Kansas Whitetails - The Reckoning

[Big Fin]

Since Spitz provided a quick update, I will post some pics. Sure was fun to see a 4 pointer that big - real big. Got me pretty excited for what we might be able to shake out of the CRP grass.

Three days to go and the weather looks to be warm. Not sure if that will help or hurt, but since we can't do anything about the weather, we hunt according to what we find the weather to be each morning.

Big country with lots of room for a very few number of deer to be hiding.

 

[stillkickin]

Keep smiling guys! It was 4 degrees on my stand tonight and saw nothing......again! Hope you have some great photo's tomorrow for us.

 

[IdahoBugler]

Awesome looking country fellas. It's just a matter of time before you professionals find the one you want.

 

[Big Fin]

Time for a halftime update from the Meadowlands of central Kansas.

After a quarter and a half of defensive struggles, Team OYOA took advantage of a miscue deep in deer territory.

Spitz called a great game plan and after a long wait and some great patience, Team OYOA took the lead on a 325 yard bomb from Fin. The play was assisted by the efforts of Federal, #140, and the CDS from Leupold.

Looks like Team OYOA has one hell of a pack out ahead of them, but with the help of Mystery Ranch and Co. the job should be finished midway through the 3rd quarter.

Due to technical difficulties, our pictures and live feed will have to wait until the 8PM edition of Hunt Talk.

Now back to the studio. More updates to follow as this important divisional battle continues.

 

[AZ402]

Sweet! Can't wait for the pics and story. Congrats!!

 

[upper deck]

Congrads and great shooting. Can't wait for pics.

 

[JoseCuervo]

Congrats......

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

And a Roar erupts from the Visitor's Section!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WTG! John

 

[elk_hunter]

Awesome! Now send the cell pics already!!

 

[Big luke1981]

Congrats Fin Looking forward to the pics...

 

[wyomuledeer]

Congrats looking forward to seeing the pics.

 

[noharleyyet]

Congrats to Sitka, Federal, Leupold, and Mystery Ranch.

140 grain huh....270 WSM?

 

[Gerald Martin]

Waiting with bated breath for the instant replay....

 

[Big Slick]

Sounds like he got both feet down! Can't wait for OYOA center to see it!

 

[MN Public Hunter]

8pm...your killing me!

 

[Bucnutz.wis]

I had a hunch today was the day... Congrats !! Can't wait to see the pics.

 

[Big Fin]

Since this report is going to take a while to type, I am going to post a couple pics, first. Will give the full account as soon as I get it typed.

The score at halftime.


Team OYOA - Loaded and ready. Backpack hunting for whitetails. Gotta love it.

 

[jabber]

Looks interesting.

Congrats!!!!

 

[Big Fin]

After two days of chasing the white flags of bucks running off, I was at a loss for what we were going to do that might actually provide some footage of a buck that was not hauling the freight to the next county. I told Spitz it was his call for this morning.

Spitz figured that it would be best to climb some bluff above a cottonwood drainage that might have deer traveling from the wheat fields on the private ground. Sounded good to me. Might actually get some footage of a walking deer, and with great luck, a standing deer.

Before daylight we were climbing over the fences and crossing a series of fields and benches. At daylight we were in place, waiting for the sun to come up. In short order, Spitz glassed five does and fawns coming across a field. Their course would take them right below us.

Pretty much went exactly as planned. We actually had footage of our first deer that were not running. That was a good start.

I glassed the field near where we parked and noticed three deer walking behind the truck. Spitz put the spotter on them and reported it was two bucks and a doe. She was obviously sending sweet aroma, as these boys were going nuts. Too bad for us that they continued SW, taking them further into the private. All we could do was watch as they trotted about 500 yards beyond our hunting boundary.

But, we had more footage of deer, so this was a great improvement, even if we had not seen any bucks the size of those we had busted from their beds the first two days. I was thinking we had a decent chance of seeing a buck, if enough deer kept moving around.

I was surprised when three bucks appeared to the south, maybe 400 yards off the boundary. Seemed that these bucks were traveling to somewhere and putting miles between them and where/what ever they wanted to get away from.

One was a wide-framed very heavy 4X4. One was a tall and narrower 5X5 and one was a busted 4X4. All were mature bucks and I told Spitz I would shoot any of them. He smiled and said he wanted to shoot the tall 5X5. I told him it was his, if for some unknown reason they took a 90 degree turn and decided to become TV stars.

Shortly after the bucks disappeared deeper into the private, three does came right down the same path as those. They were all headed west and slightly south. This WIHA was to the north and did not have the cover that the property to the south had.

We sat glassing and wonder what could have been. A coyote was sitting on his haunch, on the skyline, directly west of us. I imagined he was the same as us - hoping like mad that something would come his way.

Loren was filming the coyote and the light was now about as perfect as it gets for filming. That flat early morning light during the first two hours of sunrise is what we hope for. The coyote was getting his airtime, for sure.

I looked below the coyote and there was a deer. It was the big 4X4 buck. For some unknown reason, when he was behind the big ridge, he decided the northern route was more appealing. I suspect the NW wind had him headed directly upwind, quarterly toward the boundary.

In a few seconds, he was joined by the other two bucks. Wow, that was cool. They were now about 200 yards off the boundary, but had now moved over 600 yards to our west. No way we could cover that ground in this flat open country, with them being above us. We were locked down.

Seeing an opportunity, Wiley Coyote figured it was a good time to crawl under the fence and cut off these traveling bucks. They stopped and eyed him while gathered in a tight group. They kept a close eye as he circled up above the, putting the deer between us and him.

Finally, the bucks had all they wanted. They turned and started walking right towards us. No way, this does not happen to OYOA. Spitz ranged them as they crossed the fence to the WIHA. They were now 550 yards, and only about five blades of grass existed on the bench that separated them from us. Still no option.

Spitz and I concluded that if the bucks dropped off the bench on the path they were now taking, we would sprint toward them and shoot from above. Sounded like a great plan, if they would just drop off the bench.

Our plan was fading fast when the two lead bucks - the big-framed 4X4 and the 5X5, headed off the bench while the trail buck lingered on the bench, having us pinned down. Now what to do?

Spitz and I just sat there, glassing this buck, wondering how the three bucks had communicated the plan that the smaller of the three would linger behind while the other two made their getaway. We needed a break, and we needed it bad.

As we sat and watched, I told Loren to get his extender lens on. The shooting would be long, when this buck finally followed the other two off the bench.

Spitz confirmed that he wanted the 5X5 and if we popped over the edge and that shot was available, he planned to take it. I told him I was happy to shoot either of the 4X4s. With that, we had a shooting arrangement. Now, all we needed was this last buck to clear the bench and allow up to employ our game.

Sometimes things happen for no apparent reason. Luck, as I call it. For no reason I can explain, this buck decided not to follow his buddies, but turn and drop 50 yards down into a small drainage that flanked the south boundary of this bench. He stayed down there, milling around, now 475 yards away. Too far for my shooting and way too far for filming, even with the extender lens.

I looked at Spitz. He knew what I was thinking. It had been ten minutes since the bucks had dropped off the bench and at the pace they were traveling, there was little chance we could cover enough ground and catch an open shot. This buck was pretty much our only chance.

Seeing my eyes gleam and my finger twitch, Spitz smiled and said, "A bird in the hand." My thoughts exactly.

I asked Spitz if he wanted to bust this buck and sprint for a chance at the other two. He thought the odds were now very slim. And, if we busted this buck, we would probably send him hightailing toward those other two, taking the entire gang out of the county.

Reaching my word limit for one post, so I will split this into two posts and continue with the recount in a different post.

 

[Big Fin]

Having decided that this buck was our best option, and most likely, our only option, I asked Spitz if he wanted to take him if/when a shot presented. He declined, saying he really liked that 5X5, or the wide 4X4 we had busted yesterday. I had warned him that if he hesitated for much more than a second, I would be loading a round in the chamber. Before he could change his mind, I had a live round locked and ready.

The distance was still too far. The buck was milling in this small draw, at times disappearing and then reappearing. Not comfortable with the distance, I told the crew that the next time the buck disappeared, we were going to sprint to the lip of that draw, giving me another 150 yards of benefit.

As if on cue, the buck dropped down in the very bottom, one more time. With that, we grabbed rifles and tripods and were on the run. We dropped down a small gully, then crossed the bald flats that would give me the needed distance for a better shot.

We neared the lip where the buck would be visible, just as he turned and started to walk toward the property boundary. I think he saw us moving and stopped to look at us from a small finger that would take him out of this draw and within 150 yards would be back to the sanctuary off the WIHA.

Seeing the buck had noticed us, I hit the breaks, landed on my rear and had the bipod extended. Loren was right on my trail and had the tripod set and camera rolling. I asked Spitz the range - 320 yards. Hmm. I have made that shot hundreds of times....... at the range......from a rest.

I dialed the CDS to 325 yards and cranked the dial to 10X. Wow, I was shaking and breathing way to hard for this shot. Loren was telling me, "Take 'em, take 'em."

No way was I going to shoot as uncomfortable as this sitting position was. I moved to my right a few feet, giving me a little bit of elevation, making the bipod rock steady. I braced the butt of the rifle with my left arm underneath the stock and locked into my right forearm. This is the steadiest field shooting position I have ever found, short of prone.

I took a deep breath to see how steady I could hold. Very good. I can make this shot. All the while the buck is staring at us, slightly quartering to us.

Now feeling better I tell Spitz and Loren, "Here we go." I push the safety to the hot position. Things are still good. As I start to squeeze the 2.75# trigger, the rifle fires just before I expect it and right when I want it to fire.

I hear a loud crack and Spitz slaps my back, giving some loud whoops and hollers. Loren is fired up. I saw nothing. They explain to me that the buck dropped at the impact and did not even wiggle. I glass to where the buck was standing and see the white belly.

We got our break. Man, what a break that was. I guess if you spend enough time in the field, you will get your share of breaks.

When we walked up, I was pleased to see the buck was a nice buck. Nothing to set the record book crowd into a frenzy. A nice big Kansas fed body, a couple busted points, and the typical wider than most places frame that Kansas bucks look for. He could pass as a twin for the buck I shot two years ago.

I told Spitz and Loren to head over to the north side of the bench in the strange even the other bucks were still hanging around, waiting for their buddy. I could handle some picture taking and other details by myself.

They headed that way. Spitz reported that once they dropped off the bench, they had about two miles of flat open ground to cover and nothing was spotted. Oh well, looks the " bird in the hand" was good advice to follow.

So, in spite of not having an electric golf cart to drive us to our spot, we somehow managed to shoot a buck in the midwest. And, do it all on camera.

The footage should be excellent. This buck stood around in the finest sunlight we could ask for, as if he wanted to be a TV star. His final wish will be granted.

Thanks Spitz and Loren. Was a great morning. The sweetness of this morning hunt completely washed away any concerns about having to pack him out on our backs. We hunt with the hope that we will be packing them out, so this is exactly what we had asked for.

Some random pics. Loren has the good stuff on his camera.







Was gonna delete this picture, but laughed when I saw it. I think the buck was serious about being a TV star, he even smiled for the pictures.


The afternoon was a great hunt. Will post that separately.