Tines Report post Posted January 4, 2013 I got this buck on camera back in September. Just a cool looking buck! I didn't have much time to look for him during the early hunts but I was excited when my good friend Ben Blosser of Outer Limit Archery flew out from Indiana for his late rifle Coues tag. Like many other hunters, he's waited several years for this tag. I picked Ben up at the Tucson airport Christmas night at 11:37pm and after a brief "nap" at my place we were sitting on a point the next morning in the country this buck seemed to live in. The action was great! We saw quite a few bucks. Ben was holding out for a 100" buck and I thought we could do that. In the afternoon, I glassed up this buck right below us. What a beautiful representation of a 3x3 buck. It was pretty windy that afternoon and although I knew he'd touch the 100" mark, I wasn't sure how much (if any) he would go beyond that due to my binos a little shaky. It was hard but we decided to let him go. I did manage to get some decent footage of him so when I got home I threw it on the big screen. I'll admit that I was a little discouraged after seeing him again as I thought the buck would go about 102-103". But it was the first day and we felt we'd see him again. Not to mention, the cool, narrow 3x4 was always in the back of my mind. Day 2 came and started out just as the first- plenty of action and bucks seen. About 900am we glassed up the 3x3 again as he was walking away at about 700yds. Not much we could do at that point. We continued to glass for another 30 minutes or so until we heard some rocks tumble below us. We glanced down with our eyes and a buck was about 150 yds away chasing a doe RIGHT BELOW US! I threw the binos on him and it was him- the 3x4 from my camera! It was so cool to see him hard-horned finally. We tried to set up as quickly as possible for a shot but it didn't take long for the buck to chase the doe completely out of sight from us. We gathered our things up shortly after and circled around to try and find the buck mid-day. The only thing we found were some small bucks and ourselves in a snow storm about 4pm! So we had to bail off the mountain and turn in a little earlier than we wanted. Day 3 was VERY uneventful! We couldn't figure it out after the first two days of some great action, then nothing. But it is what it is. Day 4 came and I wasn't able to go out in the morning. I needed some family time. My wife was able to go do her thing (spend some money) and I hung out with the kids. It was much needed. My wife got home and I headed out to meet Ben who was already on the mountain. We contemplated on going to a different area for some new scenery that afternoon but a really good buddy saw a good buck as he was in the same area that morning. So we gave it another shot. I drove (safely) and climbed as fast as I could to meet Ben. I got to him at 2pm. I caught my breath, we talked for 10min about what he'd seen that morning then I started getting my glasses out. I put them on the tripod and no joke, within 10 seconds I had the narrow 3x4 in my view at 400yds. I almost couldn't believe it. What are the odds??!! Ben probably thought I was joking but sure enough, there he was, cruising the bottom! Ben managed to get on a steady rest pretty fast. The buck stopped behind a tree that was a few yards in front of us so Ben had to re-position himself. With Ben's movement the buck had us pegged. I could hear Ben slowing his breathing down and finally.......click. MISFIRE! Ben jacked another one in and settled in. He shoots......and barely misses to the right. We're pretty sure the wind blew the bullet just to the right of his chest as he was 360 yds. The buck flinched and started to nervously walk off. Ben chambered another round and made a quick follow-up shot. He connected this time but quite a bit back. I couldn't quite tell where he hit as the follow-up shot was a little quicker than I expected. The buck's hind end dropped but he regained his footing and hobbled off, favoring his right leg, then disappeared. He acted like he was hit hard even though I was nervous about what appeared to be the location of the hit. We could only hope that it was enough to put him down. Over the next 45 minutes, we picked everything apart and he never came out. I moved to a different vantage point and nothing. I decided to walk down through the bottom while Ben set up high in case the buck managed to get up and go. I hate the feeling of not knowing whether he's down for good or ready to bolt at any sight of a human. I made it down to the bottom and walked up to the location he was standing. No blood there but I found a small drop about 20 yds away. More and more blood started appearing as I followed his tracks until there was enough to make the adrenaline start pumping through my body. And this wasn't even my buck! Haha! And then it stopped...... Luckily I knew better and looked downhill on the steep slope. There he was, all piled up against a tree. My celebratory yell made it to Ben and his didn't take long to echo back. He made it down to me and I had him follow the blood to the buck. It was a gratifying ending to such a cool buck. I'm grateful that such a good guy wrapped his tag around this bucks antlers. Thanks for letting me tag along, Ben. And those that read, thanks for reading! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues Sniper Report post Posted January 5, 2013 SWEET buck. Love them tall and narrow. Congrats on killing a deer you had so much history with - very satisfying. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peloncillo Report post Posted January 5, 2013 That is a beautiful buck. Thanks for sharing the story and photos. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted January 5, 2013 Wow!! Great story and amazing buck!! That's just awesome! Congratulations Ben and Jake!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
loco4coues Report post Posted January 5, 2013 great buck! thanks for sharing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firstcoueswas80 Report post Posted January 5, 2013 That's is a really cool buck! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Will K Report post Posted January 5, 2013 Totally awesome. Big congrat's. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHT_MTNMAN Report post Posted January 5, 2013 Freakin awesome... i killed one similar but that one is so much bigger and way cool Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues Sniper Report post Posted January 5, 2013 That is a beautiful buck. Thanks for sharing the story and photos.Keven, could you give some info on the buck in your avatar? Sweet mercy man, that thing is rediculous. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesBuckhunter Report post Posted January 5, 2013 Congrats. You guys surely put your work in. That buck was earned and well deserved. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
markhunts Report post Posted January 5, 2013 WOW!! Congrats guys! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigorange Report post Posted January 5, 2013 Very nice buck! Congrats! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
couespatrol Report post Posted January 5, 2013 Thats a toad! Congrats. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cramerhunts Report post Posted January 5, 2013 Great write up and even better buck. Love the history you have of him and then being able to have Ben take him is just too cool. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bonecollector Report post Posted January 5, 2013 What a stud of a buck and very well written story. Congrats to the both of you. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
