3/3

[youngbuck]

My dad and my 2 roommates all drew the same tag this year. I didn’t draw a tag but was happy to help out. One of my roommates has never hunted before. I spent the month before the season scouting completely new places. I glassed some of the neatest looking country, I’ve ever seen, that didn’t hold deer. I focused on all new spots. My dad and one of my buddies both wanted 100” bucks. I was pretty disappointed with what I found in that month; a young bear, plenty of does, and a couple bucks, nothing spectacular. My roommate that had never been hunting wanted to go on a scouting trip with us. His baseball schedule made this difficult. The weekend he wanted to go we found “his buck”. We got back to town and told him we found a perfect buck for him. He was a small 3pt, maybe not quite 3 on one side. He was bummed he couldn’t make it. The best thing we saw scouting was some sunsets.

 

 

Friday morning found us hiking up to one of our “go to” glassing spots. We hadn’t spent much time scouting this area as we knew it always holds deer. As I neared the top of the hill in the dark I heard some movement in the brush. I shined my flashlight into the rocks and brush and found something I wasn’t expecting. I saw a dark head and beady eyes staring at my boot. At first I thought gila monster, I soon realized it was a spotted skunk. I was excited and worried all at the same time. I’ve never seen one before, and didn’t want to get stinky. We all got a look at him and continued on up the hill. At dawn we found several groups of does. It wasn’t long before Justin said “I got a buck with 5 other deer”. I got out the spotter and all 6 were bucks. There was one we thought wold be close to 100 that needed a closer look.

 

We made our way over to the next high spot in the next hour or so. From the top, I ranged 2 bucks sparring at 780. I knew we could get closer, so we snuck to the closest point to the deer. I found the bucks and ranged 662yards. I had Justin and my dad set up prone to get ready to shoot while I found the best buck. It took us a few minutes but we found him. I entered the distance and shot angle into the ballistic calculator and told Justin 26 clicks. He adjusted his scope and settled in on the buck. My dad was also holding on the same buck waiting for a hit or miss. Justin fired and I said, “clean miss, high” My dad shot without hesitation. The buck was able to jump up and leave after my dad’s shot and before it got there. Bullet flight time is almost .6 seconds at that distance. I guess a lot can happen in 6 tenths of a second.

 

We watched the buck move down the ridge and a little bit closer to us. I re-ranged the buck at 558 and entered the info again into my phone. 20 clicks. I told Justin to click 9 down, 6 for range and 3 for what he missed high. When the buck stepped out, Justin said “I’m on him.” Questioning me if I was watching. I replied “Send it”. I watched the vapor trail disappear low in the chest cavity just behind the shoulder.

 

You smoked him, he’s down. We celebrated a little bit and started to look for any other bucks trying to sneak out. We found a small 2 point that my dad passed on. We then made out way over to the buck. It took us a while to climb the hill. We found the buck shortly thereafter. After all the pictures, cleaning, and packing, it was time for the hike out. We didn’t get back to camp until 3 pm or so.

 

 

 

We had a quick bite to eat and then headed out to a spot we could glass without walking very far, we were all spent. We found some does and a muley buck. We headed back to camp to eat and meet my other buddy Justin, J, who had never hunted before. That night we got out the tape and I scored Justin’s buck at 96 1/8.

 

Saturday morning we headed out to the spot I found the smaller buck scouting the week prior. It was cold and windy. We definitely welcomed the sunrise.

 

 

 

It stayed overcast and cold for a little bit. As soon as the clouds cleared out the deer started moving. We found several does before I spotted a pair of bucks. It looked like a decent 2 point and a 2 point that might break 90. We gathered up our things and headed after them. I figured they would feed over the ridge by the time we got there. We snuck up the ridge and popped over looking for the bucks. My dad and J were set up ready to shoot when the other Justin found them coming up the other side of the canyon. We ranged them at 300. Justin watched the bucks as I helped J get set up on the bucks. J said “I got em” just as they stopped. Justin told him to shoot. It was a clean miss, high. J said he wasn’t holding on him good. He found the buck again and shot. I was helping him stay on the bucks while Justin was spotting. Justin said you “smoked him, perfect shot.” The buck was quartering away hard. The bullet entered behind the last rib and center punched the opposite shoulder on the way out. The larger buck wasn’t as big of a 2pt as my dad hoped.

 

We made our way over to the buck. I made sure to go through all the oak brush, catclaw, and shin daggers as I could. I wanted J to get the full experience. As we walked up on the buck I saw it was a 3pt. It was “J’s buck”. The same buck we found the week earlier we said would be a perfect deer for him. We took pictures and cleaned and quartered his buck for the pack out.

 

 

 

I get just as much of a rush helping someone fill a tag that I would if it were me. My dad still has a tag and is off tomorrow and Thursday. He is still holding out for a 100”er. I’ll keep you guys posted.

 

EDIT: My dad took a buck yesterday in the mid 90's. 1 shot @ 600yds. I should have pics in the next few days.

 

Here is my dad's buck from wednesday morning.

 

 

 

 

We dropped both bucks off with Mike Hayes @ M.J. processing Saturday night. He had them finished Monday morning for us. Best meat sticks I’ve ever had, great sausage and some killer salami. It is pretty handy having a processor that lives and has his shop next door to your parents. Mike is Casey’s dad of Casey’s Processing in Flagstaff.

[lucky2hunt]

Great bucks and wonderful pictures! Nice Job!!!

[CouesBuckhunter]

congrats and good ethical shooting.

[W.O.T]

nicely done bro! cool pics of lake too

[The Coues]

Very nice!!

[general]

Nice pics..

[stomper69]

That spot looks kind of familiar.

[youngbuck]

My Dad tagged out on a real neat looking mid 90's buck, 1 shot @ 600. I should have pics in the next day or 2.

[joeybari]

nice

[boomsaki]

Well done!!

[youngbuck]

Updated w/ pics of my dad's buck. He still has a little bit of velvet hanging on. Just for clarification demicidal beatles will take that off right? I'd like to leave it on. I'm planning on sending all the bucks to CMC skull works.

[cramerhunts]

Congrats on some nice bucks, your dad's is really cool with the curving main beams!