mdunc8
Well-known member
Congrats. Great looking buck. Good luck with the rest of the hunt.
Kansas Whitetails - The Reckoning
- Thread starter Big Fin
- Start date
mn taxidermist
Active member
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2010
- Messages
- 181
congratulations fin, one more to go!
cadman59501
New member
congrats Fin!!! 1 down and 1 to go with what 2 days??
T Bone
Well-known member
woot woot! nice shootin Randy. Spitz is up to bat!
What are you seeing for birds in that country?
What are you seeing for birds in that country?
stillkickin
Well-known member
Way to go guys, good luck tomorrow on the 5 by
thecrittergitter
Well-known member
Congrats Randy! Great Job!
Good luck Spitz, hope you get that 5x.......
Good luck Spitz, hope you get that 5x.......
elk_hunter
Active member
Great job, guys! Wrap it up!
This afternoon was a serious hiking session. We lucked out an a guy offered us a ride to one spot in the area, saving us a couple miles of walking, as we otherwise would have had to backtrack. Even with that, we still logged a little more than 5 miles this afternoon.
The goals was to head to a part of the unit that we had not yet investigated and given the remoteness, expected very few others had done the same. With that idea, we headed west and then north, in the same general direction that the other two bucks were pointed when they dropped off the bench this morning.
I wish I could say there were a ton of tracks and bucks in every coulee. Nope. Very few tracks, but those that we saw were big, big, tracks. This WIHA has very low densities and pretty good quality. From my observation of the track patterns, I think this particular area of the WIHA has taken that to a higher level.
After a could hours of glassing, Spits suggested we head south along the WIHA boundary, then east, knowing it would be way after dark before we would find the truck. Off we went.
We had walked south for about a half mile, seeing nothing but a large number of coyote tracks and one coyote in the bottom of a draw. Deer sign was very absent......deer completely absent.
Spitz and I decided it best to split up and see if we could cover more ground. The idea was for me to go higher in the drainages with him and Loren a little lower, thinking if I bumped a deer, they might get a chance in the broader openings below.
We had split up about two hundred yards further back when I noticed a nice draw of brush coming off the south face of a table top bench. I was sure there would be deer in there. I walked through with great caution. Nothing.
I rounded the corner of the bench and saw another great drainage. I could see Spitz and Loren below me. Figured I would check this one out, as it was the furthest west we could hunt in this WIHA.
As I crested the first little rise I looked below and a buck was feeding about 150 yards down and left. I crouched down to lessen my profile. The buck was now looking at me. I looked through the grass and could see it was the big-framed 4X4 from this morning.
I now retreated and was frantically waving to Spitz and Loren. They notice my thrashing and arm swirling. With hand signals I told them the buck was about 150 yards in front of them and around the corner. They moved slowly and set up for what might be a chance.
I turned back and looked down to see the buck moving up the draw to the west. Closer and further below me was the 5X5 that Spitz really wanted. Oh, and if he saw it from this close, he would really want it.
Not to be left behind, the 5X5 followed his buddy to the west. I watched as the bucks stopped just below the crest of the ridge, looking back at me. Spitz was now in the prone position. I waited for the report of the rifle. Eventually, the bucks tired of our presence and trotted off, jumping the fence and leaving the WIHA.
I was not sure what had transpired, as there was at least ten seconds of shooting opportunity. As I dropped off the ridge and down to there position, it became very clear why Spitz did not shoot. From his position, the bucks were skylined. Not a safe shot.
I know many would have taken that shot. I might have taken it, with the excitement that it must have created. Those of you who have been filmed know that we have production guidelines about safe hunting demonstration. One of those is knowing your target and beyond, one of the first principles taught in hunter education.
Had Spitz been less committed to safety and not as dedicated to the message of our show, that 5X5 or his big 4-point buddy would probably be in our packs at this time. Spitz had them at 300 yards, shooting a .300 Win Mag from the prone position. I think that buck would have been dead, had Spitz been comfortable taking the shot.
That is one of the many complications we face when filming. Had Spitz shot the buck, we would not have been able to use the footage. I can list a ton of things that make this process so much more challenging than just going out and hunting. Another example would be the very nice buck we busted from his bed on the first morning blizzard. We don't shoot moving animals, but that buck was on a bee-line, and not moving very fast. A single hunter without a camera and filming complications would have possibly filled his tag at that point.
Hopefully we will get one more break in the next two days. As lucky as the break was this morning for all things to come together for my buck, the luck was just the opposite that the bucks stopped on the ridge crest where Spitz couldn't shoot. That is hunting, You all know that and share the same experiences in your hunts.
When you see this episode and watch Spitz pass a shot at a buck he dearly wanted, you will know why. Hopefully he will not fire us before this hunt is over.
Now that my tag is filled, it is nothing but glassing and taking pics for me.
Always have to stop to get that TV moment. Can be very frustrating to be capturing TV when your mind is on the hunt. Thanks for your patience Spitz. This is about ten minutes before Spitz was going to have his chance at the two big bucks.
The goals was to head to a part of the unit that we had not yet investigated and given the remoteness, expected very few others had done the same. With that idea, we headed west and then north, in the same general direction that the other two bucks were pointed when they dropped off the bench this morning.
I wish I could say there were a ton of tracks and bucks in every coulee. Nope. Very few tracks, but those that we saw were big, big, tracks. This WIHA has very low densities and pretty good quality. From my observation of the track patterns, I think this particular area of the WIHA has taken that to a higher level.
After a could hours of glassing, Spits suggested we head south along the WIHA boundary, then east, knowing it would be way after dark before we would find the truck. Off we went.
We had walked south for about a half mile, seeing nothing but a large number of coyote tracks and one coyote in the bottom of a draw. Deer sign was very absent......deer completely absent.
Spitz and I decided it best to split up and see if we could cover more ground. The idea was for me to go higher in the drainages with him and Loren a little lower, thinking if I bumped a deer, they might get a chance in the broader openings below.
We had split up about two hundred yards further back when I noticed a nice draw of brush coming off the south face of a table top bench. I was sure there would be deer in there. I walked through with great caution. Nothing.
I rounded the corner of the bench and saw another great drainage. I could see Spitz and Loren below me. Figured I would check this one out, as it was the furthest west we could hunt in this WIHA.
As I crested the first little rise I looked below and a buck was feeding about 150 yards down and left. I crouched down to lessen my profile. The buck was now looking at me. I looked through the grass and could see it was the big-framed 4X4 from this morning.
I now retreated and was frantically waving to Spitz and Loren. They notice my thrashing and arm swirling. With hand signals I told them the buck was about 150 yards in front of them and around the corner. They moved slowly and set up for what might be a chance.
I turned back and looked down to see the buck moving up the draw to the west. Closer and further below me was the 5X5 that Spitz really wanted. Oh, and if he saw it from this close, he would really want it.
Not to be left behind, the 5X5 followed his buddy to the west. I watched as the bucks stopped just below the crest of the ridge, looking back at me. Spitz was now in the prone position. I waited for the report of the rifle. Eventually, the bucks tired of our presence and trotted off, jumping the fence and leaving the WIHA.
I was not sure what had transpired, as there was at least ten seconds of shooting opportunity. As I dropped off the ridge and down to there position, it became very clear why Spitz did not shoot. From his position, the bucks were skylined. Not a safe shot.
I know many would have taken that shot. I might have taken it, with the excitement that it must have created. Those of you who have been filmed know that we have production guidelines about safe hunting demonstration. One of those is knowing your target and beyond, one of the first principles taught in hunter education.
Had Spitz been less committed to safety and not as dedicated to the message of our show, that 5X5 or his big 4-point buddy would probably be in our packs at this time. Spitz had them at 300 yards, shooting a .300 Win Mag from the prone position. I think that buck would have been dead, had Spitz been comfortable taking the shot.
That is one of the many complications we face when filming. Had Spitz shot the buck, we would not have been able to use the footage. I can list a ton of things that make this process so much more challenging than just going out and hunting. Another example would be the very nice buck we busted from his bed on the first morning blizzard. We don't shoot moving animals, but that buck was on a bee-line, and not moving very fast. A single hunter without a camera and filming complications would have possibly filled his tag at that point.
Hopefully we will get one more break in the next two days. As lucky as the break was this morning for all things to come together for my buck, the luck was just the opposite that the bucks stopped on the ridge crest where Spitz couldn't shoot. That is hunting, You all know that and share the same experiences in your hunts.
When you see this episode and watch Spitz pass a shot at a buck he dearly wanted, you will know why. Hopefully he will not fire us before this hunt is over.
Now that my tag is filled, it is nothing but glassing and taking pics for me.
Always have to stop to get that TV moment. Can be very frustrating to be capturing TV when your mind is on the hunt. Thanks for your patience Spitz. This is about ten minutes before Spitz was going to have his chance at the two big bucks.
shoots-straight
Well-known member
Nice story Fin. That buck looked like he had some age.
NVLongbow
Active member
Great job guys. Keep up the good work.
Big luke1981
Member
Congrats Fin. Good luck with the rest of your hunt!
Lawnboy
Well-known member
Hang in there Spitz. Often times it's worth all the crappy logistics and you'll have great footage and a nice buck. Good job Randy now help the lad get that big one. I know all about those skyline shots. Kind makes you want to tell the camera man to look away for a second
It is a good message to send though. Battle on Zena!
It is a good message to send though. Battle on Zena!
Gerald Martin
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2009
- Messages
- 8,694
Congrats on your buck Randy! Good luck on shooting a big one Spitz!
174in
Well-known member
Nice whitetail looks luck some great country to glass.
M. R. Byrd
New member
Great hunt!
grizzly5028
New member
WOOT!!! Congrats Fin!
hardscrabble
Active member
Congrats Fin, nice buck and thanks for sharing the story.
nmtaxi
Active member
This has been a fun post to read. Congrats Randy, and go get 'em Spitz!!!
