87lc Report post Posted November 5, 2009 This was one of the more exciting hunts i've had. First off my family somehow pleased the deer gods this year. My younger brother, brother-in-law and I all got drawn for an October coues deer hunt. My wife, sister, and sister-in-law got drawn for a mule deer. Then my two older brothers and brother-in-law got drawn for a December coues deer hunt(with no bonus points). I was drawn for an area we have hunted before and know it pretty well, but this year I wanted to get away from the people and backpack in. My brother and I decided to hike to a nice little valley and set up camp there. Opening morning found us glassing some ridges and canyons, my brother found some does. About one that afternoon I spot a buck WAY up top the mountain and with our 10x40 we could tell he was a buck, we watched him for a while then he went over and sniffed a rock, to our surprise the rock stood up! We now had two bucks, depending on how they were standing each one would look bigger then the other. We knew one was a fork horn and the other looked like it could be bigger and seemed to have mass. We knew if we didn't start soon we could never get up the mountain, shoot one and get back to camp by dark. We watched the two bucks bed and started our ascent. We got to the top of an opposite canyon and could see the little guy, he was small, but in the open bedding under a tree. We couldn't find the bigger one. Being taught my whole life that you cant eat the antlers, I decided to shoot the little one. We determined him to be 300 yards away so I set up for the shot. One thing is I get buck fever bad, I mean I shake, so after calming down a little I squeeze the trigger just to see dirt fly under the deer, he jumps up and runs to the bigger deer who also jumps up and runs about twenty yards. Both deer are looking down their mountain not at us. Knowing you cant eat the antlers is one thing when there is only one deer but now we have two and one is bigger, so I decided to go after the bigger one. My brother stayed put while I went farther up our mountain. I was completely level with the deer, we ranged him to be just about 400 yards from my brother so from me he would have been just under. I could see his head and his whole body was behind brush. I sat there for about 5 mins just watching him. It turned out good because it gave me a lot of time to calm down. He finally took a step forward so I could see his body. Thinking I held two low the first time I leveled the cross hairs about head/neck level and shot. Nothing, not a sound or noise from the opposite side, both deer are just looking back down the mountain. He turns around walks back through the brush and exposes himself on the other side. This time I aim at his spine and squeeze. All I see are his feet as he flips over. We waited about 10 mins and then it took us about another 20 or more just to get to him. He never took another step. We proceeded to quarter him out and get him down the mountain. This is the biggest deer I've gotten and the first time backpacking in. I may do it more often. He is a dark 3x3 with one eye guard having a fork. We debated about getting him mounted but I decided not to. Since then people have seen him and said I should have gotten him mounted. I know I could always do it later. But that brings up a big question, how big is he? Anybody in the Mesa area that would be willing to measure him for me. I am around Stapley and University. Sean Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joeeden Report post Posted November 5, 2009 Great job and congratulations!! I would have him mounted as well, Without tape I'm gonna say every bit of 90" Awesome buck! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bonecollector Report post Posted November 5, 2009 Thats a great lookin buck! I would definately get that deer mounted. I would say 95-100" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakehaffey Report post Posted November 5, 2009 Congrats thats a trophy! Mount for sure! He might hit a hundred and if not then just short. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LCconvert Report post Posted November 5, 2009 He is a beautiful buck and I am glad to a have been there to see it all. It made the hike out that much more worth it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ratherbhunting Report post Posted November 5, 2009 Nice story and great buck!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ron b Report post Posted November 5, 2009 Measuring is quite ease. All you need is a flexible metal cable ( When I did my sons, I used the inside cable from a bicycle brake) and a ruller. Heck, nowdays you don't even need to think. Go the the Boone and Crocket website and they have a program that will calculate the size after you input the data. Back in the 90's I measured my sons midwest whitetail for a Pope and Young deer and came to within .5 inches of the official measurer. I scored Pope and Young 142 3/8. Do a little reading and you will see. Ron Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
loco4coues Report post Posted November 5, 2009 congrats on a great buck! i'd say he goes 100" or really close to it Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ernesto C Report post Posted November 5, 2009 Congratulations that's a excellent buck! I say 103 Ernesto C Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deserthntr Report post Posted November 5, 2009 i am on horne and university, i could take in to bass pro when i go one mondays and tuesdays and stan there is an oficial B&C scorer so we could do it there if you want Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sam Report post Posted November 5, 2009 I think I would have mounted it. Congrats on a fine looking deer and good story. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LCconvert Report post Posted November 5, 2009 Congratulations that's a excellent buck! I say 103 Ernesto C That is actually about what I got when I measured it, almost 104" gross. But I have almost NO experience doing this. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TAIL CHASER Report post Posted November 6, 2009 Awsome Buck and a great story to go with it. I feel for ya the shakes suck I get them when I'm sitting and glass up deer. Keep us posted on all thosse other hunts. I say he's just over 100" Congrats Jason Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eagle Eye Report post Posted November 6, 2009 Great buck! So where did you end up hittin him at? I agree with everyone about him being really close to 100. I would have mounted him for sure but thats just me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
87lc Report post Posted November 6, 2009 Great buck! So where did you end up hittin him at? I agree with everyone about him being really close to 100. I would have mounted him for sure but thats just me. You can kind of see the entry point right at the shoulder. This was a fun hunt, I think hiking in with my brother had a lot to do with that. I wish I would have kept his hide. We did a lot of glassing, in fact my brother glassed up two bobcats, one he watched for awhile as it tried to catch a mouse. I hope to do more backpacking/hunting trips. One more picture One more thing if anybody wants to find the deer, both deer are in the open in that first picture, about 3/4 of the way up, I think! Sean Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
