Hardly_Hangin
Lil-Rokslider
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2021
- Messages
- 179
It is unseasonably warm for December, but today I had one of those uncanny feelings that something awesome was going to happen - it came to fruition. I originally found this spot while turkey hunting, and while doing some scouting in the area this fall I knew there was a big buck lurking around. I climbed up in the dark (headlamp died on the way in-doh!) with my lunch packed and hopes high. The woods were completely dead all morning - at 11 a buck got up from his bed on the ridge opposite from me, and I watched him feed for a few minutes before bedding back down (too thick to shoot, too far to identify legality - had to meet antler restrictions). At 11:30 a doe busted through the laurel beneath me in a dead sprint, running perpendicular to me towards my ridge. I shouldered my rifle as this bruiser rolled through like a panzer tank - nose to the ground, neck swollen, oblivious to everything but procreation. The doe got directly in front of me, and made a 90-degree turn, and headed for my tree - he pursued. The doe passed, putting the buck’s trajectory at the base of my tree. At 20 yards he offered me a fair quartering to shot, and I obliged him, dropping him in his tracks. He reared and futilely attempted to escape but got tangled up in a blowdown. The doe continued off behind me in the sea of laurel. The first buck, despite the commotion, came off his perch atop the ridge and cut the doe’s trail, and he meandered within 10 yards of me (in addition to antler restrictions, there’s a one buck tag limit so I let him walk).
First public land buck, first from a saddle, and first time packing one out. I shot a buck last year near here and could not find him, making the experience that much sweeter. I am blessed - thank you Lord.
Side note - I picked up this kifaru frame on this site this summer - shoutout to @NICKJ for hooking a brother up
First public land buck, first from a saddle, and first time packing one out. I shot a buck last year near here and could not find him, making the experience that much sweeter. I am blessed - thank you Lord.
Side note - I picked up this kifaru frame on this site this summer - shoutout to @NICKJ for hooking a brother up
