Had a stroke of luck last night, my would-be hunting partner for the day cancelled (R.O.A.). That caused the necessary shift in the space time continuum for the events of today... like nothing would have happened the same if he had made it.

I had a destination in mind but there was a s**t-load of pickups that were heading that way, so at the last minute I changed plans. I remembered a big whitetail that I had seen while bear hunting in May and headed out there; a remote area of logging roads, way off the beaten path. Perfect conditions as it had snowed during the night.

I cruised the logging road and cut several fresh sets of deer tracks. Got to a lease at the end and went back, I thought maybe there might be a chance to intercept the deer laying down the tracks. Sure enough, around the corner there was a cutline that paralleled the road the deer had crossed, so I walked in there.

About 600 yards in I could see a narrow cutline heading into a poplar ridge and I had not cut the deer tracks, and the ridge was in the piece of bush where the deer were. I walked in to the ridge thinking I might catch them passing through. There were already a bunch of tracks and it looked like they had already travelled through but it was such a perfect spot that I decided to sit there anyway.

I was maybe there for 20 minutes and I spotted a deer on the trail I had walked in on and he was heading straight towards me. As soon as I put the gun on him I started shaking! I could see he was really tall and wide. I tried aiming at him but I could not steady the gun, so I dropped onto my ass in the snow to get a better rest.

At 300 yards the buck stopped and even though it was a long shot I was worried he might turn off the trail and I would lose the opportunity, so I took the shot. Nothing happened... I reloaded, dropped my gloves, balaclava and started down off the ridge towards him. All of a sudden he bolted through the trees and I thought I had missed. But when I got down there, there was good blood right away.

I tracked him about 100 yards and found him stone dead. Hit him a bit far back (on his left side), but caught the liver and the artery that runs along the bottom of the spine. I think the bullet is lodged in his right hip.

It's one the road hunters won't get; I earned this one boys.

I haven't put a tape to it yet...

Nov. 18 2007.


The rifle is a M-700 .300H&H. Bullet is 200gr Nosler Accubond.






For comparison the rack on the right gross scored 154.


The 154 fits inside it...


Demonical.

Oustanding! Every dog has to have it's day and it was your day. Way to go!

Great Buck. Congrats

What a Toad I think 182 put a tape on it.

Green score

Right: 75-2/8"
Left: 74-1/8"
Inside spread: 20-1/8"
Gross: 169-4/8"
Non-typical point(s): 1-0/8"

Total Gross score = 170-4/8"

Minus deductions, plus Non-typical point = 167-3/8" Net.


Main beams are both 25", 2 points 10"+, 2 points 9"+, circumferences are 5" etc...

The G4 on the left, 4-0/8", plus a single non-typical point of 1-0/8", keeps him out of the record book. If that G4 is 5" and he doesn't have that 1" point on his base he's B&C.

I tell you what though, the most important thing is how I got him. I was on foot, hunting the fresh snow/sign, wind in my face etc... like I really felt like I was hunting today. The deer was a gift. I woulda had a great day if he had not showed up.

Very nice! Well done.

Frans (yet to get out for deer, boohooo )

Very nice buck, way to go.
I would love to hunt those Canadian Whitetails someday.

Well done Demonical!

Cheers,
Canuck

Nice story and buck and pics to thanks for sharing

Demonical,

Were you hunting near home. I see your from whitecourt; used to have a friend that lived there and worked as electrician. My son works the oil rigs out of Grand Prarie.

Well done, and thanks for sharing. Just goes to show what a little hard work will do for you!

Yipes, well done.

quote:

Originally posted by Beartrack:
Demonical,

Were you hunting near home? I see your from whitecourt; used to have a friend that lived there and worked as electrician. My son works the oil rigs out of Grand Prarie.

Yes, I was hunting in the Whitecourt area, at a place called "Mystery Ridge".

It was shot in remote wilderness area actually; not in the sort of place you'd expect a big whitetail really. I was lucky to spot a big buck out there, while bear hunting. That's why I went to that spot.

Some racks from the local big buck night.


B&C scorer adding up the score sheet for my buck. He came up with 169-3/8" gross and 164-3/8" net (I didn't calculate the deductions correctly when I did it).






This buck was 188-3/8" net (if I remember right).




This is a 198"+ whitetail that a Newfie shot and threw in the bush. Word is that he shot the smaller of two whitetails that he saw. He took the little one, "Cuz it would be better eatin'..."
Apparently he told the guy with him, "Ya' don't eat the horns, dontcha' know!?"

Imagine heaving a rack like that in the trees!?

The mass is just amazing...

What a beauty! Congrats on a fine animal.

Super! The moments that make it all worthwhile. Congrats

I thought I'd add this pic to this thread since it is apparently an Alberta buck taken this year. Story was on 24HourCampfire. Says this deer scored at ~287" B&C.

What a freakin' monster!!

I don't recall the website but the fella holding the deer works for Wild TV, and I think it was a video'd hunt, will be cool to watch that one in action. Thay may be the wildest looking deer I have seen in Alberta, sure do hope it was taken in the wild. Gives me more energy to keep lookin next year.
That other picture you showed, Demonical, the buck that was tossed out was from several years ago near Swan Hills i think. The guy holding it is a friend of mine.

Jetboater, ran into GS at the big buck night. He came by to check out my deer rack.

These Alberta deer are addictive...