10-18-2008, 03:52 PM
Got home at 1:30 yesterday afternoon from the buck bull combo hunt.
First of all it was a great camping trip with my wife, son and a couple of good friends.
The wife and I went up on the opener of the muzzy hunt even though we didn't have a tag. Planned on doing some fishing (didn't happen) but just enjoyed the great weather and some good grouse hunting.
Before I go into opening morning I might add I'm a little leary about posting this hunt do to the fact I'm might catch some flac from the ethics patrol on this forum, but what the heck here it goes.
First light I watched a deer feed across a sage brush hill side for about 200 yards and coulden't put horns on him untill he got to the pines.
He picked his head up and against the dark green I could then see a decent 4 points up over his ears one side at least.
From previous years ranging that spot, I guessed him at 300 yards (still not light enough to use the range finder). My Rem. 300 WSM is sighted in dead on at 300 yards and I had a rock solid rest. Put the cross hairs 1/3 of the way up his shoulder and touched the trigger. He didn't move and I was shocked he didn't drop. Racked another round in and thinking he's prettry steep up hill I held a little lower and shot again. I had the impression he jumped and kicked, then he was into the pines.
My son and his friend wached me shoot and hoofed it up to check for indications of a hit with me guiding them to the spot with the radio.
20 minutes later and enough light to use the range finder that deer was 387 yards. With no blood and I'm sure I shot under him both shots I walked back down to the truck.
Waiting for the boys to walk down I poured a cup of coffee turned around and in the sage brush flats down below me was a spike bull walking towards the quakie tree line. 462 yards on the Lecia 800. Took a 10 inch hold over his shoulder and touched the trigger Heard a solid whap from the 180 gr. Fusion and the bull staggered and tried to run. 2nd shot clean miss, 3rd shot was another hit but he was still moving. Pulling 2 rounds out of my ammo pouch on the stock of the Remington I reloaded the 300. 4th shot another miss and my 5th shot put him down.
From where I stood to where he dropped it was 497 yards. He took 1 round through the top of the lungs, 1 though the front of the shoulder and brisket and the last one broke his back. Can't account for the 2 misses. One tough little bull.
My wife had four 4 point bucks walk out in front of her opening morning at 125 yards and admitting buck fever procceded to miss 2 times [unimpressed] She was able to redeam herself on the 8th when we had 6 does and a 4 x 3 trot past us a 150 yards and she put him down with her 308 [cool]
On the morning of the 14th and after all the snow the deer were leaving the mountain in droves going to the flats in Wyo.
I gave up hope of a good 4 point and decided to take the nexted decent buck I saw.
8:00 that morning we had 9 does and a nice 3 x 3 in the same spot I missed the 4 point 1st. day.
Ahhh revenge [
] 345 yards on the finder and the deer facing away steep up hill I put the cross hairs just below the back of his head and took him through the neck 6 inches below point of aim. He never knew what hit him.
My son wanting a big buck passed up quite a few bucks including a couple of 4 points that would have went 23 to 25 inches. He went home without a deer but I'm proud of his determination and restraint. My sons friend DJ on his first deer hunt shot a fork horn and was thrilled with the experiance. I think we have another deer hunter among our ranks [cool]
It was a great 26 days only being marred by a few inconsidert beer drinking litter bugs, ATV riding idiots and target praticing a$$ holes up wherer we were hunting.
Time to get the Crestliner out for a few more fishing trips [
]
Pics will follow as soon as I can get the wife to post them.
[signature]
First of all it was a great camping trip with my wife, son and a couple of good friends.
The wife and I went up on the opener of the muzzy hunt even though we didn't have a tag. Planned on doing some fishing (didn't happen) but just enjoyed the great weather and some good grouse hunting.
Before I go into opening morning I might add I'm a little leary about posting this hunt do to the fact I'm might catch some flac from the ethics patrol on this forum, but what the heck here it goes.
First light I watched a deer feed across a sage brush hill side for about 200 yards and coulden't put horns on him untill he got to the pines.
He picked his head up and against the dark green I could then see a decent 4 points up over his ears one side at least.
From previous years ranging that spot, I guessed him at 300 yards (still not light enough to use the range finder). My Rem. 300 WSM is sighted in dead on at 300 yards and I had a rock solid rest. Put the cross hairs 1/3 of the way up his shoulder and touched the trigger. He didn't move and I was shocked he didn't drop. Racked another round in and thinking he's prettry steep up hill I held a little lower and shot again. I had the impression he jumped and kicked, then he was into the pines.
My son and his friend wached me shoot and hoofed it up to check for indications of a hit with me guiding them to the spot with the radio.
20 minutes later and enough light to use the range finder that deer was 387 yards. With no blood and I'm sure I shot under him both shots I walked back down to the truck.
Waiting for the boys to walk down I poured a cup of coffee turned around and in the sage brush flats down below me was a spike bull walking towards the quakie tree line. 462 yards on the Lecia 800. Took a 10 inch hold over his shoulder and touched the trigger Heard a solid whap from the 180 gr. Fusion and the bull staggered and tried to run. 2nd shot clean miss, 3rd shot was another hit but he was still moving. Pulling 2 rounds out of my ammo pouch on the stock of the Remington I reloaded the 300. 4th shot another miss and my 5th shot put him down.
From where I stood to where he dropped it was 497 yards. He took 1 round through the top of the lungs, 1 though the front of the shoulder and brisket and the last one broke his back. Can't account for the 2 misses. One tough little bull.
My wife had four 4 point bucks walk out in front of her opening morning at 125 yards and admitting buck fever procceded to miss 2 times [unimpressed] She was able to redeam herself on the 8th when we had 6 does and a 4 x 3 trot past us a 150 yards and she put him down with her 308 [cool]
On the morning of the 14th and after all the snow the deer were leaving the mountain in droves going to the flats in Wyo.
I gave up hope of a good 4 point and decided to take the nexted decent buck I saw.
8:00 that morning we had 9 does and a nice 3 x 3 in the same spot I missed the 4 point 1st. day.
Ahhh revenge [
] 345 yards on the finder and the deer facing away steep up hill I put the cross hairs just below the back of his head and took him through the neck 6 inches below point of aim. He never knew what hit him.My son wanting a big buck passed up quite a few bucks including a couple of 4 points that would have went 23 to 25 inches. He went home without a deer but I'm proud of his determination and restraint. My sons friend DJ on his first deer hunt shot a fork horn and was thrilled with the experiance. I think we have another deer hunter among our ranks [cool]
It was a great 26 days only being marred by a few inconsidert beer drinking litter bugs, ATV riding idiots and target praticing a$$ holes up wherer we were hunting.
Time to get the Crestliner out for a few more fishing trips [
]Pics will follow as soon as I can get the wife to post them.
[signature]
