Well I took the wife out opening morning, we saw 10 bucks within archery range. She took a shot at 2 and missed both. Later My cousin, Lloyd came over and told me about some nice bucks he had put to bed that morning so I went with him to try our luck on those. I have all of next week off and had no real plan of tagging out on opening day, but a shot at a nice buck would be fun. The wind was all wrong and we kept Kicking Bucks out way out in front, spoiling our chances, so we split up. Lloyd set up on the ridge, and I went to the top of the mountain, circled around, and came back around behind the bucks. First I saw a nice 2 point, then the real nice, wide, heavy 3 point we were trying for, they had bedded down in the middle of a rock slide. My range finder read 60 yards and then they walked off, I opted to try to ease them toward where I figured Lloyd had set up. The 2 point went the wrong way but the 3 point cooperated. Then about 200 yards before I got to where I figured Lloyd was set up I kicked up another 2 point and then a Tall racked 4 point. Again I eased around trying to coax them across the spot, where I hoped Lloyd was waiting. Success! They went just where I was hoping, but as I topped the ridge and Looked Right Lloyd was about 100 yards farther down than I figured. Using arm guestures(My arms arching up like they were monster Bucks ) I asked if he had seen the bucks, he signaled NO. I looked left and saw 2 bucks off in the Aspen. A quick peak through My Binocs showed the 4 point broadside, and the 2 point looking at me. the next step would Take them into the open and they'd be gone. My range finder said 67 yards. Dang, Too Far......I took another peak in the Bino's..... What the heck, I told myself I practice 70 and 80 plus yard shots every year for just this situation. I drew back, held My 60 yard pin just over it's back, and let go. Whack! Thump! It dropped in it's tracks, hit in the neck. No tracking . When I turned around and steped back into the open and yelled down to Lloyd "I shot the 4 point" he gave me a quizzicle look like maybe I was joking, but headed over for a look.
Since I never saw it from the front or back, only from the side, I was a little surprised that it wasn't as wide as I hoped, but had Nice forks and good Height. Lloyd didn't remember he had a Camera untill we had Boned out the Buck and were getting ready to leave, but here are a couple Pics. Yes that mountain peak in the background is LOWER than us.

[url="http://www.hunt101.com/?p=429762&c=500&z=1"] [/url]

[url="http://www.hunt101.com/?p=429763&c=500&z=1"] [/url]


Well How was I to properly thank Lloyd for giving me a chance at the bucks he had Located???(((( I gave him the priveledge of packing it out .

[url="http://www.hunt101.com/?p=429764&c=500&z=1"] [/url]

Thanks Lloyd.

Oh don't worry when Lloyd gets his Bull this week I fully expect a phone call to pack out his 700lb Bull Elk

Ricky

Nice deer!

Nice buck!

quote:

Originally posted by ricky_arthur:
My range finder said 67 yards. Dang, Too Far........... What the heck, I told myself I practice 70 and 80 plus yard shots every year for just this situation. I drew back, held My 60 yard pin just over it's back, and let go. Whack! Thump! It dropped in it's tracks, hit in the neck.

Well, I've got to say it...

Too far.

You should've stuck with your initial impression of Dang, too far.

For those that jump in and say "But he practices that far (80 plus yards?!? ), and got it", I say yeah but...

The pin was over the deer's back. The hit was in the neck. Planned? I doubt it. So the shot was off by a good foot or more. Had it drifted the other direction, there would be a gut shot deer out there on the mountain somewhere. It was pure luck that the shot hit the neck (apparently the spine, because there's a good bit of non-lethal neck as well).

Sorry, I disagree with a shot like this.

quote:

Originally posted by Cold Bore:
You should've stuck with your initial impression of Dang, too far.

Yup
Brent