soccerstar2013 Report post Posted January 11, 2012 Went out yesterday in hopes of filling my early 2012 tag! I went out by myself in the morning glassed up around 50 does and one buck it was a little spike! I have seen more bucks and much bigger bucks in this area but decided to put the stalk on him anyway for good practice got to 30 yards and got busted! It was a good morning altogether! After that I decided I would go home eat some lunch and head back out. I was planning on hunting by myself that evening seeing as my dad was out of town for work, but to my surprise I got a call from my dad letting me know he would be home in time to go out with me! I got the car all-ready to go so we could leave as soon as he got home! We headed out and got to our spot at around 4pm! Not a minute into glassing and I had a buck spotted and he looked nice but as soon as I saw him he disappeared. About 5 minutes went by when a deer stepped out, it was a spike. I knew the buck I had seen was bigger so we kept glassing that area when my Dad sees a nice wide 3x3 step out! I got my gear and started my stalk. 10 feet into my stalk I look up to my left and see 4 does staring at me. I figured if I just kept walking they wouldn't bust, and to my surprise it worked! I got another 50 yards only to be busted by what looked like a nice forky pushing a doe hard he stopped at 68 yards and I wasn't comfortable with the shot but I knew where he was if the 3x3 didn't work out! Turns out as I went to put the stalk on the 3x3 my dad watched this buck mount 2 does! I got within 100 yards of were I had last seen the 3x3 when all of a sudden it looked like the does up above had busted. I wasn't sure what had happened so I started to climb out of the wash to take a look, and just then I saw the 3x3 walking across the other hillside at 75 yards! He was getting further away so I bleated and he turned right around and headed to me. I was stuck behind a palo verde tree when he came over the lip at what I thought I ranged at 58 yards! So I drew leaned to the side put my 60 pin on him and sent the arrow 2 inches over his back! :/ He took off along with the other deer! I followed him into the next canyon when I glassed him and the other buck I saw earlier! After getting a look at the buck I thought was a forky and noticed it only had one antler with 3 points on it! Both deer were 150 yards across the canyon from me. The one antlered started to push a deer toward the bottom and the 3x3 followed. The one antlered deer turned on the 3x3 and chased him off, and then got back on his doe! After seeing the one antlered deer chase the deer over the hill I decided I wanted to shoot him because of his character and He seemed like a dominant buck in the area! He followed his doe down the canyon and across the main street. We tried to stay on him but lost him. We knew of a road that looked into the canyons where he went and I told my dad we should try it. My dad told me there was a 1 in a 100 chance of seeing that buck again and I believed him but I had to try! 15 minutes later we were over on the road and glassing! We had glassed 2 canyons and saw deer but no bucks. I told my dad to turn around and go back to the first canyon I had a feeling he was in there! We went back and about a minute into glassing I found him with 2 does and he was bedded 200 yards off the road. At this point we had chased him for 2.5 miles and there was 20 minutes of shooting light left. I grabbed my bow and just started walking at him hoping I would make it in time. I got to the last bush before it opened up across the wash from where he was and ranged him at 74 yards. I told myself I wouldn't shoot past 60 yards. Knowing how much time I had and that there was no cover I started walking out in the open and he stood up and moved behind the bush he was bedded in front off. I didn't know how to get closer to him without him taking off. Then I remembered on a pronghorn hunt I saw on t.v. the guy zigzagged back and forth so it didn't appear he was getting closer to the pronghorn! I tried it and it worked! I got to 58 yards put my 60 pin on him at let fly! THWACK What a Great noise to here he ran across the wash 40 yards from me and the blood was pouring out I had double lunged him! I went back to the car to talk to my dad because He said he saw him start to wobble and it looked like he went down! We gave him 45 minutes and went and found him piled up 150 yards away! Boy did he smell, He was all rutted up! He ended up dying 20 yards from a 2 track can you say easy pack out! Seeing as it was dark we decided we would go back today after I got off work to try and find my arrow! after looking for 30 minutes we found it 15 yards from were I shot him snapped in half! Hope you enjoy the pictures! This is last night when we found him: Last Night in the back of the car: This is my buck hung up in the backyard today: Shot placement: Today in front of WGP: The Arrow: I'M HOOKED!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pine Donkey Report post Posted January 11, 2012 Wow, you certainly drained the blood out of him! Great first buck, Congratulations! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues Archer Report post Posted January 11, 2012 Nice buck, great job. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted January 11, 2012 Congratulations! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bonecollector Report post Posted January 11, 2012 Nice shooting! Congrats Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ragu Report post Posted January 11, 2012 Nice work, and great persistence over the past few weeks. I have been following your other posts too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ADDICT Report post Posted January 11, 2012 Atta boy! Way to stick with it! Nice shot placement too! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tjhunt2 Report post Posted January 11, 2012 That was a great story and congratulations on your first archery deer. If you don't mind me giving a little advise here I would say skin him out as soon as possible the next time unless you had him in a walk in over night. Most deer in az need skinning out because of our weather. Thanks for sharing and congrats again. TJ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ForkHorn Report post Posted January 11, 2012 For 60 yards that is a dang good shot. Congratulations! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Elkaddict Report post Posted January 11, 2012 Good hit! My first buck wan't anywhere near that big and I shot it with a rifle! Congrats. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gotcoues Report post Posted January 11, 2012 Good for you! Congrats Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jimmyc Report post Posted January 11, 2012 Congrats! I cant tell you how awesome this forum is and the people that read and post comments on our kills. Great story, glad you were able to fill your tag. Can't wait to get mine filled. Nice unique buck. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
izquik72 Report post Posted January 11, 2012 Way to go congratulations Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
COOSEFAN Report post Posted January 11, 2012 GREAT job sticking with it and not being afraid to try new tactics! Huge congrats to you! JIM> Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DUG Report post Posted January 11, 2012 Your persistence has paid off. Way to go! You deserve it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
