Buck down!!!!!

[daryl_s]

Okay, I will try to keep this short. My dad and I both drew the same October hunt and we planned on hunting an area that we named "Buck Mountain." This is our third season in a row hunting this spot and we were determined to make it happen this time. We have seen tons of bucks in this area and it seems like the ball just bounced the other way somehow or another every year. We are pretty confident in our glassing and deer finding capabilities but things just hadn't seemed to work out the past few seasons. Last year I hunted this exact spot and had my buck at first light on opening morning. Not long after I started to make my move 2 hunters walked right down the middle of the ridge and scared him off, they never even saw him. I never did relocate him with only a day and a half to hunt that season. In January of this year I spotted a good buck from about 400 yards out and stalked into about 30 yards where I shot over his back while he just stood there. I didn't have a rangefinder and guessed wrong on my yardage . This was in the same area. I tormented myself by replaying that shot in my head about 1000 times a day for the next few weeks. I put the October hunt second choice because I wanted to get an early crack at this spot this year. I was as determined as ever to make it happen. I spent time shooting. I used many tools including a ballistics program and chronograph to make sure I had an exact knowledge of where my bullet was at different yardages. I checked many times over that my scope was dead on and sighted in exactly where I wanted it to be. I felt prepared and confident that I would make it happen this time. Opening morning proved to be what I had hoped for, bucks not long after first light. There were a total of five bucks together. 3 of them were smaller 2 points and there was a 3x3 with my buck. We were glassing from a little over a half mile away when we saw them. My dad stayed back and I made the move. I moved in and ranged the bucks at 450 yards. I set up the Harris bi-pod as tall as it would go. I turned the scope all the way up to 12x and put it on the spot. The deer were gone!!!! My view to the left was blocked by a tree so I moved up a little bit to another area where my view wasn't blocked. I set up the binos on the tripod and re-located the bucks about 30 yards to the left of where they had been. I ranged them at 425 yards now. The Harris bi-pod was rock steady and gave me the confidence I needed to make the shot. I let 'er rip and the recoil took me off the deer. I found him in the scope again, clean miss. I had rushed the shot. I steadied on the deer for a second shot and let 'er go again, a second clean miss. The deer almost didn't move. He had no idea where the danger was coming from and was hesitant to make any kind of move. He was standing broadside showing the right side of his body. I held right where I needed to and felt rock solid and confident as I squeezed the trigger. I found the deer in the scope just in time to see him stumbling forward almost doing a cartwheel. The .270 130 grain Hornady interbond drilled him right at the base of his neck and tore through the opposite shoulder. He was dead right where he went down. I knew he wasn't a huge buck when I decided to go after him but I knew that he was a decent 3x with great mass. I knew he was pretty narrow but that didn't matter much to me. I was pleasantly surprised when I walked up to him and saw that he had great character. He is actually a lot better buck than I realized when I shot him. We'll call it ground growth . Many bigger deer will be taken this year but I am thrilled to death with this buck. This is a personal best for me but what's more important is that my dad was there with me and he saw the whole ordeal through his 15's. We had a great time and everything when exactly how we had hoped and planned. I really don't know what this buck would score and it really doesn't matter. I love character bucks the most and this one has plenty. We went back out this morning to our other spot and found some nice bucks a long ways off. We went after them but never did relocate them. I had an absolute blast on this hunt and was very glad that my dad was there with me to see it all happen. Congrats to all those that have filled their tags and best of luck to those who are still hunting or waiting for their turn. Daryl

 

This is what I saw when I walked up to my deer. Exit wound showing.

 

 

A very happy hunter.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading and thanks Amanda for this site.

[PSEps]

Congrats on a very nice buck.

 

Derek

[AZP&Y]

Real nice Coues buck- Love the Double/Double Eye guards!

 

Congrats and way to stick with it! Them coues love those ocotillos!

 

AzP&Y

[Kaffer62]

Awesome Buck!!! Congratulations! This gets me pumped for my Nov hunt!!

[Brian Payne]

Nice character! Congrats.

[BELLOTABUCKS]

very nice! congrats!

[general]

great deer, it has a great cape!!

[bonecollector]

That's a sweet looking Buck! Congrats man.

[Coach]

Awesome job!!! Congrats on one heck of buck. I love those double eyeguards! Way to work hard and make it happen!

[cramerhunts]

Congratulations on a really cool buck and I can see why you are thrilled with him, anybody would be!

[mje1]

Congrats on a nice Buck!

[Apatkelley]

Great looking buck!!

[Dan]

Nice buck!!!! That rack is AWSOME!!!

[joeybari]

Awesome Buck

[John O]

That's a real beauty!! Love the character.