Good start to the season

[patdel]

Well the season started with me taking my 11 year old boy out during the youth season for his first buck. We focused on an area in 3-12 and opening weekend saw lots of bucks and a few chances and finally he was rewarded with this nice velvet 2 point. He was stoked as was I to watch him take it.http://i1209.photobucket.com/albums/cc397/patdel1/utf-8BSU1HMDQ0NTYuanBn.jpgSo Sept 10th rolls around and with the Okanagan weather being so hot my partners and I decided to postpone our weekend hunt for a couple weeks in hope of cooler conditions. So on Sept 23rd four of us decided to get out for the weekend with hopes of finding elk and bucks (not knowing we would have record temperatures that weekend) We did see elk and deer first day out but nothing legal. Second morning had me headed back to where I had seen some elk but made a slight detour when a sow and 2 cubs were in the valley I had intended to cross. Being familiar with my detoured route, I decided to check a ridge I have seen good sign before. I started glassing this strip below me and noticed a nice buck feeding close to some dense cover. He then went in behind cover and I thought he bedded down behind some big shrubs. I waited for about half hour to see if he would start moving again. There were a few does feeding close by and then I noticed a couple more deer appear about 75 yards from where I lost sight of the buck. I started glassing them and as these 2 does fed near the cover, I noticed some movement in the shrubs between them. I focused on the spot and I saw antler tips as this buck was raking the shrubs. He finally turned and I could see 4 points on the one side and looked tall. He moved to the left a little so I positioned myself for a possible shot if he moved another 10 feet or so. He finally moved that way and as he moved into the zone I squeezed the trigger. Now this was the first time I have taken a shot and the recoil sent the gun up in the air so I saw nothing what so ever of the shot. I refocused the scope to the spot and no deer. Did he drop? Did he run? Did I miss? Questions filled my head as I watched does bounce all over the place near by. At the shot the bedded buck stood up to give my a glance and soon bounded for cover. Waiting about 20 minutes to make sure there was no sign of the buck, I slowly made my way to the spot he stood. As I got closer to where he had been standing, I noticed some tines sticking up so I then knew he dropped where I shot him. What I didn't know was that he was a non-typical and bigger than I was aware of. He is an 8x6 and my first non-typical buck. I have green scored him at 204 2/8. It appears to be an 7x5 in the pics as he has a short tine coming of each main beam in behind. It was a great weekend with 3 bucks taken and a close call on a legal bull elk.http://i1209.photobucket.com/albums/cc397/patdel1/DSCF1655-1.jpghttp://i1209.photobucket.com/albums/cc397/patdel1/DSCF1656-1.jpghttp://i1209.photobucket.com/albums/cc397/patdel1/DSCF1681.jpghttp://i1209.photobucket.com/albums/cc397/patdel1/DSCF1680.jpg

[ianwuzhere]

wow- heck of a season- that buck is a hawg- great story and pix- thanx for postin... now i wanna header out and find me a monster buck like that!!!

[jaeger]

Congratulations to you and your son!! That is going to put some nice fare on the table.

[coach]

Awesome buck! Congrats to you and your son on a great start to the season.

[beeker]

WOW! that's a beauty. congrats.

[juiceterboost]

that buck is a cranker, now I just need cooler temperatures and no more fires so I can finally get out and do some serious hunting

[matt420]

wow what a monster muley, congrats on the big monster and the youth gettin one, its good to see the youths gettin deer :)

[spear]

I thought he was pretty big until I saw the pic of you holding it, then I knew it was a monster, nice work!!

[JDR]

Well done, awesome buck!! Great mass and love the extra stickers. Congrats to you and your son!

[kennyj]

A couple of dandy bucks. Congratulations to your son on his first and to you on Mr Knarly. That thing is Huge.
kenny

[BCHunterTV]

tell me your mounting that?

that buck is awesome!

[ELKOHOLICBC]

Congrats on a buck of a lifetime and getting to enjoy your sons first buck. Thats a great season.

[.300WSMImpact!]

nice deer!! and congrats on the youth deer as well

[Ruger4]

wow Pat , thanx a beauty of a buck , congrats on the smaller one as well !!

[Mikey Rafiki]

Wall hanger... buck of a lifetime.

[markt308]

sick deer man! the pics of you holding the rack really show how special this deer is. congrats. i would be sending the pics and story in to Garry Donald

[Calvin]

wow what a cranker, love them non typical points! great shootin

[coach]

Everyone's calling this a buck of a lifetime. I say it compares quite nicely to the one you posted last year. http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/showthread.php?55523-Opening-weekend-Mulie. Once could be considered lucky - two years in a row says you really know what you're doing. Looks like you give Dana and Mark a pretty good run for their money when it comes to monster mulies. Congrats again!

[dana]

Congrats to both you and your son and getting him a fine looking buck. I love seeing the youth pics with their animals. And congrats to you on yet another giant. Your field pics certainly don't do that buck justice. The pics of you holding it certainly do though. That is a Sweet Buck! Should look good next to the monster you got last year. Back to back monsters is quite the acheivement. Way To GO!

[LeverActionJunkie]

Nice work both of you! Couple of real nice deer and some good memories.

[Brian011]

Awesome looking buck!

[bruin]

-----Nice!!!

[deezday]

Wall Hanger! congrats on a nice buck.

[ydouask]

Look at the smile on your son's face... that's the sign of a job well done Dad. Congratulations. Oh, and that buck of yours is a real beauty too!

[gbear]

What a great looking buck! Congrats

[mark]

Another awesome buck for you, congrads!
Seeing them pics, Im going to have to dig through my shed pile?????

[fester]

great deer!!!

[notellyridge]

congrats to you and your son, nice non-typical!!

[patdel]

[QUOTE=BCHunterTV;989039]tell me your mounting that?

I never kept the cape on this one, with the hot weather my main concern was getting the meat out and this deers body was big! I am also mounting my buck from last year right now.

[patdel]

Everyone's calling this a buck of a lifetime. I say it compares quite nicely to the one you posted last year. http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/showthread.php?55523-Opening-weekend-Mulie. Once could be considered lucky - two years in a row says you really know what you're doing. Looks like you give Dana and Mark a pretty good run for their money when it comes to monster mulies. Congrats again!

I consider myself fortunate to have taken a couple good bucks the last couple years but I am no way comparing myself to guys like Dana or Mark. These guys as others on this forum have put major time researching and scouting areas over the years and truly know the bush. Everyday is a new learning day and I really just enjoy being out in the great outdoors

[dana]

Patdel,
Judging from your success, you've got a lot of the pieces of the puzzle coming together. We are always learning no matter how long we have been playing the game.

[s-dog]

Great job,nice when it all comes together early season! Great to see the young fellas out learning too,can't wait to take my daughter out for her first buck!

[Rattler]

Wow, impressive buck! Congrats to you and your son...

[Darksith]

simply awesome, I dream of finding a buck like that, congrats

[Brambles]

WOW hell of a buck, better than last years. Now I'm starting to get the itch again, nice work.

[scottwh]

Hello Taxidermist! What a beauty buck! Congrats to your son as well! I have a couple more years till my daughter can start shootin! Cant wait :)

[moose2]

A great start to the season it looks like trophies for both hunters.
Mike

[BimmerBob]

Good job, beauty bucks for you and your son! Yours is a cranker, something to savour the day.