the rear stock. Boom and dropped him. My 280AI that Lance did the load development shooting 160TMKs at 3100fps has broken every animals spine which has been 5 animals. It does what bergers do but just more! All hits have been center mass and it still breaks the spine or damages the spine. I really need to do a write up on that bullet. But Sadly we haven't seen any of them for over a year now. The next morning we started about 1/2 mile from day 1. Same thing Kyle finds a buck that looks wide and cool looking. We went back and fourth between 2 bucks to go after. He couldn't decide but the wide one bedded down. I told Kyle Just drive the truck around down in the valley and park it 800 yards out. The buck can't see you due to these 15ft high rolling hills that are about 100 yards long. So he does just that and I watch the whole thing again from a mile out. He gets up to a shooting position. Same thing he's waiting for him to stand up. So after 20-30 mins Im bored and start texting Lance what Kyle is waiting for. Lance is now texting me back with questions marks.........anything? Nope but we have truck coming our way. I radio Kyle and told him a truck is coming. Probably be there in 10 mins. Lance texts back and if you can see his vital and have a good shot take it. So I rely back to Kyle if you have a good shot take it. He radios back and says Im getting ready. At the same time im texting Lance whats going on play by play. He shoots and hits him hard. He gets up from the shot and moves 10 ft and sits back down. Kyle re adjust and shoots again and dumps him. Side note Lance didn't have a tag this year gave it to his daughter and helped another youth hunter. With Kyles buck, my buck and the people that was with Lance that was 6 bucks down in 24hrs!! It was a fun hunt! Kyles buck looks cool and looks big in pics but didn't even score 70inchs 8 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stanley Report post Posted December 30, 2022 Nice, Brandon! 👍🏻 My middle son took a nice one just SW of the ranch headquarters the following Saturday, and I took an average one and the same general area the 2nd day of our hunt. SO green up there this year! S. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zeke-BE Report post Posted December 30, 2022 54 minutes ago, stanley said: Nice, Brandon! 👍🏻 My middle son took a nice one just SW of the ranch headquarters the following Saturday, and I took an average one and the same general area the 2nd day of our hunt. SO green up there this year! S. Mosquitoes were bad!! Did you have the white truck? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stanley Report post Posted December 31, 2022 3 hours ago, Zeke-BE said: Mosquitoes were bad!! Did you have the white truck? Mosquitoes were brutal! Yes, white Tacoma with a shell. (Same one as the first year when my older son and I ran into you....) We hunted the weekend after you and Lance this year. Glad there were a few left after you guys got done. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PRDATR Report post Posted December 31, 2022 Congrats and great write up. I got 23 AZ BP's so maybe this is the year for me. LOL 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zeke-BE Report post Posted January 1, 2023 On 12/31/2022 at 11:11 AM, PRDATR said: Congrats and great write up. I got 23 AZ BP's so maybe this is the year for me. LOL I hope you do!! This is why I go to New Mexico or Wyoming lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zackcarp Report post Posted January 2, 2023 Nice job! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHT_MTNMAN Report post Posted January 2, 2023 Beautiful pictures and some very nice bucks! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AzRaised08 Report post Posted January 13, 2023 Heck yeah! Congratulations on the two-fer and getting some nice bucks down 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lancetkenyon Report post Posted January 13, 2023 It was an awesome 24 hours for sure, with some great bucks hitting the dirt. Brandon amd Kyle took a couple great bucks. I should probably do a write up of our day that corresponds to this too. Great trip! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zeke-BE Report post Posted January 13, 2023 17 hours ago, lancetkenyon said: It was an awesome 24 hours for sure, with some great bucks hitting the dirt. Brandon amd Kyle took a couple great bucks. I should probably do a write up of our day that corresponds to this too. Great trip! Do It!!! I didn't hear how it all went down for you guys Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
