Well went back down today more on a scouting mission then hunting. Goal was to try to find some sort of pattern in the group I have been watching over the last week. Well like every other time they were all in different spots going different directions. Most times there are around 30+ deer in this spot but today I only saw a group of 7 does with one small buck all mules and a lone doe further up the vally. Just as I was about to leave the over look I see a doe and two fawns pop out a mile south up in the bottom of the main draw. Watched them for a couple minutes but nothing much was happening and we winding down once again with a fourth deer appeared. Put the scope on them and sure as shit it's that same buck I posted earlier on this thread. Well they feed along and disappeared into what I knew was an L shaped side draw.
Well I knew when I passed on him last time that if he put himself in a bad spot my self-restraint would probably go out the window.....and it reluctantly did! I knew if I drove down the road I could get to a spot where I could backtrack 3/4 of a mile downwind of where I last saw them and guessed they now might be. Problem one was I didn't have any boots with just some slip on loafers (remember wasn't planning on hunting) and no two was I for got to put my sling on my riffle. Well oh well can't have everything I guess, so I took off to where I was guessing they would be. There were cows all over so I was trying not to stampede the whole lot end of the draw they were in and possibly spooking them. Well as I got near I was watching the bottom of the draw I was working look hard for any sign of them. As I went around the tip of a small little cut my eye caught movement at my elevation on the tip of the opposing side of my draw. Got as low as I could and moved along the little cut I was going around and got close to the edge. Seeing where they were I knew it was going to be the right deer due to it being a perfect buck bedding spot. Looking out across I spotted him straight off at a touch over 300 and he had me marked aswell.
Well pulled up on him three times and three times I had to put the gun down to catch my breath from the little sprint I was just on and to settle the nerves a bit. Finally got settled in put the cross hairs on hit shoulder and touched the round off. Instantly I hear to kaWUMP come back to me and see him doing a stiff leged bounce down the hill. Tried to hit him as he was going but must have missed. After a second he stopped and I sent No three down range and watched as both front legs gave out as he disappeared behind a clay knob. Sat there for a minute to settle down and headed off to where he was. As I approached I suddenly realize that oh shit there a deer bedded right in front of me. For a moment I thought it was him but quickly saw that it was a big doe. Damndest thing was I was in the side open making lots of noise in the gravel and she wasn't even looking at me. As I continued on 20 yard later she finally noticed me but still didn't really seem to care. It wasn't till I got with in 25 yards that she stood up and even then she just walked off like it was nothing.
Went over the hill and instantly spotted his rack poking up out of the grass. First time where I had watched a deer well enough that his rack neither shrunk nor drew but was instead exactly what I thought he was. Was shocked he was still alive with two pass through shots through his lungs. I put a third round into his heart and he quickly expired but not before coming back to life for a second and scaring the crap out of me while I was taking a couple pictures with the phone. Don't like that he is still alive in this pic but it turned out to be the best shot of his rack.
- - - Updated - - -
Part two titled now what the hell do I do!
So like I said I was not prepared to hunt and as such had come down in a 96 Honda accord that needless to say couldn't get anywhere near where I was at. This buck had without a doubt the biggest body on a deer I've ever seen. After ten minutes of using the deer like a couch and debating if I should drive back to Bismarck and get my truck and four wheeler I said screw it and started quartering the big boy out which all in all didn't take to long and since one of the fronts had two exit holes I only had three quarters and the straps and head to move. What did take a while was trying to get all of the deer and my gear and my fat ass 150 foot hillside.
After taking the first load all the way to the top I heard someone on a fourwheeler coming down the top of the draw. When he appeared nearly where I shot from he looked down and saw me. I gave him a wave that was sort of a hi and hay any chance you could help. He started working his way along to end of the draw so I hauled the second load up pretty fast. As it turns out to fast since by the time I got to the top he wasn't there and my legs had turned to jello! Caught my breath for a few minutes then went down and carry up the last load. Again sat there for awhile till my legs settled down then took off for the car with my sling less gun (major pain in the ass at this point) and one of the hind legs. All in all the flat ground was much faster and I covered the 3/4 of a mile in a few minutes. I grabbed a pack I have for elk hunting and a bird career used for ducks and went back out for the rest.
The final walk out wasn't bad but by the time I got back to the car three hours after I originally left it I was exhausted. Putting the quarters into the trunk along with the straps was easy but I was left with the job of finding a place for the head since his rack did not fit in the trunk. So there was only one place to put it and needless to say I had to take a pic of it. Sent it to my friends with the title of "yea that's right this is how we roll on the res"!
As I sit here I'm still be tired but happy with the day but still have this nagging part of me that is disappointed the season is over so soon. But I figured I looked a gift horse in the mouth once and to do it a second time might not have been wise. Fun day though.
Well I knew when I passed on him last time that if he put himself in a bad spot my self-restraint would probably go out the window.....and it reluctantly did! I knew if I drove down the road I could get to a spot where I could backtrack 3/4 of a mile downwind of where I last saw them and guessed they now might be. Problem one was I didn't have any boots with just some slip on loafers (remember wasn't planning on hunting) and no two was I for got to put my sling on my riffle. Well oh well can't have everything I guess, so I took off to where I was guessing they would be. There were cows all over so I was trying not to stampede the whole lot end of the draw they were in and possibly spooking them. Well as I got near I was watching the bottom of the draw I was working look hard for any sign of them. As I went around the tip of a small little cut my eye caught movement at my elevation on the tip of the opposing side of my draw. Got as low as I could and moved along the little cut I was going around and got close to the edge. Seeing where they were I knew it was going to be the right deer due to it being a perfect buck bedding spot. Looking out across I spotted him straight off at a touch over 300 and he had me marked aswell.
Well pulled up on him three times and three times I had to put the gun down to catch my breath from the little sprint I was just on and to settle the nerves a bit. Finally got settled in put the cross hairs on hit shoulder and touched the round off. Instantly I hear to kaWUMP come back to me and see him doing a stiff leged bounce down the hill. Tried to hit him as he was going but must have missed. After a second he stopped and I sent No three down range and watched as both front legs gave out as he disappeared behind a clay knob. Sat there for a minute to settle down and headed off to where he was. As I approached I suddenly realize that oh shit there a deer bedded right in front of me. For a moment I thought it was him but quickly saw that it was a big doe. Damndest thing was I was in the side open making lots of noise in the gravel and she wasn't even looking at me. As I continued on 20 yard later she finally noticed me but still didn't really seem to care. It wasn't till I got with in 25 yards that she stood up and even then she just walked off like it was nothing.
Went over the hill and instantly spotted his rack poking up out of the grass. First time where I had watched a deer well enough that his rack neither shrunk nor drew but was instead exactly what I thought he was. Was shocked he was still alive with two pass through shots through his lungs. I put a third round into his heart and he quickly expired but not before coming back to life for a second and scaring the crap out of me while I was taking a couple pictures with the phone. Don't like that he is still alive in this pic but it turned out to be the best shot of his rack.
- - - Updated - - -
Part two titled now what the hell do I do!
So like I said I was not prepared to hunt and as such had come down in a 96 Honda accord that needless to say couldn't get anywhere near where I was at. This buck had without a doubt the biggest body on a deer I've ever seen. After ten minutes of using the deer like a couch and debating if I should drive back to Bismarck and get my truck and four wheeler I said screw it and started quartering the big boy out which all in all didn't take to long and since one of the fronts had two exit holes I only had three quarters and the straps and head to move. What did take a while was trying to get all of the deer and my gear and my fat ass 150 foot hillside.
After taking the first load all the way to the top I heard someone on a fourwheeler coming down the top of the draw. When he appeared nearly where I shot from he looked down and saw me. I gave him a wave that was sort of a hi and hay any chance you could help. He started working his way along to end of the draw so I hauled the second load up pretty fast. As it turns out to fast since by the time I got to the top he wasn't there and my legs had turned to jello! Caught my breath for a few minutes then went down and carry up the last load. Again sat there for awhile till my legs settled down then took off for the car with my sling less gun (major pain in the ass at this point) and one of the hind legs. All in all the flat ground was much faster and I covered the 3/4 of a mile in a few minutes. I grabbed a pack I have for elk hunting and a bird career used for ducks and went back out for the rest.
The final walk out wasn't bad but by the time I got back to the car three hours after I originally left it I was exhausted. Putting the quarters into the trunk along with the straps was easy but I was left with the job of finding a place for the head since his rack did not fit in the trunk. So there was only one place to put it and needless to say I had to take a pic of it. Sent it to my friends with the title of "yea that's right this is how we roll on the res"!
As I sit here I'm still be tired but happy with the day but still have this nagging part of me that is disappointed the season is over so soon. But I figured I looked a gift horse in the mouth once and to do it a second time might not have been wise. Fun day though.
