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azcouesandelk

San Carlos Part 1

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Just got back from my first trip to San Carlos and it was a blast!

 

My dad and I got to the reservation on thursday and went to find a camping spot, but with the blizzard that was going on we had to camp at the campground in town, which was nice extremly nice since we had full hookups. We went out that afternoon to check out some areas, but couldnt see much of anything do to the fact there was a whiteout.

 

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On friday we went out friday morning to try to do some glassing, but with some weather still in the area it was tough. We managed to glass up several does throughout the morning.

 

Here is the area we were glassing throughout the morning.

 

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Going through a creek we were welcomed to some steam.

 

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That afternoon Matthew showed up and we went out to do some more scouting. We scouted all afternoon turning up some bucks including a buck that needed a closer look the next morning.

 

Saturday morning we woke up early ready to find a shooter buck. When we arrived at the first glassing point it was -9 outside! Matthew had told me that the first 100 inch buck was mine, but with alot of time available for this hunt I was looking for something really special. We glassed for several hours turning up around 10 does and several smaller bucks when we decided to move around the hill to see up a canyon. We setup to glass when I glassed up a big buck. I looked through the spotter and saw alot of mass on a 3 point frame. I figured the buck would go in the mid to upper 90's and told Matthew if he wanted to shoot it that it was his. We moved around to get closer and when we went to relocate the buck all we could find was a small 3 point muley! We picked the area apart and could not relocate the buck. With some doubts from Matthew thinking that the buck I saw was the muley when went and got the truck to drive up to a higher point to glass. We werent there 5 minutes when we relocated the heavy 3 point and now we were able to see the buck had a kicker coming off his right G3. Matthew setup for the shot and settled in. The shot went right and the buck started to move up the hill. Several shots later, all of which went right, the buck went over the hill out of site. Confused as to why this was going on we went to make sure Matthews gun was dialed in, we found out that it was 6 to 7 inches to right. We adjusted the zero and Matthew took another shot at 475 after dialing the turret up and everything was dead on now. We glassed the rest of the day turning up several bucks including a mid 80's type 2 point with 5 inch eyeguards.

 

It was cold

 

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Here is a smaller 3 point bedded that we found in the afternoon

 

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Sun setting after the first day

 

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Sunday morning we went back to the same area in hopes to find that same buck again for Matthew. My buddy Jesse came up saturday night to help out all day sunday and monday. We werent setup for 5 minutes when Matthew found the buck chasing 2 does across the hill. The buck was covering alot of ground so we just watched in hopes he would calm down and give us an opprotunity. The buck bedded down near the top of the hill so we made our move. We moved in and as we were setting up to relocate the buck he stood up because of 2 smaller bucks sparring near him. So we setup for the long shot. Matthew dialed his turret and took aim. After the shot we heard the distinct WOP sound. The buck went out of view for us, but thanks to Jesse he was able to see the buck bed down. We werent sure of the hit so we made so Matthew would move in on the buck and I would go around the backside to watch incase the buck busted out. I setup on teh backside to glass when I found another mid 90's type buck chasing 3 does up a hill. I kept glassing when I heard a gunshot. What felt like 15 minutes which was probably 30 seconds I got the call on the radio that there was a dead deer. Walking up on the buck we realized how much mass the buck had and how bladed he was. Also we were able to see that he had a kicker busted off his left antler and had double eyeguards at one point that were busted off.

 

Glassing point

 

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Buck bedded

 

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Matthew and his buck

 

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The whole gang

 

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Some pictures to show the character

 

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The buck ended up going right around 100 with 3 broken extra points!

 

That night we went to try to find me a buck now. We glassed several areas turning up does and smaller bucks at each point. At our last stop at last light I glassed up a large framed buck, but couldnt tell how big he really was due to the distance and low light.

 

Matthew had to head out Sunday night because of work so it was just my dad, jesse and me. We went to the area we saw the big framed buck the night before turning up 3 bucks chasing 1 doe. The biggest of the 3 bucks was a 90 class buck that had his beam snapped off after his eyeguard on one side and his g2 snapped off halfway up on the other. Throughout the day we glassed several different areas finding bucks at each stop but nothing over 85. Our last stop put us right back where we started when Jesse glassed up a small 3x4 chasing 3 does. We kept glassing when I glassed up the big framed buck again but he went into a juniper and bedded before I could get a good look at him again.

 

One of the glassing areas

 

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Then Tuesday we setup to glass the backside of the mountain where we saw the large framed buck turning up a 160 type muley chasing does, but no whitetail. We circled around to glass from the same point we saw the large framed buck turning up NOTHING! We moved up to check another point finding another big 2 point. It was the slowest day yet, but I will be back up for the last 4 days.

 

Here is the big 2 point

 

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Hopefully part 2 will have more pictues with my success ;)

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Nice buck Congrats to the hunter, There are big boys here on the Rez, Ive seen them before...

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Congrats to Matthew on a heck of a buck with really cool character. Great pictures and recap Christian. Good luck on the second part of your hunt, I'll be looking forward to the pictures and story.

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Excellent start, what a beast with that mass! plenty of time left with plenty more areas to search, they're out there, now go find yourself your trophy!

 

DAN

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thats a pretty cool buck. nice pictures and nice write up.

 

just one question, where is the kill shot video?

 

good luck on the rest of your hunt.

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Great job Matthew on a really neat buck. The blading is wicked cool!

 

Good luck Christian on the rest of your hunt. Hopefully the rut will be on fire by then.

 

Loved the recap and pics as well.

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