LEFTY & JR ARE DOWN!!!

[bowfishAZ]

After an awesome year last year that Justin(gotcoues) and I had together we didn't know how we could ever top it. We jumped right back into scouting and found we had a new surprise upon us! This buck had showed up in October of 2015. Because of his awesome left side from his 2015 antlers we dubbed him Lefty.



Lefty was a deer that caught our attention. We were determined to pin point this buck for the 2016 season. Lefty was not a regular customer at the camera. He would show up once maybe twice a month but being hard horned we were optimistic.

After a long winter and spring the deer started to drop their antlers and regrow. We knew lefty was going to be a very cool deer. Not expecting him to be much more than he already was in 2015, we were super pumped when we checked the camera to see his 2016 antlers growing!





Still lefty only frequent the camera once or twice a month. This told us that he lived a ways away from where this camera was. With other cameras in the area and no pictures of lefty on them, we narrowed down where he was living. The archery hunt had come and gone by this time and Justin and myself did not tag out on an archery buck. This year was my year to have first dibs on which buck I was going to hunt and for obvious reasons I chose lefty.

We spent some time trying to get glass on him and had no luck. A week before the hunt I was at home with my 5 year old boy and 16 month old daughter because my wife was out of town and Justin packed majority of our supplies into camp. He stayed for the evening and morning to glass and had no luck turning up lefty.

Wednesday the 19th came around and that was the day my buddy Kyle(prowlerman) and I packed in. We got a late start in the morning but knew we would be at camp and ready to glass the evening. After about a 3 hour walk we arrived to camp. We set up camp and it was time to head up to the glassing point. It was about 3pm and We started finding small bucks and does right away. Around 5pm the action slowed way down and now we were finding bedded deer only. I slowed way down and started focusing just on the ground. I see a buck laying down chewing his cud. I ask Kyle for the spotter and bam! It's Lefty! We went from 0 to 1000! I was too shaky to get any pics but Kyle was able to get a good one



We watched him till dark and he never got up. Thursday came and went with no sighting of Lefty. Justin was now at camp and the 3 of us were very excited for opening day.
Friday morning we hammered the canyon that I had found lefty in. We saw every buck that we had seen previously except Lefty. Now we're wondering if he's in the next canyon over and the what ifs start playing over and over in my head but I knew he was in that canyon and it was just a matter of time. Friday night at camp we decided Justin will go to one glassing point and Kyle and I will go to the same point that I had found him from.
Saturday morning we eat and go our separate ways with only communication from our radios. Glassing light rolls around and we start. I start at the last place I saw lefty and work my way right getting into the next canyon over. I tell myself no I need to stay in his canyon so I pan back to his bed. I go up to the top, pan left and start my way down when I see some deer. It's a buck.. Then his head turns.. I tell Kyle "I've got him dude!!" I give directions to Kyle of where the bucks at and he watches him while I get set up. Kyle radios Justin that we found him and we're going to kill him.
I had Kyle my wind meter because there was a full value breeze. I get a range on him. 756 yards. Kyle tells me wind is hitting 7-8 mph. I punch all my numbers into strelok for my elevation and wind age MOA. 13.75 elevation and 3.75 windage. I put the bipod down and rest the stock on my pack. I find Lefty right away and zoom into 20 power. I confirm with Kyle that he's ready and start my squeeze. The 270WSM goes off sending the 130 gr accubond and I hear Kyle "ohhh sh.t!! You Smoked him!" I chamber another round and get back on him just In time to see him tumble over. Justin came running over. After some high fives and laughs we knew we had to go break down and pack camp, go get lefty, break him down and hike about another 2 hours to go hunt Justin's target buck.
Lefty ended up (not official) scoring 121 4/8". My best to date.

We get Lefty cut up and packed up. Heavy packs for about 2 hours to where we need to be to hunt JR. JR is another buck we have had on camera for 2 years now. We did put glass on JR last year as well so we had an idea of what this buck did. We made it to camp at about 3pm and decided to just hangout and not glass the eve. I got the cape off of leftys skull and hung the meat.
Sunday morning I helped glass till about 1030. Justin decided he would help pack half of Lefty up the steep part of my walk out and leave Kyle on the hill to glass. We found a lot of deer Sunday morning but not JR. 1030 rolled around and we bailed off the hill to camp. We packed lefty up the hill, I took the rest of the meat and Justin made his way back. Justin stopped at camp for lunch then was heading to the glassing hill when he spots a deer. Sees its a buck. It's JR!!!! 39 yards with his glock .40, JR needs to take 1 more step. Finally he steps out and Justin lets 3 go hitting him 2 of 3 and dropping his buck! Meanwhile Kyle is on the hill no more than 250 yards away and the first thing that goes through his mind is Justin just got attack by a bear! They get into contact and Kyle heads off he hill to meet him at his buck. I get a text from Justin about what happen as I'm still packing my buck out and I'm in disbelief! This was such a demanding but very fun hunt and I don't know how will ever top it!
I stayed at home Sunday night and went back in Monday morning and we pack up camp and JR and made our way to the truck
JR ended up going 106 7/8"
JR 2015

JR 2016

Justin Kyle and JR

[ready2hunt]

DANG!!! GREAT JOB GUYS

[eagle#eyes]

Those are some sweet deer

[azpredator@work]

Awesome story. Gotta be one of very few monster coues bucks killed with a glock!

[Allforelk]

Heck of a double! Congratulations!

[bgshooter]

Nice couple of bucks. Congrats!!!

[trphyhntr]

wow thats crazy. i couldnt hit a deer with a pistol from 10 feet.

[PowellSixO]

Lol. Awesome story!! Thanks for sharing.

[el diablo]

Awesome story and 2 nice bucks. Congrats.

[Lucky Draw]

Wow! Congrats on your hard work paying off.

[More D]

Did Lefty lose a main beam point this year?

 

That are both what coues dreams are made!

[buddydog]

Great job!! You guys are animals!!

[Coues Sniper]

Great bucks and write up, but dude, you look bored sitting next to a 120

 

Killing a 106 with a Glock is insane.

[GreeneMachine]

Man, y'all straight up GET IT DONE every year. Tons of respect for you guys. Congrats.

[Shawn]

Great bucks! Congrats