IdahoBugler
Well-known member
Well I posted at the bottom of my Wifes Idaho Deer post, that I had a chance and blew it. I finally decided to tell my story and have you guys tell me what you think. Here's how the story goes: After packing my wifes deer out I decided to head in a different direction without the family. I started working down this long ridge when I spot a deer below me. I could tell right off the bat it was a buck. I pulled the spotter out and could see he had a small frame to him with good backs and week fronts. Then we turned his head a little and that's when I saw the dropper. I instantly threw my spotter in my pack and headed after him. I was already 570 yards from him so I knew I didn't have far to go before he was in range. I dropped down 200 yards and snuck back over the ridge. I looked down and see 3 does trotting up the hill towards the buck. I walk a little farther and see the buck. I wasn't sure it was him or not so I drop down to get a better look at him. The buck was there for a good minute so I had to time to shoot him but I didn't want to make a mistake and shoot a lesser deer. Well he didn't like something and took off and that's when I saw the dropper. I was cussing up a storm and pissed I just didn't drop him.
I decide to head down the ridge and glass until dark. I spotted a couple different groups of deer and kept tabs on the number of deer in each. With 30 minutes of light left and 1 mile away I was glassing this heard of 3 does when a 4th deer came into the pic. I pulled the spotter out and quickly identified him as the buck with a dropper. After a closer evalution I saw he had a split kicker off the other side. With only 30 minutes left of light and two ridges to cross I decided to go for it. I made it to my destination with minutes of light left. I quickly ranged the deer at 375 and tried getting steady for the shot. I was sweating so bad that I was fogging up everything that I pulled up to my face. I ended up identifying the buck and steadied for the shot. At the shot I heard the distinct wack of a direct hit. With not much of a window to see the deer I couldn't find him. I decided the best thing to do was come back in the morning.
When I returned I couldn't find where the deer was. The other side of the hill looked exactly the same for a 400 yard radius. I ended throwing down my orange vest and hiking back to my shooting place. I then noticed where the deer was standing, around 25 yards to the right of the vest. Once I got over there I found a chunk of fat with a little bit of blood. He ran, fell or whatever down the hill 10 yards and then started walking across the hill. I found blood every 10 yards and after 100 yards I found nothing. I looked for the remainder of the day looking through near by pockets of timber and brush and never came up with anything. I was sick and couldn't believe I screwed up on such a great deer. With the lack of blood, maybe a cup full of blood only, I think he is ok.
Here is the video that was shot right before I headed after the buck. It was about a mile away through my spotter. I then put in on photobucket and now it even looks worse. Hopefully you can see some of the junk he had. There is a little bit of video of a moose before the buck vid starts.
I've never done video so let's see if it works.
I decide to head down the ridge and glass until dark. I spotted a couple different groups of deer and kept tabs on the number of deer in each. With 30 minutes of light left and 1 mile away I was glassing this heard of 3 does when a 4th deer came into the pic. I pulled the spotter out and quickly identified him as the buck with a dropper. After a closer evalution I saw he had a split kicker off the other side. With only 30 minutes left of light and two ridges to cross I decided to go for it. I made it to my destination with minutes of light left. I quickly ranged the deer at 375 and tried getting steady for the shot. I was sweating so bad that I was fogging up everything that I pulled up to my face. I ended up identifying the buck and steadied for the shot. At the shot I heard the distinct wack of a direct hit. With not much of a window to see the deer I couldn't find him. I decided the best thing to do was come back in the morning.
When I returned I couldn't find where the deer was. The other side of the hill looked exactly the same for a 400 yard radius. I ended throwing down my orange vest and hiking back to my shooting place. I then noticed where the deer was standing, around 25 yards to the right of the vest. Once I got over there I found a chunk of fat with a little bit of blood. He ran, fell or whatever down the hill 10 yards and then started walking across the hill. I found blood every 10 yards and after 100 yards I found nothing. I looked for the remainder of the day looking through near by pockets of timber and brush and never came up with anything. I was sick and couldn't believe I screwed up on such a great deer. With the lack of blood, maybe a cup full of blood only, I think he is ok.
Here is the video that was shot right before I headed after the buck. It was about a mile away through my spotter. I then put in on photobucket and now it even looks worse. Hopefully you can see some of the junk he had. There is a little bit of video of a moose before the buck vid starts.
I've never done video so let's see if it works.
