Passing a buck.

[huntnful]

Working slowly along a rocky, shaded draw hunting desert mule deer. These deer saw me before I saw them, at 165 yards. Slow and methodical movements allowed me to keep them from blowing out for several minutes. As soon as I saw them, I slowly sat down, slipped my shoulder straps off from my pack, extended my bipod legs to a seated position height and looked over the buck. He was a decent 3x3 with probably 3” eyeguards. I decided to pass him, but got a pretty cool picture of what I thought really depicted “passing a buck”.



I think I’ve created much more opportunities in the field by moving slowly after I’ve been spotted by an animal vs. being in a hurry to yank my gear off and send a round. It’s good to be capable of speed, but I don’t think it should be the default setting upon initially spotting an animal that’s already aware of your presence.

Also just moving slowly through any country that you think animals might be present in. They seem to take much more time analyzing small movements than big fast rushed movements.

 

[Harvey_NW]

I passed this buck last week. Wife spotted him on the 3rd day with a week or so more to hunt, and I was trying to learn the area and find a bigger caliber buck. 530 yards, little to no wind. Hindsight, probably should've shot him but I didn't get excited when I saw how small his antlers were in comparison to his body size. Dude's built like a chest freezer. Maybe I misjudged, but it was really cool to watch him settle in and rack out for a bit!

 

[180ls1]

The more I hunt the more I've come to realize it all works. I've got a buddy who hunts out west, yet he hardly glasses and does not hike far. He slowly and methodically works a hillside, for essentially the whole day, something I would cover in 1/4 the time. I'd be damned if he doesn't kill great animals doing it.

 

[huntnful]

I passed this buck last week. Wife spotted him on the 3rd day with a week or so more to hunt, and I was trying to learn the area and find a bigger caliber buck. 530 yards, little to no wind. Hindsight, probably should've shot him but I didn't get excited when I saw how small his antlers were in comparison to his body size. Dude's built like a chest freezer. Maybe I misjudged, but it was really cool to watch him settle in and rack out for a bit!

View attachment 781319
View attachment 781320

UNIT

The more I hunt the more I've come to realize it all works. I've got a buddy who hunts out west, yet he hardly glasses and does not hike far. He slowly and methodically works a hillside, for essentially the whole day, something I would cover in 1/4 the time. I'd be damned if he doesn't kill great animals doing it.

Absolutely. I hunt all different styles at different times. If you know there’s mature animals in an area, you can definitely whack one by just creeping through that area. I killed a 10 year old mule deer at like 30 yards by still-hunting basically.

But definitely prefer to glass for a target animal, close the distance and kill him.

 

[willfrye027]

I passed this buck last week. Wife spotted him on the 3rd day with a week or so more to hunt, and I was trying to learn the area and find a bigger caliber buck. 530 yards, little to no wind. Hindsight, probably should've shot him but I didn't get excited when I saw how small his antlers were in comparison to his body size. Dude's built like a chest freezer. Maybe I misjudged, but it was really cool to watch him settle in and rack out for a bit!

View attachment 781319
View attachment 781320

He’s obese!!!

 

[AM_Hunter]

I wish I was able to do this two weeks ago... After getting my first buck during archery, I told myself I would hold out for a bigger buck and wait till the end of the season to fill my rifle tag. Lo and behold, sunday of opening rifle, we spotted a large group of deer crest a small hill. We sprinted up and over and located them 200 yards below us. My buddy shot a forky and a portion of the group ran off but another buck just stood there staring at us. In my adrenaline and excitement while staring at him through my scope I ended up dropping him. Goofy looking 3x2. Disappointed I ended my season so early but at the same time, I was able to tag my second deer of the season in a unit with ~10% success rate. It was my second deer ever and first deer with my rifle so can't complain too much. Tagging two bucks in California isn't a common occurrence either so theres that too.

Gonna head back out next weekend as well, try to get my buddy his archery buck during rifle and our other buddy his first buck too.

 

[huntnful]

I wish I was able to do this two weeks ago... After getting my first buck during archery, I told myself I would hold out for a bigger buck and wait till the end of the season to fill my rifle tag. Lo and behold, sunday of opening rifle, we spotted a large group of deer crest a small hill. We sprinted up and over and located them 200 yards below us. My buddy shot a forky and a portion of the group ran off but another buck just stood there staring at us. In my adrenaline and excitement while staring at him through my scope I ended up dropping him. Goofy looking 3x2. Disappointed I ended my season so early but at the same time, I was able to tag my second deer of the season in a unit with ~10% success rate. It was my second deer ever and first deer with my rifle so can't complain too much. Tagging two bucks in California isn't a common occurrence either so theres that too.

Gonna head back out next weekend as well, try to get my buddy his archery buck during rifle and our other buddy his first buck too.

That honestly awesome dude!! If it gets you excited in the moment, it’s a worthy deer IMO. It’s the ones you have to talk yourself into killing,that normally bring the regret afterwards. Congrats on doubling in CA. That is not an easy task!

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

I wish I was able to do this two weeks ago... After getting my first buck during archery, I told myself I would hold out for a bigger buck and wait till the end of the season to fill my rifle tag. Lo and behold, sunday of opening rifle, we spotted a large group of deer crest a small hill. We sprinted up and over and located them 200 yards below us. My buddy shot a forky and a portion of the group ran off but another buck just stood there staring at us. In my adrenaline and excitement while staring at him through my scope I ended up dropping him. Goofy looking 3x2. Disappointed I ended my season so early but at the same time, I was able to tag my second deer of the season in a unit with ~10% success rate. It was my second deer ever and first deer with my rifle so can't complain too much. Tagging two bucks in California isn't a common occurrence either so theres that too.

Gonna head back out next weekend as well, try to get my buddy his archery buck during rifle and our other buddy his first buck too.

People don’t realize how difficult public land hunting deer is in California.

Congrats on the deer!

 

[AM_Hunter]

People don’t realize how difficult public land hunting deer is in California.

Congrats on the deer!

Thank you! Yea this is my 8th season hunting and my first year finally getting a buck. Wasn't expecting to double up, let alone get my first one with a bow as opposed to a rifle. Its definitely been an epic season so far! Gonna go for bear a few weekends too but being SoCal my hopes arent too high for the local zones that hold bears.

A buddy of mine got his first buck the same day in a different zone, its his 5th season hunting so he was also stoked.

 

[AM_Hunter]

That honestly awesome dude!! If it gets you excited in the moment, it’s a worthy deer IMO. It’s the ones you have to talk yourself into killing,that normally bring the regret afterwards. Congrats on doubling in CA. That is not an easy task!

Thank you!

 

[waspocrew]

If an animal gets you pumped when you see it, take it. If you’re not feeling it, nothing wrong with passing and looking for something different.

I just spent a week in Wyoming hunting elk, deer, and antelope. Here’s a bull I passed - definitely a killable position, but after studying him, he was broken on the left front. He was also in a nasty canyon, so I wasn’t too enthusiastic about all of the ensuing work if I pulled the trigger. I passed and killed a bull in a much easier location the next morning.

 

[huntnful]

If an animal gets you pumped when you see it, take it. If you’re not feeling it, nothing wrong with passing and looking for something different.

I just spent a week in Wyoming hunting elk, deer, and antelope. Here’s a bull I passed - definitely a killable position, but after studying him, he was broken on the left front. He was also in a nasty canyon, so I wasn’t too enthusiastic about all of the ensuing work if I pulled the trigger. I passed and killed a bull in a much easier location the next morning.

View attachment 781401

Awesome picture!!

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

I got a 3rd rifle buck tag in a decent unit this year and will pick up an OTC bull tag.

With my sons hunting we've already put 4 pronghorn into the freezer this year, on top of a surplus from last year, and one of my sons has a 3rd rifle buck tag (but can only hunt the weekend) and can shoot whatever he pleases that is legal on that hunt.

Needless to say once I'm out on my hunt unless a buck or bull excites me I'm gonna let'm walk and just enjoy watching, which is such a mental shift from when I was grinding it out on my tags alone to keep the freezer full. I'm excited.

 

[CorbLand]

I passed this buck last week. Wife spotted him on the 3rd day with a week or so more to hunt, and I was trying to learn the area and find a bigger caliber buck. 530 yards, little to no wind. Hindsight, probably should've shot him but I didn't get excited when I saw how small his antlers were in comparison to his body size. Dude's built like a chest freezer. Maybe I misjudged, but it was really cool to watch him settle in and rack out for a bit!

View attachment 781319
View attachment 781320

I would be curious to know his age and if his antlers are bigger than they look due to the body size.

 

[Harvey_NW]

I would be curious to know his age and if his antlers are bigger than they look due to the body size.

I kinda wondered that myself but I got a very clear look at him from all angles through a Swaro HD and based on his ears he was only maybe 18" wide at best. Nothing else to me indicated he was an older buck, just a fatass lol.

 

[WKR]

I passed this buck last week. Wife spotted him on the 3rd day with a week or so more to hunt, and I was trying to learn the area and find a bigger caliber buck. 530 yards, little to no wind. Hindsight, probably should've shot him but I didn't get excited when I saw how small his antlers were in comparison to his body size. Dude's built like a chest freezer. Maybe I misjudged, but it was really cool to watch him settle in and rack out for a bit!

View attachment 781319
View attachment 781320

God damn! Thats a trophy size body right there...I would have had a hard time passing all that meat

Really cool picture of him with his eyes closed. Thats a rarity to see them actually sleeping.

 

[CorbLand]

I kinda wondered that myself but I got a very clear look at him from all angles through a Swaro HD and based on his ears he was only maybe 18" wide at best. Nothing else to me indicated he was an older buck, just a fatass lol.

The picture of him with his head down makes him look like he has a roman nose but I am assuming its the angle or the way he is laying on his nose because it doesnt look that way in the top picture.

That thing is a tank.

 

[huntnful]

I got a 3rd rifle buck tag in a decent unit this year and will pick up an OTC bull tag.

With my sons hunting we've already put 4 pronghorn into the freezer this year, on top of a surplus from last year, and one of my sons has a 3rd rifle buck tag (but can only hunt the weekend) and can shoot whatever he pleases that is legal on that hunt.

Needless to say once I'm out on my hunt unless a buck or bull excites me I'm gonna let'm walk and just enjoy watching, which is such a mental shift from when I was grinding it out on my tags alone to keep the freezer full. I'm excited.

Good luck to you and your boys!! Awesome to do a hunt with them. I love hunting with my dad. You really bond over a week of hunting animals. More so than any other time I think.

 

[WeiserBucks]

I pass on all the critters that stay out of range.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Good luck to you and your boys!! Awesome to do a hunt with them. I love hunting with my dad. You really bond over a week of hunting animals. More so than any other time I think.

No week long hunts yet, they have school/sports obligations typically.