Back from COLO
ABert
11/14/06 3:47pm
Well, I didn't fill my buck tag this year. Passed on a few smaller deer as I was looking for something bigger. I did, however, see the biggest deer of my life.
I had hiked down in to the beginning of a draw on our second to the last evening of hunting. Plan was to push something out lower down to my dad as my brother and his friend pushed up from below.
As I worked my way around the bowl and toward the side of the opposite ridge I saw a couple of deer in a small opening in the rocks and trees above me. I put my binos on them and saw a doe and a HUGE body of a deer.
My heart rate jumped up about 200 bpm as I strained to see a rack. Unfortunately, the head was behind a tree. I was in the open, 300+ yards below and not a rest I could use. Couldn't even go to a knee as I wouldv'e lost sight of the deer because of the slope.
I pondered what to do: Stay put and wait for not the best shot in the world? Move up closer and find a rest? Take the shot and hope it was a buck and hope I could hit it?
Well, #3 was out of the question. I chose #2 and sidestepped until a small tree blocked my view and then moved up the ridge to a rock that I could use as a rest. I laid my rifle across the rock and waited. And waited...and waited...and waited.
I kept my eye on the clearing and felt I would be able to see if they left the area. After about thirty of minutes of waiting I had thought maybe both had bedded down under the tree. I cirlced out and up the ridge until I could get to a vantage point and see behind the tree.
Needless to say, by the time I worked my way over the deer were gone. I worked over to the clearing very slowly and found the tracks. Ever see a set of tracks and wonder if it were a huge deer or small elk? I followed the tracks through some very rough, steep and rocky country and found where they had entered the heavy timber.
I called once again on the radio to my dad to stand by. He said he was watching a clearing on my side while he was sitting in the timber on the side I had followed them into.
Unfortunately, it didn't work this time as it had for elk. My dad and I went down to the same bowl the next evening in hopes the bruiser would show itself again. We had a storm blowing in and the only deer we saw were heading up to bed and ride the storm out.
At least I know there is one monster deer, doe or buck, that survived the hunting season. If this were a doe it is by far the largest doe in the known world. If it were a buck and had a rack to match the body it would easily make the top 5 bucks in Colorado. Big belly hanging, this deer would've gone over 400 lbs. I've shot a couple of 300 lbers in my time and they would look like Bambi in his younger days next to this critter.
All in all we had a great trip. Filled my cow tag and my freezer, had somewhat of a hand in helping my dad get his bull, worked some successful plans on pushing deer only to find just does or small bucks and saw the biggest deer of my life.
The next morning my brother and I went out for one last hunt and he harvested a big buck with the most unique set of antlers I've ever seen on a muley. Not a big rack but a big buck, about 250-275 lbs. Not bad for a meat buck.
But you will have to wait for him to post the pics and story on that buck. He's going to get them mounted European style as a wall plaque won't work.
I had hiked down in to the beginning of a draw on our second to the last evening of hunting. Plan was to push something out lower down to my dad as my brother and his friend pushed up from below.
As I worked my way around the bowl and toward the side of the opposite ridge I saw a couple of deer in a small opening in the rocks and trees above me. I put my binos on them and saw a doe and a HUGE body of a deer.
My heart rate jumped up about 200 bpm as I strained to see a rack. Unfortunately, the head was behind a tree. I was in the open, 300+ yards below and not a rest I could use. Couldn't even go to a knee as I wouldv'e lost sight of the deer because of the slope.
I pondered what to do: Stay put and wait for not the best shot in the world? Move up closer and find a rest? Take the shot and hope it was a buck and hope I could hit it?
Well, #3 was out of the question. I chose #2 and sidestepped until a small tree blocked my view and then moved up the ridge to a rock that I could use as a rest. I laid my rifle across the rock and waited. And waited...and waited...and waited.
I kept my eye on the clearing and felt I would be able to see if they left the area. After about thirty of minutes of waiting I had thought maybe both had bedded down under the tree. I cirlced out and up the ridge until I could get to a vantage point and see behind the tree.
Needless to say, by the time I worked my way over the deer were gone. I worked over to the clearing very slowly and found the tracks. Ever see a set of tracks and wonder if it were a huge deer or small elk? I followed the tracks through some very rough, steep and rocky country and found where they had entered the heavy timber.
I called once again on the radio to my dad to stand by. He said he was watching a clearing on my side while he was sitting in the timber on the side I had followed them into.
Unfortunately, it didn't work this time as it had for elk. My dad and I went down to the same bowl the next evening in hopes the bruiser would show itself again. We had a storm blowing in and the only deer we saw were heading up to bed and ride the storm out.
At least I know there is one monster deer, doe or buck, that survived the hunting season. If this were a doe it is by far the largest doe in the known world. If it were a buck and had a rack to match the body it would easily make the top 5 bucks in Colorado. Big belly hanging, this deer would've gone over 400 lbs. I've shot a couple of 300 lbers in my time and they would look like Bambi in his younger days next to this critter.
All in all we had a great trip. Filled my cow tag and my freezer, had somewhat of a hand in helping my dad get his bull, worked some successful plans on pushing deer only to find just does or small bucks and saw the biggest deer of my life.
The next morning my brother and I went out for one last hunt and he harvested a big buck with the most unique set of antlers I've ever seen on a muley. Not a big rack but a big buck, about 250-275 lbs. Not bad for a meat buck.
But you will have to wait for him to post the pics and story on that buck. He's going to get them mounted European style as a wall plaque won't work.
1,708
Better luck next year and remember, it's ALL fun until you knock one over...then the WORK begins..LOL