Went out early this morning, got out there later than usual, it was pretty much right at 0630 when I sat down. The spot I sat down at I couldn't believe that nobody was in there, so I sat against a tree where the wind would keep my scent out of the area I expected the deer to approach from. About 10 minutes after I sat down one come trotting down the hill towards me, it was 0640'ish (didn't exactly check the phone at that moment) so it was still a bit dark, but light enough to see the deer. I was watching him through my scope, however I was sure it was a doe, didn't really matter, a deer is a deer when it's the first one i'd seen all weekend. Pushed the safety off, settled the crosshairs on the chest about 40 yards away, and touched off the 208amax, and got to enjoy the joy of seeing the fireball from the end of the barrel in the low light. The deer didn't react as I thought it would to the shot, instead of dropping dead from being hit with 3,000lbs/ft of energy with a bullet I thought would fragment that close in, it ran, and I heard it in the thick poo to the right of me, but I was sure it was down since it was close, and wasn't going away. I stood up and saw the second one, that one was a buck for sure, I could see the antlers well, he was trotting up the hill after I stood up. Since I thought (details in a second) the first was a doe, I loaded up another round and watched the buck go up the hill through the crosshairs and settled them on the back of the head. By then the buck fever was getting me somethin' fierce and I missed the shot. My excuse for that shot was the buck fever, 125 yards off-hand, and a small target. You know what they say, aim small, miss small.
Now, the details. It was a good thing I missed the buck going up the hill. It turned out the doe was a buck. Now I was sure he didn't have antlers, but I was wrong. He ran about 40 yards into the thicket crap with thorn bushes and other stuff that sucks.
I'm a meat hunter, so I really don't care about racks very much, but I hunt public land for the most part due to a lack of access to private land. Most folks that have good private land around here will lease out to hunters, but I don't have that kind of money, public land deer don't get to live very long so the antlers don't get very big very often. So yeah, it's not an impressive rack, but it's my 5th deer i've shot in my life, so it's taken 15years to get that many deer. Hopefully I can get another doe before season end. Might have to shoot one in the back yard.
Now for pictures. BTW, don't mind the mohawk, it was a joke for work. The stupid look I have no excuse for, I blame the wife for not taking more pics of me to get one where I didn't look like a retard.
I weighed him and he was 120lbs dressed, he felt a lot heavier while i drug him 3/4mile to the car....in the rain....through the mud.....up and down hills. I like to hunt deer, but I hate the part after you shoot 'em.
Branden
Now, the details. It was a good thing I missed the buck going up the hill. It turned out the doe was a buck. Now I was sure he didn't have antlers, but I was wrong. He ran about 40 yards into the thicket crap with thorn bushes and other stuff that sucks.
I'm a meat hunter, so I really don't care about racks very much, but I hunt public land for the most part due to a lack of access to private land. Most folks that have good private land around here will lease out to hunters, but I don't have that kind of money, public land deer don't get to live very long so the antlers don't get very big very often. So yeah, it's not an impressive rack, but it's my 5th deer i've shot in my life, so it's taken 15years to get that many deer. Hopefully I can get another doe before season end. Might have to shoot one in the back yard.
Now for pictures. BTW, don't mind the mohawk, it was a joke for work. The stupid look I have no excuse for, I blame the wife for not taking more pics of me to get one where I didn't look like a retard.
I weighed him and he was 120lbs dressed, he felt a lot heavier while i drug him 3/4mile to the car....in the rain....through the mud.....up and down hills. I like to hunt deer, but I hate the part after you shoot 'em.
Branden
