What are the chances?

[SilentButDeadly]

So I had an interesting afternoon yesterday. I went out to my parent's house for dinner and thought I'd drive up to the local trailhead and do some glassing before dark. Near the parking area is a little knoll, so I figured I'd climb that (less than 100 yards) and glass since all I had on were flip-flops.

 

As I left the vehicle I thought 'ehh, I'll leave the fanny pack w/ video camera here - I've never seen any bucks out here anyway,'

 

No sooner than I got to the top of the hill I saw 2 deer going up the other side of the next drainage, I put my binos on them and saw that one was a buck, and he was missing an antler! I thought wow - muley's and one of them is dropping his antlers right now! Well, then the buck lifted his tail up and I about sh#$ myself. What I thought was a nice size 3x muley was actually the biggest Coue's I've ever seen! AND HE WAS MISSING ONE SIDE!!!

 

Anywho, they went over the ridge before I could get my tripod set up. I gave them a few minutes and then went running down the hill, across the drainage, and up the other side (in flip flops). I spotted them again and got a good look that time. The antler was actually broken off at the G1, so no he wasn't shedding - however he was still in the 110-120 range if he'd had both sides (I guessed him at 110 w no eye guard - busted off). Thats when I got really upset that I'd decided to leave my camera in the truck, and wear flip-flops.

 

So, the poll question is: Do you always see the big ones when you are unprepared?

[Red Rabbit]

As a Boy Scout, I was entrenched to "Be Prepared." Maybe that is why I never see the big ones and my pack weighs 80#

 

Doug ~RR

[IHunt2live]

The problem I have is that my camera wont take good pictures out that far. By the time you get your camera out the deer are long gone.

Its true though that when you forget your camera those are the times you realy wish you had one. Going out quail hunting I always think about bringing my bow just in case but when your tromping around the desert for quail and your dogs have beeper callers theres no way a deer will hang out long enough right?.?.? wrong. I've had whitetails look at my dog during the rut and you know their thinking "she looks pretty hot" and stand there long enough for an easy shot. Heck I had one stand there and look at me and he was so close I could have killed it with a shotgun if it was legal to take one with a shotgun.

O'well, makes for good stories though.

[firstcoueswas80]

Ive had good luck with being ready when I have seen big bucks, and even got a photo of one really nice buck ( john and I thought 100-105). The biggest buck I have ever seen was quail hunting and we kicked him up from the truck, no chance for a photo. The biggest buck I have ever glassed, it was too dark to take a photo.

 

As a side note, one of these bucks is "Clubber", The buck Jnoblenaz killed and won the photo contest with!

 

[youngbuck]

I bought the smallest digital camera i could find, and carry it in my pocket alot. I have been lucky to catch a few nice ones

[bcoover]

I think the largest buck I have seen was ten feet off the road. No camera

[COOSEFAN]

It makes me sick thinking back on missed opportunities! But for some reason it does seem like good things usually happen when you don't have the camera, the battery is dead or even when the darn thing won't turn on due to condensation! ( happened this year )

 

Congrats on finding and at least getting to watch one of those all to rare ELF's (Elusive Little Fudgers!) JIM>