T Bone
Well-known member
Went out today for one last hoorah for a good buck. Went back to the same area where I took the newbie on opening weekend. This time I went solo. My oldest son (10 years old) wanted to go. He could handle the 3 mile hike in and out, but the weather was forecast cold and windy and I didn't want it to be a miserable experience for him.
The plan was to sit on a lookout and ambush deer as they cross through. It's a bottle neck gorge between two private areas. My hope was that with the rut on the bucks would be traveling the route across this little piece of public access I was on. The hike in was powered by yesterday's high octane pumpking pie and mashed 'taters!
Upon arrival, I took the pack off and put on more layers and got situated to sit comfortably. I sat and could hear a buck grunting below me. A couple minutes later a doe came racing by with a 3 point in hot pursuit. They came through the slot so fast that I couldn't have got a shot off even if he was a shooter buck. I kept my rifle more handy and waited.
Two bald eagles saw my movement and dropped in for a close look. As I was reaching for the camera I heard brush breaking and a small 4 point came sniffing along. I decided to pass.
It got real quiet. At 8:30 a doe came trotting through, then I heard a buck grunting. I saw a flash of antlers as a big buck came ripping through the shot window at 200 yards. My binos were up and ID'd him as a shooter. By the time the fixed 6x scope was up he was back in the brush......I was kicking my self thinking I'd blown it when the doe came trotting back through, with the buck right behind her. The 30-06 was up, the rifle bucked and the deer ran side ways for 10 yards and splashed right in the creek. Dead buck!
Nothing huge, but a solid 4x4. I consider it good for a public access deer. Here he is taking one last nibble.
Sorry about the tongue.
I quartered him out and put him in the pack for the hike out.
It's been a good year for deer! SD has the quantity if not the quality for public land deer. The freezer is full and my appetite for deer hunting is full up.
Now I'll get the new pup in on a solid month of birds and maybe a sprinkle of predator calling in Jan-March...Then turkey season opens April. Need to get a few honey do projects competed in there somewhere.
Peace deer, until Sept '07.
The plan was to sit on a lookout and ambush deer as they cross through. It's a bottle neck gorge between two private areas. My hope was that with the rut on the bucks would be traveling the route across this little piece of public access I was on. The hike in was powered by yesterday's high octane pumpking pie and mashed 'taters!
Upon arrival, I took the pack off and put on more layers and got situated to sit comfortably. I sat and could hear a buck grunting below me. A couple minutes later a doe came racing by with a 3 point in hot pursuit. They came through the slot so fast that I couldn't have got a shot off even if he was a shooter buck. I kept my rifle more handy and waited.
Two bald eagles saw my movement and dropped in for a close look. As I was reaching for the camera I heard brush breaking and a small 4 point came sniffing along. I decided to pass.
It got real quiet. At 8:30 a doe came trotting through, then I heard a buck grunting. I saw a flash of antlers as a big buck came ripping through the shot window at 200 yards. My binos were up and ID'd him as a shooter. By the time the fixed 6x scope was up he was back in the brush......I was kicking my self thinking I'd blown it when the doe came trotting back through, with the buck right behind her. The 30-06 was up, the rifle bucked and the deer ran side ways for 10 yards and splashed right in the creek. Dead buck!
Nothing huge, but a solid 4x4. I consider it good for a public access deer. Here he is taking one last nibble.
Sorry about the tongue.
I quartered him out and put him in the pack for the hike out.
It's been a good year for deer! SD has the quantity if not the quality for public land deer. The freezer is full and my appetite for deer hunting is full up.
Now I'll get the new pup in on a solid month of birds and maybe a sprinkle of predator calling in Jan-March...Then turkey season opens April. Need to get a few honey do projects competed in there somewhere.
Peace deer, until Sept '07.
