After a couple of frustrating days of hunting at the San Angelo Wildlife Management Area, I decided to get aggressive in my tactics today (the last morning of allowed permit hunting there). Using some of Tink's 69 gel and a grunt call, I got this guy to respond around 7:20 a.m.

One shot at app. 95 yards from my Contender carbine in 7mm Bullberry did the trick. I don't like frontal chest shots, but's that's all I had as there was a narrow window through limbs/brush to shoot through. Nonetheless, the 140 grain Nosler Solid Base spitzer performed perfectly, destroying the plumbing around the heart, taking out one lung and apparently lodging in the stomach or nearby organs (did not make it to the intestines). I was somewhat hurried, and despite my efforts, I did not recover the bullet.

No, this isn't some super-scoring book buck and will pale in comparison to what many others have already bagged this season. But considering the fluctuating and windy weather, time constraints (hunt was Wednesday p.m. to noon Friday) and other factors, this was a hard-earned buck that's a trophy in my eyes.

Anyway, I just wanted to share the photos...

a fine trophy.a memorable hunt.

Say Bobby, if noone else has told you, NICE PHOTOGRAPHY! Very good picture.

At least as seen from from my computer screen.

Scott-

Thanks for the compliments. The photos were actually taken with a relatively inexpensive digital.

I was carrying my Nikon 35mm gear the first 2 days, but there was little promise of anything worthy of a photo. I got serious this morning, ditched much of my day pack and only took the wife's digital as it is small and weighs next to nothing. To be honest, I wasn't thrilled with the quality of the images, but I am probably a little too picky...

As someone who feeds the family via old-fashioned film photography, I actually despise digital but must admit that -- for certain applications -- it certainly is convenient.

congrats on the nice buck... i grew up about 15 miles north of san angelo in the carlsbad/water valley area... i hunted the "government land" long before the permits were required... like in the early 70's... i saw lots of nice deer...since deer populations have been improved by land conservation, improved pastures, game management, the deer only get better....if you could hunt south of water valley, back towards barnhart, you'd see some really nice deer....

Bobby

Your dirty liar...according to all our northern friends there is no public land in Tx.

Great photography and nice buck!

Perry

I think it's a dandy buck! Congratulations!

Congratulations!


And I also think the pictures are well done.

Great buck. According to all the Texans there are no deer on public lands.... Sounds like you had a great hunt.

I hunted a low fence ranch in Texas and had a great time.

Nice buck. Which area were you hunting? We hunted last year in the doe only hunt and were in area one. Had a three point and one that looked a lot like yours come out about 40-50 yards from my stand and just dink around all one evening. Saw a few bucks, a lor of longhorn cattle, but no does.

He sure is pretty. Good for you Bobby.

Joe-

I was about a half-mile back into Area 7 along the Concho River. I believe this is the northern-most section. (It was close to 10 miles from the south gate.)

There was TONS of deer sign, but all I saw the first 2 days were a 3/4th grown bobcat (off limits...darn) and a 50-pound button buck (plus all the famous and friendly longhorns). The deer had gone nocturnal.

I did see lots of shotgun shells on the ground. Guess bird hunters may have pressured the deer as well.

That's another reason I decided to get more aggressive with my tactics. I figured I had nothing to lose as I just wasn't seeing anything.

This was my first time to apply for San Angelo, but it won't be my last. I really like it there -- and the staff is terrific. And after taking this buck, that 5-hour drive didn't seem that long...

Bobby, Well done and great photos. Keep up the good work.

That's a fine buck and OUTSTANDING pics!

There was a lot more usable public hunting land before TP&W started closing it off and over regulating it. The state even sells land donated for hunting. Nice Buck though.

Great job Bobby!! I guess you didn't get the memo that you can't hunt successfully on Public Land here...............

Bob

congrats on an outstanding buck and thanks for the great pictures!

Congratulations on the very nice buck Bobby. Excellent photos as well.

Congrats on a hard-earned trophy! It isn't the size of the antlers (not to diminish a great whitetail), but the size of the experience. I'd say you came out well on both ends!

gd

Congrats, That's a nice buck. I agree, some of the not so big trophies that are hard earned and difficult to bag are much more memorable.

Reloader

Thanks for all the kind words.

Since the buck was obviously killed in Texas, I've been waiting for one of the AR "regulars" to chime in, hijack the thread and say the deer must have been behind high fence, penned, tied to a feeder and sedated. But it looks like he is too busy defending his choice to be a poacher in another thread...

Anyway, thanks again for all the kind words. I'm still elated over this deer -- moreso than I've been over any hunting success in a long time.

And as icing on the cake, I didn't even have to burn a tag. The TPWD issues special permits for these hunts. There's a buck near my home that I've been watching for a few years, and I am hoping he'll be around when I get to do some hunting next week. He's no monster, but he's an older buck that needs to be taken from the herd.

However, it won't be easy. This guy didn't grow up by being stupid, and he seems to habitually go MIA from the first day of the season through the last -- and then mysteriously reappears the very next day after the season closes.

quote:

Since the buck was obviously killed in Texas, I've been waiting for one of the AR "regulars" to chime in, hijack the thread and say the deer must have been behind high fence, penned, tied to a feeder and sedated. But it looks like he is too busy defending his choice to be a poacher in another thread...

couldn't just let us all congratulate you, eh?

nice buck.

nice.
i have found that the older i get the more interested i am in making the hunt more memorable.
regardless of the size of the rack. i find myself hunting on the ground more and wanting to get closer and closer to my animal.
the thrill of shooting them at eye level inside 100 yards makes shooting them from stands pale by comparison.
I still havent shot one from the stalk bedded but im working towards that.
finish telling us about the hunt bobbie.
set up, conditions time. distance away from the road/ camp ect ect.

quote:

Originally posted by KSTEPHENS:
nice.
i have found that the older i get the more interested i am in making the hunt more memorable.

Indeed, I am even surprised about myself that hunting does gets as exciting and as satisfying as hunting the males.

Public Land? Wow, congratulations, nice buck story and pictures. Thanks for sharing.

How did you get close enough to a sleeping buck to put your rifle on him and take such a good picture?

Just kidding congrats on your fine looking buck.

Swede44Mag wrote: "How did you get close enough to a sleeping buck to put your rifle on him and take such a good picture?"

Well, I used lots of cover scent -- and also doused a bucket of corn with some Shiner beer from the local brewery. It works every time & puts 'em right to sleep...

quote:

Originally posted by Bobby Tomek:
-- and also doused a bucket of corn with some Shiner beer from the local brewery. It works every time & puts 'em right to sleep...

That's funny!! Hope you didn't waste any Shiner Bock on the corn!