mxslaugh Report post Posted November 11, 2011 Ok it has been awhile since my last good Coues (1994), with that being said I haven’t been this excited for a hunt in a long time. My two good friends’ Charlie and Greg were also lucky enough to get drawn for this hunt. We have been able to kill several bucks over 100 in this unit before so my hopes where high for a good buck. Charlie has been hunting for one buck in particular that we thought would score really well. Unfortunately we have not been able to kill this buck yet. We have trailcam pics of him in 2009 & 2010 also. The hunt started a week before the opening day by me going and setting up camp. The bad part was I only found four does the whole time I was there, not a good start. Opening morning finds us glassing up three hunters on horse back going up the same trail as we where. Second strike for the hunt. When we got to a good vantage point to glass back Charlie glassed up a good black bear but the unit had already closed which hasn’t happened in a long time (too bad because I had a bear tag burning a hole in my wallet). We then proceeded to a tank that we had a camera set up on from the week before. Charlie had lead going to the tank it was 8:20 by now and we just wanted to check the camera. Just before we got there we spotted a deer but we didn’t have the angle to see its head. Charlie went up the hill in the direction that the deer had gone to try to get a good shooting lane. The deer came to a fence which it didn’t even hesitate to jump. The next 3.5 seconds seem to go in slow motion, all that I could see was one nice buck running away from us. Over the next seven hours the only thing to come to the tank was three guys on horseback. This was turning out to be one long day but it wasn’t over just yet. Before we got back to camp we got a text from Greg that he had wrecked Charles four-wheeler when going to get another friend that has the late bull tag for the unit and was going to due some scouting with us while we were hunting. Luckily he was all right. We learned one thing from this don’t camp where you can get service because it was on Facebook before we where able to get home (mad wives). The next day was way more uneventful thank goodness, I think. Day three found us glassing country that we thought was normally consider muley country. Then we found three coues deer this was about 7:30 a.m.. They went over the ridge out of view, thankfully we where able to get around on the road to a different vantage point which took us about one hour to do. We then spent about five hours glassing before we finally found this buck agin. The next two hours were spent deciding if I was going to go after this buck. It came down to if I would shoot this buck on the last day or not. I guess pictures speak louder than words. He may not be the biggest but I was dang happy with him. I finally shot him at about 5:35 p.m.. This whitetail weighs a lot! I ended up leaving him on the mountain due to it getting dark and some how I ended up without a light of any kind, not even my cell phone, unheard of in this day and age. This night was one of the longest nights that I have had in some years. The next morning couldn’t come early enough. If it wasn’t for Charlie I don’t know if I would have found my deer. He was covered up by a cat of some sort, no-good paw prints. But got some good pics. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Couzer Report post Posted November 11, 2011 Wow check that out!!! Great buck and awesome pictures! Good thing you waited to the next morning to recover him, might of had a lion to deal with in the darkness (my worse nightmare). I bet the Lion was still close by though!!! Did you guys here any shots from the guys on horse back? Pretty cool how those main beams hook back!! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pine Donkey Report post Posted November 11, 2011 That is a great buck. Sounds like your buck almost became lion poop! Great story, thanks for sharing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gotcoues Report post Posted November 11, 2011 That's pretty crazy, so he didn't eat any of the buck? Just covered him a bit.... Great buck, neat character! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BirdDog20 Report post Posted November 11, 2011 That books looks a little like he has some hybrid in him with the way the antler's branch in the back tines. That was a close one w/ the mountain lion. Haha. Awesome story. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cramerhunts Report post Posted November 11, 2011 Congratulations on a great buck, looks like it was a good decision to take him. Crazy stuff with the cat covering him up, pretty lucky to find him still in one piece. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ScottAdams Report post Posted November 11, 2011 Really a nice buck!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BELLOTABUCKS Report post Posted November 11, 2011 stud of a buck you got there! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bisbee Report post Posted November 12, 2011 Dang, I would have at least tagged him if I was leaving him out all night. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coach Report post Posted November 12, 2011 Nice buck for sure and great job! You should be glad it was a cat that found him. Here is what they look like when a bear finds them. This is less than 12 hours from when it was killed (not my buck, btw).... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chef Report post Posted November 12, 2011 Crazy stuff with the lion and that bear! Congrats on your neat buck and best of luck finding that bruiser on your trailcam!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SunDevil Report post Posted November 13, 2011 nice buck for sure. interesting to see what the lion did with it. coyotes would have feasted. thanks for sharing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ernesto C Report post Posted November 13, 2011 Ggssss Man I would be really happy too!! Congratulations on a succesfull hunt and thanks for sharing that "crazy stuff" with us Ernesto C Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted November 13, 2011 Very nice buck! neat find with the cat covering it up like that. Was all the meat still good after leaving him out there overnight? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Distance Report post Posted November 13, 2011 OMG. what a great story and pics. thank you so much for sharing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
