2007 NOVEMBER BUCK

[whisper]

My Nov hunt started early on Thursday Nov. 8th. My hunting partners and I started our hike at 3:00 am to get an early scout in. Since we had three tags to fill we were anxious to find our bucks. It was a hot and painful day. I developed large blisters on both heels from the long hike to our camping spot. Thursdays scouting showed no promise. Only a few small bucks. Uncertain of our Friday hunting spot we decided to try a canyon that we had not seen before but looked like a really good area. The morning hike into this area started at 4:30 am, man was it torturous. We finally reached our destination right before sun up. Our adrenaline and high hopes going we glassed frantically trying to find that big buck. No big buck! Only small bucks all day. Disappointed, we bagan the long hike back just before dark. That night another buddy of ours joined us help fill our tags. We decided to split up the next day and hunt different canyons. It would be me and my buddy that hiked in the night before hunting together. Sleeping through the alarm we got a late start and could not make it to the canyon we wanted to be in so we chose a closer one. No shooters all morning. The other group had some luck and one of them shot at a decent three point but missed. We decided to try the canyon we did'nt make to that morning for the evening hunt. My buddy finally spotted a nice buck about 2500 yards away. We decided to try and get closer but lost him when we got over to were he was. Three of us including my self had to leave that night, so we made the long hike out with doubt of finding a good buck again. Two of the guys stayed another day with no luck in seeing any shooters. With no one able to take time off during the week, I was solo. I finally got back to hunting on Tuesday afternoon in an area I have never been before. That afternoon and next morning I did not see one buck only does. I decided mid day to go back to the area we had seen the nice three point on saturday afternoon but approach the canyon from a different vantage. I got to the camping spot I wanted to be at around 5:00 pm on Wednesday. Not able to get to the vantage I glassed from camp and only seen a few does. Excited for the next day I could barely sleep. My excitement turned to disgust when the wind started blowing hard at about 3:00 am. Nowing the wind usually keeps the deer from moving I was uncertain of what I would see. I hiked to the vantage in the dark and got set up. I was set up a good distance away from the canyon I was trying to glass and it would of been a good spot except the wind blew in alot of dust and the cloud cover made it hard to glass from that distance. Not seeing any bucks I decided to get closer. I drove to a point in the road I glassed that would put me in better position to hike to another vantage. I got to this point about 10:30 am. I glassed all the bedding areas as best I could but with the wind my binos were shaking like a tumbler. Frustrated and disappointed in the weather I decided to take a nap. That did'nt last very long. It started sprinkling and the wind picked up even more. Now more frustrated, I went back to glassing as best I could and told myself about 100 time to not go back to the truck. I only spotted four does at this point. At 2:00 I decided to get closer to the canyon and get a better veiw of the canyon we had seen that buck. I got closer and glassed every square inch I could see three times. No deer! It was getting close to 4:00 pm and the wind starting dying down. Uncertain of my location I told myself this is the last time I would glass this mountain to my right and then move to the other side of the ridge I was on and glass that. I got close to the top about mid way through and finally a BUCK!! A decent buck! Then another BUCK!! Alot bigger BUCK!! Holly crap a BIG BUCK!! This was definitely the biggest buck I have ever glassed. My Heart rate going a mile a minute I ranged him at 506 yard. My first thought I need to get closer. Look around, no cover. I'm in the wide open. dang it! I have to shoot from here! I practiced a lot and shot a lot at far distances before the hunt for this reason, but still when you see a buck like this you don't want to screw it up. Set up my rifle with bipod down and dialed up the scope to that distance! Got on the buck! The pounding of haeart had the duplex moving with every beat! I told myself calm down, took a couple deep breaths, Pulled off my jacket set it under the stock! Nice and steady now! Waiting until he was broad side, compensated for the wind, and squeezed! BOOM! Did I hit him! I did'nt hear that thump! Got back on him and sure enough I hit him! Right through the front shoulders! He was stumpling down the hill quickly and could not really use his front legs. I wanted to put another one in him because I could see the shot was a little to far forward then I like but he was moving to quickly and did not offer another shot. He ended up in some thick brush. Got on the binos and all I could see was his head moving every now and then. I packed up my gear and headed to a rock outcrop that was higher then him. Got to this point and all I could see was his snout, some of his antlers, and some of his neck. Dialed the scope back down and put one right through the middle of his neck. Whoooo Huuu!! I got him. I was even more happy when I got up to him. I jumped around around like a little kid. My adrenaline lasted through the night. My buddy and I scored him at 103. Thanks to Nate, Mike, and Phil for being great hunting parners and I wish you guys were there.

[Red Rabbit]

I think anyone would be dancing around like a little kid with your success. Congrats!

[GameHauler]

Great story and Harvest.

Thanks for sharing it with us.

Mike

[CouesWhitetail]

Way to stick with it! gorgeous buck! Nice job!

 

Amanda

[KidBowHunter]

congrats with an awesome buck!

[steward224]

Nice write-up. I wish I could have been there. All of your hard work paid off and all I can say is you deserve it man. That is one heck of a buck. Congrats again, I could not be happier for you.

Mike

[az4life]

500 yards is a heck of a shot for a heck of a buck

Congratulations.

What gun / scope / bullet were you shooting?

[out2hunt]

Way to reach out and touch him!!!!That is a beautiful buck for sure!!!!Way to go man!!!!

[firstcoueswas80]

Stud for sure! and thats one heck of a poke as well! I would have guessed him a little higher than 103" though! heck yeah man great job!

[whisper]

I used a Remington model 700 in 308 win with a Zeiss 4.5-14 conquest using reloads that shot a Hornady 130 gr. SP. I did a lot of work to the rifle this year. I put a new stock. Pillar and glass bed it. Put the Zeiss on it and work on the load quite a bid. I got it dialed in to shoot sub half MOA at 100. All that work payed off.

[azcouesandelk]

Congrats ona great looking buck and on a great shot!

[111]

That's a great buck, Congrats!!

[PRED8R]

Nice job

[Azlongears]

heck Yeah Kyle!!!!!!

 

Good job man, great buck. I know you guys put the work in !!!!

[Hunterdan]

Congrats on a great Buck..