BuzzH
Well-known member
Traveled to Montana on a quick 4-5 day hunt over Thanksgiving. I debated about going, but since I bought a deer tag to keep my points going, figured I would make the trip.
Dad, my nephew and I walked about 2 miles behind a gated road. We slowly hunted back toward the truck at prime time. We started seeing deer and pretty quick this buck just stood around a little too long. Shot was about 210 yards, used the 7-08 as usual.
Nephew and I with my buck, I had not shot a deer since 2013:
The next day my nephew wasn't feeling real well, so my brother Matt and I decided to hunt a familiar area. Over the last 39 years we've hunted this country, we have seen tremendous changes...some good, some not so good. The thing that keeps us going back, year after year, are the whitetail bucks that we've shot over the years, and those that have given us the slip as well. Many good bucks, many close calls, some heart-breaking moments on some very good bucks...all part of the deal and why its sometimes hard to move onto greener pastures.
The deer are still there, just fewer of them and the country is getting harder to hunt every year (really growing in).
Anyway, Matt and I hunted an area that we've hunted countless times in the past. We started seeing quite a few deer tracks in the small amount of snow on the ground. We moved slowly up a flat bench, stopping often to glass the timber and open side hill to the East. Matt spotted a doe standing under a tree, a few minutes later a buck stepped out. I looked at it through the binoculars and told Matt it was a nice buck. I ranged it real quick, 280 yards up hill fairly steep. Matt got a good rest and I told him to hold dead on as he was using my 7-08. Matt took his time, the buck cleared a couple does that it was with...and one perfect shot later, Matt had his buck for 2016.
Nice heavy antlered buck:
I just think these deer are spectacular in color, body size, and where they live. Just a completely different whitetail than those found in farm fields and river bottoms.
The last day, Matt, Dad, and I took the nephew out the last day. He shot this deer, his second whitetail, with his new 7-08 using 120 grain ballistic tips. He made a perfect shot at about 70 yards, taking the top of the heart off. He had a great season, taking a cow elk in Wyoming earlier in the season, then this deer.
Dragging his deer to the truck:
Had a great time hunting, saw pretty solid deer numbers and even a few elk, well worth the trip.
Dad, my nephew and I walked about 2 miles behind a gated road. We slowly hunted back toward the truck at prime time. We started seeing deer and pretty quick this buck just stood around a little too long. Shot was about 210 yards, used the 7-08 as usual.
Nephew and I with my buck, I had not shot a deer since 2013:
The next day my nephew wasn't feeling real well, so my brother Matt and I decided to hunt a familiar area. Over the last 39 years we've hunted this country, we have seen tremendous changes...some good, some not so good. The thing that keeps us going back, year after year, are the whitetail bucks that we've shot over the years, and those that have given us the slip as well. Many good bucks, many close calls, some heart-breaking moments on some very good bucks...all part of the deal and why its sometimes hard to move onto greener pastures.
The deer are still there, just fewer of them and the country is getting harder to hunt every year (really growing in).
Anyway, Matt and I hunted an area that we've hunted countless times in the past. We started seeing quite a few deer tracks in the small amount of snow on the ground. We moved slowly up a flat bench, stopping often to glass the timber and open side hill to the East. Matt spotted a doe standing under a tree, a few minutes later a buck stepped out. I looked at it through the binoculars and told Matt it was a nice buck. I ranged it real quick, 280 yards up hill fairly steep. Matt got a good rest and I told him to hold dead on as he was using my 7-08. Matt took his time, the buck cleared a couple does that it was with...and one perfect shot later, Matt had his buck for 2016.
Nice heavy antlered buck:
I just think these deer are spectacular in color, body size, and where they live. Just a completely different whitetail than those found in farm fields and river bottoms.
The last day, Matt, Dad, and I took the nephew out the last day. He shot this deer, his second whitetail, with his new 7-08 using 120 grain ballistic tips. He made a perfect shot at about 70 yards, taking the top of the heart off. He had a great season, taking a cow elk in Wyoming earlier in the season, then this deer.
Dragging his deer to the truck:
Had a great time hunting, saw pretty solid deer numbers and even a few elk, well worth the trip.
