Greenthumbed
11-12-2017, 10:54 PM
https://i.imgur.com/CucqfmWl.jpg
I shot my first WT buck today!
All day long we were battling the wind. It wasn't being reasonable at all. We walked 4+ Kms to get the wind advantage on an area we wanted to hunt. No fresh sign. Lots of sign a day or so old, but nothing fresh. We stayed high in the timber all morning so we could wrap around the area and have the wind at our backs.
When we got to the furthest extent of our hike we stopped for a break, a bite to eat and to make a plan to hunt our we back to the truck.
Once we started back with the wind in our favour our fortunes changed. Not more that five minutes later we cut fresh tracks. Really fresh! As I was studying the track my partner spotted a deer across the cutblock and just in the timber. As we were getting set up we lost sight of it. We were glassing hard but couldn't find it. just then a truck hunter approached right near where the deer was in the treeline. At that point we figured it was game over and kinda lost hope on what might have been. After a few minute the truck hunter came around on the upper road where we were glassing from. He stopped for a chat and as we were talking another truck passed the spot where we last saw the deer. At this point we thought it was definitely hopeless.
We gathered our gear and were about to leave when my partner spotted a doe in the trees. We glassed for another while, but could only make out the doe.
We eventually decided to press on as it was a long we back to the truck. We were about it enter the timber and leave the spot for good when I recalled that we saw two tracks. Just then I brought my binos to my eyes to have one last look and there it was. The buck we were waiting for! He was just behind the doe by 15 yards.
I quickly found a good rest and flopped on top of my pack. I ranged him at 250 yards! A long shot for me but I had a good rest and I was shooting down at an angle. I figured I could take him.
The buck was mostly covered by a tree so I had to wait for him to move. It seemed like forever. My partner tried a rattle to make him move,but the buck just turned his head.
Finally he took a step out from behind the tree and I touched the trigger. BLAM! I completely miss, but neither the doe or the buck seem the least bit bother by the shot! The buck then started to walk behind some more tree and when he walked into the next opening I touched the trigger a second time. BLAM! This time the buck jumped and bolted off at a run.
I was pretty sure I hit him, but was expecting to have to track him. We got down to the spot and found his track, but no blood. "Oh no!" i thought. We got on his track and followed it maybe 40 yards then I found him dead as a doornail.
I hit him alright! Right in the bullseye! Double lung shot right behind the shoulder. Wow! Not bad for a rookie!
At that point I cut my tag, snapped some pics and and got down business of field dressing the big brute. He turned out to be a big 5-point buck. Way more that I could have hoped for. Today was a great day!
I shot my first WT buck today!
All day long we were battling the wind. It wasn't being reasonable at all. We walked 4+ Kms to get the wind advantage on an area we wanted to hunt. No fresh sign. Lots of sign a day or so old, but nothing fresh. We stayed high in the timber all morning so we could wrap around the area and have the wind at our backs.
When we got to the furthest extent of our hike we stopped for a break, a bite to eat and to make a plan to hunt our we back to the truck.
Once we started back with the wind in our favour our fortunes changed. Not more that five minutes later we cut fresh tracks. Really fresh! As I was studying the track my partner spotted a deer across the cutblock and just in the timber. As we were getting set up we lost sight of it. We were glassing hard but couldn't find it. just then a truck hunter approached right near where the deer was in the treeline. At that point we figured it was game over and kinda lost hope on what might have been. After a few minute the truck hunter came around on the upper road where we were glassing from. He stopped for a chat and as we were talking another truck passed the spot where we last saw the deer. At this point we thought it was definitely hopeless.
We gathered our gear and were about to leave when my partner spotted a doe in the trees. We glassed for another while, but could only make out the doe.
We eventually decided to press on as it was a long we back to the truck. We were about it enter the timber and leave the spot for good when I recalled that we saw two tracks. Just then I brought my binos to my eyes to have one last look and there it was. The buck we were waiting for! He was just behind the doe by 15 yards.
I quickly found a good rest and flopped on top of my pack. I ranged him at 250 yards! A long shot for me but I had a good rest and I was shooting down at an angle. I figured I could take him.
The buck was mostly covered by a tree so I had to wait for him to move. It seemed like forever. My partner tried a rattle to make him move,but the buck just turned his head.
Finally he took a step out from behind the tree and I touched the trigger. BLAM! I completely miss, but neither the doe or the buck seem the least bit bother by the shot! The buck then started to walk behind some more tree and when he walked into the next opening I touched the trigger a second time. BLAM! This time the buck jumped and bolted off at a run.
I was pretty sure I hit him, but was expecting to have to track him. We got down to the spot and found his track, but no blood. "Oh no!" i thought. We got on his track and followed it maybe 40 yards then I found him dead as a doornail.
I hit him alright! Right in the bullseye! Double lung shot right behind the shoulder. Wow! Not bad for a rookie!
At that point I cut my tag, snapped some pics and and got down business of field dressing the big brute. He turned out to be a big 5-point buck. Way more that I could have hoped for. Today was a great day!