Three in December

[Apatkelley]

Me and my friends Darrin and Gary got lucky and drew late December tags this year. Gary couldn't come for the opener but Darrin came down and we hunted Friday and Saturday. On Saturday evening, Darrin glassed up two bucks feeding about 750 yards away. He didn't have much time to hunt this year so he wanted to shoot one of them. We closed the distance to about 350 yards and he made a great one shot kill on this nice buck.

 

Gary came down the following week to hunt Thursday, Friday and Saturday. We didn't see anything worth shooting all day Thursday. Friday morning wasn't much better. I had to leave for work about 1:30 Friday afternoon so Gary was on his own for the rest of the day. Just before dark, he found a buck in some thick cover. At first glance, he thought he would pass. Then the buck turned and Gary got a better look. I get a text right at dark "buck down". I was excited and couldn't wait to get home and take a look at his buck. Here's a picture of his buck. We scored it at about 95. He wasn't able to get any field photos.

 

Gary had to get back home so the next morning, my good friend Kyle was able to come help out. We glassed up two real nice bucks. They were way out and at first I wasn't sure either one was a shooter. Kyle was convinced that one of them was going to score between 103 and 105. I trust his opinion and tried to get ready to shoot. They were about 700 yards and I didn't feel comfortable with the shot. I just couldn't get set quick enough because the bucks were chasing a doe around. The bucks were working away from us and we had to scramble to get close enough for a shot. We ended up at 362 yards and I was able to lay down and use my pack for a rest. I have to say I was excited and had a hard time finding the buck in my scope. When I did, there was an ocotillo limb right in my crosshair. I told Kyle "there's a stinking ocotillo limb right in my way". I took the shot and Kyle says " you missed 5 feet low". As the buck ran off, I shot two more times and missed. I was so frustrated because I had blown an opportunity at a great buck.

 

I have shot a five inch group at 700 yards with that rifle and should have been able to make that shot easy. On the way home, we went by our little shooting range and put a target up at 100 yards to see if my rifle was still on. I took two shots and the elevation was perfect and both shots were in the same hole just about an inch right of center. I thought I MUST have hit the ocotillo limb. Kyle tried to cheer me up by saying,"should I bring Forrest out and let him shoot the deer?". Forrest is my 13 year old son who shot his buck during the Jr. only hunt right at 400 yards. Thanks for the confidence Kyle!!

 

Monday I my friend John came with me and we hunted another area. We saw lots of does and one nice 90 inch class buck but no shooters.

 

after 10 days of hard hunting and only one chance at a big buck I started to get frustrated. I had been back in the area I missed the big buck several more times but never saw him again. The wind was blowing hard most days and conditions weren't very good. On the 30th, Kyle was able to go with me again and we thought we should give that area one more chance. We got into position and started glassing. Right away we spotted a big buck. I thought it was the big buck I had missed before. Kyle came over and confirmed. He was about 675 yards downhill from us all by himself. I got set up while Kyle kept his eye on the buck. The buck was working his way towards us and Kyle was calling out ranges to me. I was trying to make the adjustments to my scope and keep all the numbers straight. At 600 yards, I felt good and took the shot. I couldn't see what happend and Kyle said, " you missed by 8 feet" my heart sank and then he said "just kidding he went right down". I was super excited. The buck started to get back up again so I worked my way to 217 yards and finished him. Sorry for the long story, I'm just still excited about a great hunt. Here's a few pics. We scored him at 101 6/8.

 

 

 

 

Gary also asked me to post some pics of his daughter Amber's deer. She shot this buck at 200 yards in the early Oct hunt. Great job Amber, the smile says it all.

 

 

 

 

 

[triton]

Nice deer!!! Congratulations, I have been waiting to see how your Dec. hunt was going. We didn't kill anything in the early hunts this year. Best buck we saw was in the low 90's. I'm glad you got a good one

[John O]

Great story, and way to go man!!! You have had a hand in so many successful hunts this year, including my sons, and you are very deserving of that great buck. Enjoy it.

[Faster Daddy!]

Nice job! That rifle in that top photo looks like a Winchester Model 70 with a heavy barrel. What caliber and bullet was he shooting?

[roninflag]

loooks like a model 70 featherweight witha lleup scope. 270?

[Apatkelley]

loooks like a model 70 featherweight witha lleup scope. 270?

 

Your right on, it's a 70 featherweight in 30-06 and Vari-X III 4.5-14. Not sure what bullet he was shooting this year. I forgot to mention that I was shooting a Remington 700 camo synthetic in 7mm-08 130gr Sierra Matchking bullet with IMR 4064

[Coues Archer]

wow. Great job on some awesome coues good job.

[pwrguy]

Awesome job, great bucks!!!

[Ernesto C]

Gggssssss man! you guys (and girls) make look so easy! how you do it?? Congratulations to all.

 

Ernesto c

[Str8Shot]

Nice Job done... all you guys and young lady have great looking kills and some good eats for the grill.... Aaron sounds like you have had some year out in the field with all the help on youth hunts to your guys Dec tags you deserve the success after helping all those just getting into the field ....

[Traveler]

Congrats!

 

I know you have been waiting to break the 100 mark in you backyard for a while.

 

Dan

[joeybari]

wow nice job

[ROBERT RIVERA]

way to go nice deer

[TAIL CHASER]

Four great bucks congrats to all.