270quest
WKR
It was another good year here in Idaho. I spent all my summer scouting for my Antelope super tag, so no scouting time was spent in our deer/elk area. Truth be told, I have hunted this area for 20 years - I know were the big bucks usually are and how to hunt it so I wasn't worried too much.
My 11 year old son harvested his first buck last year as a 10 year old- a nice 22" 4 point. This year, due to Year around Travel Baseball and Football, he could only spend a couple days with me hunting. Said he wasn't going to be picky, so on his second day, we found this little 2 point and it was go time. We snuck within 191 yards and he put a 139 scenar out of my 6.5 prc in its neck and down it went. 2 bucks in 2 years and not even 12 yet - he did well and was extremely excited.
The next day me and my buddy got into some elk, I had a raghorn bull with 3 cows at 480 yards. Elevation was correct, but I didn't account for the wind blowing across the canyon. I missed just in front of the bull and off they went. My buddy however had dropped down the opposite side drainage in an attempt to find a big bull we thought lived there. While down there he hears a wolf howl so he starts cow calling. Within a few minutes, this big 105 pound dog comes straight to him and he smokes it at 42 yards. (300 RUM was just enough gun lol) On a side note - damn these things stink like hell while skinning - worst than the worse mange coyote.
We had another youngster in camp that had never shot a deer. 13 year old young man that was brought up by another one of our buddies. He asked if he could go with me on the mountain as I was going into my honey hole that evening and I said sure. As we got in there, I immediately started spotting deer and was frantically looking for horns for his first buck. Looked a bit lower and found this guy bedded looking up at us at 320 yards. I kind of forgot bout my young hunter as this buck was a monster. I hear him whisper - "can I shoot it?" Man for a second that was hard, but said sure - you get the first shot - if you miss - I'm going to shoot him, We both got setup prone and dialed in ready to go. He shot - and didn't miss. He was overwhelmed in joy and was almost in tears. His first ever buck a 180" 27" wide stud. Awesome to share that experience with him. (He killed it with a 30-06 shooting 150 grain ballistic tips)
On the last day of the season, I still hadn't killed anything for myself. We went into a big basin and found 24 elk. As we searched for a bull - which we couldn't find - just cows - I noticed a 25-26"160 class deer on the other end of the basin and I decided to go after him. I crested the last little ridge in-between us that was going to give me about a 250 yard shot, and nothing. He was gone - somehow gave me the slip. I decided to head back and check on the elk. I walked about 30 yards and just had a gut feeling to glass the cliffs that were a few hundred yards above me. As I did so, I found this 3x4 buck and decided to kill him. 139 scenar out of my 6.5prc dropped him in his tracks.
The next day after deer season closed, we went into this same basin looking for elk and found a legit 30" 200" class buck bedded in the rocks not more than 100 yards from where I killed my buck. Here's hoping he survives till next year - Ill be back in that spot looking for him.
My 11 year old son harvested his first buck last year as a 10 year old- a nice 22" 4 point. This year, due to Year around Travel Baseball and Football, he could only spend a couple days with me hunting. Said he wasn't going to be picky, so on his second day, we found this little 2 point and it was go time. We snuck within 191 yards and he put a 139 scenar out of my 6.5 prc in its neck and down it went. 2 bucks in 2 years and not even 12 yet - he did well and was extremely excited.
The next day me and my buddy got into some elk, I had a raghorn bull with 3 cows at 480 yards. Elevation was correct, but I didn't account for the wind blowing across the canyon. I missed just in front of the bull and off they went. My buddy however had dropped down the opposite side drainage in an attempt to find a big bull we thought lived there. While down there he hears a wolf howl so he starts cow calling. Within a few minutes, this big 105 pound dog comes straight to him and he smokes it at 42 yards. (300 RUM was just enough gun lol) On a side note - damn these things stink like hell while skinning - worst than the worse mange coyote.
We had another youngster in camp that had never shot a deer. 13 year old young man that was brought up by another one of our buddies. He asked if he could go with me on the mountain as I was going into my honey hole that evening and I said sure. As we got in there, I immediately started spotting deer and was frantically looking for horns for his first buck. Looked a bit lower and found this guy bedded looking up at us at 320 yards. I kind of forgot bout my young hunter as this buck was a monster. I hear him whisper - "can I shoot it?" Man for a second that was hard, but said sure - you get the first shot - if you miss - I'm going to shoot him, We both got setup prone and dialed in ready to go. He shot - and didn't miss. He was overwhelmed in joy and was almost in tears. His first ever buck a 180" 27" wide stud. Awesome to share that experience with him. (He killed it with a 30-06 shooting 150 grain ballistic tips)
On the last day of the season, I still hadn't killed anything for myself. We went into a big basin and found 24 elk. As we searched for a bull - which we couldn't find - just cows - I noticed a 25-26"160 class deer on the other end of the basin and I decided to go after him. I crested the last little ridge in-between us that was going to give me about a 250 yard shot, and nothing. He was gone - somehow gave me the slip. I decided to head back and check on the elk. I walked about 30 yards and just had a gut feeling to glass the cliffs that were a few hundred yards above me. As I did so, I found this 3x4 buck and decided to kill him. 139 scenar out of my 6.5prc dropped him in his tracks.
The next day after deer season closed, we went into this same basin looking for elk and found a legit 30" 200" class buck bedded in the rocks not more than 100 yards from where I killed my buck. Here's hoping he survives till next year - Ill be back in that spot looking for him.
And good hunts and animals congrats
