Day 2 and we both have buck tags. Start the morning off by getting up high and glassing some big open sage country. We see a ton of deer and some decent bucks, but nothing to go after until later in the morning when we saw 2 nice bucks get run off by a pretty big buck. We begin planning to go after him when the spook out and head the other direction, so we went back and got a nap in to recover from the day prior. Later in the afternoon I spot a group of does and see 2 nice bucks near them. I get about 200 yards from them and see the bucks are shooters, so I put my hand down on the snow to get prone to make a shot. Well i placed my left hand right in tbe middle of a cactus and got about 50 cactus needles in my palm. I pick a few of the bigger ones out then lay prone. The bucks are headed away and I do a quick size up on them, there is a wider 4x4 and a heavier but narrower 3x3. I really liked the look of the 3x3 so I take a shot and ...... nothing. I reload and calm down, take a shot and drill him right on the back and he drops in his tracks. I walk up to him and realize my first shot went through his right ear and broke off an antler tip, nonsense. Got him cleaned and another packout, I know he's not the biggest, but I absolutely loved his look, he was really fat with a huge neck.
Day 3 we were exhausted, so we set up on a hill and glassed in all directions. Saw another good buck, but some elk hunters spooked him out. Had a group of cows walk by about 100 yards away and saw some more elk in the flats, but no elk tags left.
Day 4 we start at the same non, but don't locate any shooter bucks. Mid morning we head to some higher country and glass a big bowl. We spot a pretty nice 3x3 across the way and see some deer on the farthest , highest peak in the area. We keep glassing the peak for about an hour when I see a fat buck that looks like the biggest buck I've seen in person come over the ridge and bed behind the other deer. We talk it over and are pretty sure we need to get after him. We talk for a few then decide to make a move.
We make it to the bottom of the peak where he is at and glass to get a better look. We can't locate him for a while and then suddenly see a BIG set of antlers step onto view and I immediately tell Matt he needs to smoke this buck. We were about 700 yards away, so we snuck to about 350 and Matt got setup. All the other deer were milling around but the big boy remained out of view. After a bit of a wait, all the deer start moving down the mountain and the buck comes running down the mountain towards us. Matt shoots at him on the run, but the buck goeas out of view on the last shot. We go look where we last saw the buck and after a while Matt goes back to where he shot to try to determine where he last saw the buck. He points uphill from where I'm standing and there he was. WOW! What a buck heavy antlered with some good forks. Saw that Matt dropped him with a shot right through the shoulders on the last shot. We packed him out and got back to the truck worn out and sore.
It was an absolutely amazing trip and couldn't have asked for more. So thankful for the experience, headed home with full coolers and great memories!
Day 3 we were exhausted, so we set up on a hill and glassed in all directions. Saw another good buck, but some elk hunters spooked him out. Had a group of cows walk by about 100 yards away and saw some more elk in the flats, but no elk tags left.
Day 4 we start at the same non, but don't locate any shooter bucks. Mid morning we head to some higher country and glass a big bowl. We spot a pretty nice 3x3 across the way and see some deer on the farthest , highest peak in the area. We keep glassing the peak for about an hour when I see a fat buck that looks like the biggest buck I've seen in person come over the ridge and bed behind the other deer. We talk it over and are pretty sure we need to get after him. We talk for a few then decide to make a move.
We make it to the bottom of the peak where he is at and glass to get a better look. We can't locate him for a while and then suddenly see a BIG set of antlers step onto view and I immediately tell Matt he needs to smoke this buck. We were about 700 yards away, so we snuck to about 350 and Matt got setup. All the other deer were milling around but the big boy remained out of view. After a bit of a wait, all the deer start moving down the mountain and the buck comes running down the mountain towards us. Matt shoots at him on the run, but the buck goeas out of view on the last shot. We go look where we last saw the buck and after a while Matt goes back to where he shot to try to determine where he last saw the buck. He points uphill from where I'm standing and there he was. WOW! What a buck heavy antlered with some good forks. Saw that Matt dropped him with a shot right through the shoulders on the last shot. We packed him out and got back to the truck worn out and sore.
It was an absolutely amazing trip and couldn't have asked for more. So thankful for the experience, headed home with full coolers and great memories!
