coues addict Report post Posted January 1, 2006 Hi All Well, I got back from Arizona on the 29th and I had an ok hunt. Not quite what I hoped for but ok. Before I go into the details I must say I have been totally mesmerized by Scott Adams and Amanda`s stories with the awesome pictures. Great stories Scott and Amanda. Not just there stories but everyone`s. I have to tell you guys that I have really been looking forward to this hunt ever since I found out I drew the tag. It really couldn`t have come at a worse time though! My Dad has had two surgeries this month and my wife and I have been running him back and forth to the hospital and to see various doctors.Needless to say I have been really distracted. I was all set to leave on the opener but Dad needed another surgery on the same weekend. Poor Guy, I really feel bad for him because he just can`t get around like he used to. I thank God for my own reasonably good heath! Well, I decided to leave super early on Monday morning the 26th. It is about an eight hour drive to where I like to hunt. I got into camp around 1.00 P.M. after ''1 flat tire'' and proceeded to set up camp. I have to tell you guys it is not near as fun without your hunting buddies. I managed to get My Wall tent and camp set up in around 2 hours. I got to do some glassing monday afternoon but did not spot any deer. Day two, Dec.27th.I got up at 3.30 a.m. and whipped up some killer breakfast burritos! packed my pack and headed to one of my favorite glassing spots about a mile and a half from camp. It was cool out but not terribly cold. I was a little bummed about that but ''Oh Well''. I began glassing and I couldn`t find a deer. I continued to move and glass untill noon! I mean I was really surprised. Not one deer! Then around 12.15 I spotted a doe bedded below me in a huge canyon under an oak tree. I watched the doe and soon spotted a second doe. I saw no bucks. I then spotted another doe above the two does and I watched to see if any bucks would show up. Nothing happened and I decided to take a short nap. When I woke up I soon spotted a buck north of where the does were but he was a average fork horn! I watched the buck for about an hour and decided he was alone. I soon spotted two more does across the canyon and above the other does. I was fairly excited to at least see these groups of does. It was getting fairly late in the evening when I decided to head back to camp. I took a different route back as I knew the area fairly well. I was topping a ridge about a mile from camp and heading down a canyon just as the sun was going down and as I hit the bottom I saw a large bodied deer to my right. I stopped and glassed him with my small glasses and It was a Buck! Fairly wide and heavy but really short points. He was only about 200 yards and he had me pegged. I tried to set up my big glasses but he took off before I could get setup. I knew he wasn`t that big but still fairly nice! I continued on towards camp as it was getting dark and I jumped two more whitetails ,they flagged and I couldn`t tell if they were bucks or does. I got to camp around 5.30 p.m. Ca. time. I made dinner and hit the sack! Day three Dec. 28th. I woke up about 4.00 a.m. and whipped up more killer breakfast burritos (my basic hunting food). I had decided to take my jeep and travel about two miles from camp and hunt yet a different area west of where I had been on day two. It seemed a bit colder out and I was really excited! I packed in about a mile from the road and got to another favorite glassing spot! I set up my fifteen`s and started glassing. I imediately saw a buck and shortly thereafter a second buck. They were about thirty yards apart and walking the same direction. I knew there had to be a doe close by and sure enough there was about twenty yards below them. The bucks were about 450 yards away across a deep canyon. The first buck was a nice forked horn maybe 70'' or so. the second was an ok three point maybe 80'' or so. The three point was definitely the dominant buck. The doe stopped and squatted the bigger buck went right up to that spot, tasted the pee lip curled and immediatly decided that he needed to find another doe. I watched as he headed due north! It was really cool though to see all that. I watched the smaller buck and the doe for about 2 hours and they bedded across the canyon in front of me. I decided this was probably not a bad place to stay a while. I continued to glass and about an hour later on a high bench at the very top of the ridge I spotted another buck bedded. He was definitely bigger than either of the other two but he was a long way off. I ranged him at 905 yards. I watched him for quite some time and decided he was nice but not quite what I was after. At about 2.30 p.m. I spotted two other does on the same ridge. The larger buck finally got up and he looked fairly good size, but something wasn`t quite right with his rack!I decided to get a little closer. I packed all my stuff and sidehilled on my side of the canyon to within 600 yards. I set up my binos and got a better look at him. He was now feedind behind the tree he had been bedded under. He looked fairly nice but something just wasn`t quite right. I think he had a busted left main beam! Bummer! It was about ten minutes before the sun went down and I decided to back out and save this buck for later. As I was packing all my stuff into my pack I remember thinking "Darn thats to bad". I was just about to slip down into the canyon when I took one last look at the buck and I noticed another buck with him!I had to re setup my big glasses and check them both out. The new buck was definitely smaller than the one I had been watching all day. Then I noticed the bigger buck started heading closer down the bench he was on. The sun was down now and I decided to go ahead and watch him as long as possible! Big mistake! He got to 550 yards, then 500yards, then 450 yards, He was loooking better all the time . The wind was perfect and I could tell he wasn`t stopping! Soon, he was 350 yards, then 300 yards, I was able to tell his left main beam was indeed broken! I watched and in disbelief as he continued to walk and feed closer, now 250yards. He was now actually below me in a draw and I decided to get out while I could without spooking him. I was packing all my stuff into my back pack when I looked up and saw him on the same bench I was sitting on at approximately 150yards. He was beautiful even though he had a broken main bem. He continued even closer to maybe 90 yards. That was it! I couldn`t help the fact that he just committed suicide! I raised up my rifle and drilled him! I remember thinking "Never look a gift horse in the mouth''. The buck ran about thirty yards and crashed! I packed all my stuff went over to him and proceeded to find out both main beams were broken. " Damm what a shame'' Oh well. I thought thats hunting! I skinned and bonned untill about 8.00 p.m Ca. Time. I packed meat head and all back to my jeep. Drove back to camp and got in around 9.00 p.m. I knew I screwed up by watching the buck way to long. But," We live and learn'' is what my Dad always says and so goes another hunting season. I don`t have a digital but I will post pics as soon as I get them developed. He is not that great on rack size but he did provide a lot of thrills and I am sure some great eating!!!! Late!!! Rich P.S. My Dad is doing pretty good too! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHT_MTNMAN Report post Posted January 1, 2006 Rich- First off cool story, and great can't wait to see pictures. As have been said many, many times, score doesn't have the final say in how many memories you'll keep. Glad to hear about your dad, hope he continues to get better. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Rabbit Report post Posted January 1, 2006 Rich, It's not too often that those venison cuts fall right into the lap of the dutch oven. Glad your dad's doing better. Since you were solo, you probably had a lot of time to reflect on the events of the past year. Best wishes to ya on this new year. Doug Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Ernesto C Report post Posted January 1, 2006 Well ALELUYA for your buck and for your dad Rich. cool,hey dont worry,my buck had no main beams........in had only eye guards Felicidades my brother and Happy New Year. Say hi to your wife,God bless. Ernesto C Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted January 1, 2006 Rich, Interesting story! And I know that "never look a gift horse in the mouth" feeling. I have killed two bucks because it was just too perfect a setup to ignore. Sometimes it just seems like a gift from God how it all works out. Not many people can say they have gotten a buck with two busted main beams! I would like to see the photos! Amanda Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
az4life Report post Posted January 2, 2006 Amen Actually they all are Gifts from God! Good story and glad you got your gift! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DEERSLAM Report post Posted January 2, 2006 Can't blame ya for takin that buck, sounds like he was a battler. Congrats and thanks for the story. Looking foward to the pics. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
