"You've got to work for it"

[PatrickJr]

“YOU’VE GOT TO WORK FOR IT”

 

It all started off in late October, a family friend John Adams, showed my father and I a spot that he has gone through before but never really had the time to investigate. We had gone in there to scout the week before my father’s Unit 33 Muzzleloader hunt began. We didn’t find much, but the area looked very promising. On the Sunday of my father’s hunt (the last day we could hunt), John found a buck that was most certainly a shooter. I watched him at 600 yards for a little less than a half-hour while my father and John made the hike to a hill that would put them within shooting distance of this buck. Just before they made it into shooting position, I watched the buck walk over the hill. We found him later in the day chasing a couple does, but were way too far for a shot.

I really wished my father had shot that buck, but I kept in mind that my hunt began the next Friday. During the week, I spoke to another family friend, Pat Romero (who had to be in Washington DC for work, otherwise would have been accompanying me on my hunt), and I told him about the past weekend’s events. Pat assured me that I would find that buck within 500 yards of where I last saw him. This just made me even more nervous and excited for my hunt!

 

It’s opening morning of my unit 33 youth deer hunt, my father and I hiked up a wash and started to climb up to our glassing spot. We were a little late, but when we drove in, we did not see a single truck and then I start to hear some ruckus in the wash. IT WAS SOMEONE WALKING UP THE WASH! I just about had a heart attack, not a single truck on the way in and somebody is walking right to my glassing spot! Well, to my pleasant surprise, it was John! He decided to hunt the morning with us! We finished hiking up the hill and started to glass. At about 7AM, I saw 3 does run right to left about 800 yards out. I took my eyes out of the binoculars and told John and my father where they were. When I went back to them, I saw a deer chasing a doe with its head down and its butt up, just like a bird dog. I knew right away without even seeing antlers that this was our buck. Looking through the spotting scope proved what I thought. John and I started to go to a hill that we thought we could get to and wait for the buck to come into sight. We got the top of the ridge and sat down. John reacquired the buck and the buck had us pegged. I was unable to get a shot because of grass in front of my muzzle and manzanita covering the buck’s vitals. Once again, I had to watch this great buck go over the hill, taking his does. Looking for him the rest of the morning turned up nothing but more does.

 

With an uneventful evening looking for mule deer and javelinas in the flats, we were back at our glassing spot from the previous morning. In the exact same spot where I found the buck and his does the morning before, I found a smaller buck and 4 does. I was game to shoot anything that was a fork or larger. My father told me that this buck in fact was a “forkie” (and he held up a double peace sign). This was my que to go. I decided to go to the same ridge I went to the morning before with John as my father watched the buck and would give me updates as needed. This would be my first solo stalk on a deer. Before I got to the crest of the ridge, I took a cartridge from my pocket and chambered it. I now had 1 chambered round backed up by 3 in the magazine of my 257 Weatherby Magnum topped with a Burris Droptine 4.5-14x42.

 

I figured the deer would be within sight once I got over the ridge so I dropped my walking stick and my pack, only carrying my binoculars, rangefinder and rifle. I caught a glimpse of a deer in the sun as I crept over. I sat down in the exact spot that I was trying to get a shot from the day before. I knew that if I tried to go prone the grass would be in the way, so I extended my bipod out all the way and got ready. I ranged the 5 deer at 270 yards, and I set my parallax on the scope. I watched the deer as they moved farther to my left and so I ranged them again. 237. I reset the parallax and took aim. The 4 does filtered out from behind the manzanita and of course the buck was last. He stopped in a perfect opening. The buck was quartering towards me and to the left. I settled my 200 yard crosshair high on his shoulder and took a deep breath then let half of it out and started my squeeze. The shot surprised me and I quickly chambered another round and looked through the scope just in time to see the buck do a couple final kicks behind the manzanita. I watched as the does lingered and just intently starred into the bushes but didn’t run off and I did not see any movement from the bushes where the buck had fallen behind. My father called me about 5 minutes later and congratulated me, he said that he saw the buck dropped like a ton of bricks out of view and then heard the report of the rifle. I gave the deer some time and asked my dad to stay on him and when I get over there to talk me into the deer as there were not any landmarks. I packed up my belongings and actually left the brass (which I went back and retrieved). I got over to my buck after a lot of needed help finding him from my father. It would have taken me hours to find him if it weren’t for my dad talking me in to his location. The buck didn't go anywhere, and i hate to sound cliche, but he dropped in is tracks.

 

He is my smallest deer, but he means a whole lot more to me than just antlers. I know everyone says that but I really mean it, I found the deer, stalked him solo, killed him at the shortest distance I have ever shot a deer, field dressed him and packed him out, I also set a new personal record by killing this deer at 7:15 in the morning. I really had to work for him. This was also the first animal taken with my 257 Weatherby Magnum that my dad bought for me nearly 11 months ago. I couldn’t have done it without the magnificent help of my father, Lloyd Wundrock, and whom I consider a lifelong friend, John Adams. John has put in a lot of hard work to put my father and I in the positions where we could even have a chance at a good deer. And of course, what would I do without my father who has given me all the opportunities to succeed and has just simply been there for me through thick and thin, hunting or not. Sorry for such the long read but this is the story as I believe it should be told. And sorry for no pics with my dad, I had to take pics by myself.

 

 

 

 

The circle is the location of the buck when I shot and where i found him

[cramerhunts]

Nice job young man, congratulations and great job on your story!

[lancetkenyon]

Great, and I mean AWESOME write-up. Congrats on the deer. A true trophy. I see big things in your future. You are on the road for a great life in all aspects with the attitude you have learned from family and friends. Good to see a stand-up man.

[CouesWhitetail]

Great write up and congratulations Patrick!!

[218buck]

Great job

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

Wholy cow buddy nice job, I am thinking we show you how to quarter next trip. Lol

[jim]

Good job Patrick.

[IA Born]

Great story and congratulations on a well-earned buck!

[stanley]

Outstanding!!! Great write-up and pics!

 

Thanks for sharing with the site!

 

S.

 

[PatrickJr]

Thanks everyone!

 

Wholy cow buddy nice job, I am thinking we show you how to quarter next trip. Lol

 

I know how to quarter a deer or even do the gutless method, i just chose not to because it was a pain in the but to even gut him due to the slope of the hill and i did not want dirt on my meat. It also was much easier to get back to camp and hang the deer up then go from there.

[bigorange]

Great write-up. Thanks for sharing. Congrats!

[Old Buck]

Good story. You look good with the deer on your back! By the way, how can I contact you next month to carry my deer?

[PatrickJr]

Good story. You look good with the deer on your back! By the way, how can I contact you next month to carry my deer?

 

Haha Sorry, i'm full for next month and January, you have to schedule with me at least 4-5 months in advance!!!

[twowindy]

Great job and a great story Patrick.Congrats!

[carpcody]

Good job.