Later that evening I hiked back up to my vantage in the afternoon. When I arrived at my spot, I bumped a buck right where I was glassing from earlier this morning that had bedded on the knob. I could glass a couple different possible locations where bucks would appear from.
Out of no where a buck appears in a small opening at about 400 yards. I quickly go get my bow and pack (10 yards away) and come back to glass up the buck. When I throw the glasses up, the buck is gone. Damn!! I peel all the bushes back and finally find the buck bedded in some tall grass. There looks to be a good approach if I circle the buck and come over a little rise to make a shot.
I start my descent across an open field. As I cross the field I notice a deer moving a 100 yards away on the other side of the drainage. A buck. Two, Three, four bucks.... One is a toad 4x3 about 24" with big mass and great forks. The problem is the wind is blowing right to them and I am out in the middle of an opening. Finally one of the small bucks gets my scent and moves the deer down the drainage. The were not that spooked.
Back to plan A, the bedded buck. I crossed over the drainage, came through a saddle and up the little rise. I found the pine that I knew the buck was bedded next to. I peeled the grass back with my swaro's, blade by blade. Finally, I find the tips of the horns. I range a tree, 42 yards, I range a log 55 yards. I am guessing he is 45 yards buck cannot hit him with my laser in the grass. It's 6:15pm and I know this buck will get up and some point as the weather is cool and the moon phase is perfect. I wait, get into a good shooting stance, and every couple minutes slowly move my bino's up to check on the buck. About one hour later, the buck finally rears his head and and starts to get up. I tell myself, "do not pull back immediately", let him survey the area and then go to feeding.
The buck slowly gets up, looks around and then takes a couple steps looking away from me at a countering away angle. I draw my Hoyt and release a optimistic arrow. I watch the buck bolt, run about 30 yards, I could see his legs under the tree, after about 20 seconds, the legs get wobbly, and then feet up...
Mark
Best of Luck Jeff
Thanks, and congratulations.
Thank you fellas!
GJ with the stalk.
I was thinking the same thing as writer - the season's officially started :)
Best regards, Scott Alberda
Jeff -you're right, he would look good next to NM bull!
