Well I wish there was a huge story to tell, but that is not the case.
Having hung trail cams and for the first time, ever, we were able to semi-pattern a group of different bucks that were coming in to a spring. We had as many as a pic every other day to as few as only one pic of different bucks on the spring for two months. We hunted it on the archery opener only to see the regular bucks twice, but out of range. When my brother and I hunted the area again in the beginnign of this month, the sign on the spring was down and we had no tcam pictures of the bucks.
At this point, I knew if I still had a tag come rifle season I would be hunting around that area. I knew they were still around, just didn't want to drink from that spring anymore for whatever reason. I was only going to beable to hunt a few days the whole rifle season and knew on this trip I wanted one of the regulars at the spring and the biggest of the group.
I was planning on passing on the smaller dinks and forks this trip knowing I had a good chance at getting them on my next outings.
Opening morning I was hunting with my cuz who only had an AO tag. I had a spot picked out to hit at first light. As we got their, I told him to take one step forward and to the left knowing that at that point we would both have just our heads up and looking down the ridge. My hope was that we could get him one with his bow before I did with my rifgle. Well he listens as well as my wife and takes four steps forward and I realize he has just put his whole body overlooking the edge. I jump forward having my rifle still slung on my shoulder and throw up my binos doing a super fast scan from left to right. As I get to the right I see a rack and a butt at about 60 yards running directly away.
I take the gun off my shoulder and throw it up. I watch the buck turn left and I fire twice. Both miss. He stops broadside at about 130 yards. I fire another one and miss! My rifle only holds one in the chamber and two in the mag. I grab my fourth shell from the pocket and throw it in the chamber. I take a deep breath as the buck is still standing looking up at us. I put the crosshairs on him, hold and pull the trigger. I see him do a mule kick and realize that one connected.
We make our way down the hill and glass down the next drop off to see if there are other deer and to wait a few minutes before I go and look for him. My cuz goes off to my left and starts to look, then whistles and gives me a thumbs up. I run over to him and look up the hill to see him down for the count. He made it all of two jumps.
Having hung trail cams and for the first time, ever, we were able to semi-pattern a group of different bucks that were coming in to a spring. We had as many as a pic every other day to as few as only one pic of different bucks on the spring for two months. We hunted it on the archery opener only to see the regular bucks twice, but out of range. When my brother and I hunted the area again in the beginnign of this month, the sign on the spring was down and we had no tcam pictures of the bucks.
At this point, I knew if I still had a tag come rifle season I would be hunting around that area. I knew they were still around, just didn't want to drink from that spring anymore for whatever reason. I was only going to beable to hunt a few days the whole rifle season and knew on this trip I wanted one of the regulars at the spring and the biggest of the group.
I was planning on passing on the smaller dinks and forks this trip knowing I had a good chance at getting them on my next outings.
Opening morning I was hunting with my cuz who only had an AO tag. I had a spot picked out to hit at first light. As we got their, I told him to take one step forward and to the left knowing that at that point we would both have just our heads up and looking down the ridge. My hope was that we could get him one with his bow before I did with my rifgle. Well he listens as well as my wife and takes four steps forward and I realize he has just put his whole body overlooking the edge. I jump forward having my rifle still slung on my shoulder and throw up my binos doing a super fast scan from left to right. As I get to the right I see a rack and a butt at about 60 yards running directly away.
I take the gun off my shoulder and throw it up. I watch the buck turn left and I fire twice. Both miss. He stops broadside at about 130 yards. I fire another one and miss! My rifle only holds one in the chamber and two in the mag. I grab my fourth shell from the pocket and throw it in the chamber. I take a deep breath as the buck is still standing looking up at us. I put the crosshairs on him, hold and pull the trigger. I see him do a mule kick and realize that one connected.
We make our way down the hill and glass down the next drop off to see if there are other deer and to wait a few minutes before I go and look for him. My cuz goes off to my left and starts to look, then whistles and gives me a thumbs up. I run over to him and look up the hill to see him down for the count. He made it all of two jumps.
