My 2011 General Muzzleloader buck
Utahbowhunter
10/5/11 10:40am
What a fun hunt!!! Saw a lot of bucks... most of them were just small. I spotted a nice 4x5 the day before the hunt that I wanted to try and kill but just like all the big bucks do... they hide as soon as all those people drive up the road opening morning.
After a week of not seeing anything good enough to shoot... I finally spotted some good bucks! The first buck we spotted was a really nice 3x4 that was tall and heavy but someone was already making a stalk. We drove up the road a bit and found 2 more nice bucks. They were down a steep mountain. I didn't waste any time to go after these bucks knowing that they were heading for timber to bed. I hiked down one ridge where they couldn't see or hear me and got about level on the mountain side with them and headed straight for them. I topped the first ridge where i could see them and ranged them at 283 yards. No way was i gonna make a shot that far. I closed the distance to 203 yards and the bucks started feeding their way quicker towards timber. I sat down and took a shot. After the smoke cleared i realized that i had missed. The bucks just stood there and starred at me. I slowly reloaded, hoping to not scare the bucks. I aimed and really really concentrated on the shot taking a deep breath and staying steady, i shot and heard a thump. I looked through the smoke and saw the buck jump and run. I pulled up my binos to see if i could see a hole in him, but i didn't see anything. I kept watching and he stopped for a second then started rolling down the mountain. I have never in my life until then had happy tears.
I had been scouting and hunting for six days alone and then my brother came down the night before to hunt with me for one day, so he was able to watch me take this great buck from up above.
This is the 4x5 I spotted the day before the hunt. He has a 5 inch long inline on his right side.
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My buck measured to be 25 1/2 inches wide
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Just the day before i shot my buck, I had watched this buck get shot at. I decided if i saw this buck again that i would probably take him. About 15 minutes after i had watched him get shot at, someone else had shot and killed him. I went down the steep hill to help him drag out the deer. This was his only day to hunt and he lucked out! Good thing i didn't get a shot at him. :)
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k257/Aaron_57/DSC01239.jpg " alt="" />
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k257/Aaron_57/DSC01241.jpg " alt="" />
After a week of not seeing anything good enough to shoot... I finally spotted some good bucks! The first buck we spotted was a really nice 3x4 that was tall and heavy but someone was already making a stalk. We drove up the road a bit and found 2 more nice bucks. They were down a steep mountain. I didn't waste any time to go after these bucks knowing that they were heading for timber to bed. I hiked down one ridge where they couldn't see or hear me and got about level on the mountain side with them and headed straight for them. I topped the first ridge where i could see them and ranged them at 283 yards. No way was i gonna make a shot that far. I closed the distance to 203 yards and the bucks started feeding their way quicker towards timber. I sat down and took a shot. After the smoke cleared i realized that i had missed. The bucks just stood there and starred at me. I slowly reloaded, hoping to not scare the bucks. I aimed and really really concentrated on the shot taking a deep breath and staying steady, i shot and heard a thump. I looked through the smoke and saw the buck jump and run. I pulled up my binos to see if i could see a hole in him, but i didn't see anything. I kept watching and he stopped for a second then started rolling down the mountain. I have never in my life until then had happy tears.
I had been scouting and hunting for six days alone and then my brother came down the night before to hunt with me for one day, so he was able to watch me take this great buck from up above.
This is the 4x5 I spotted the day before the hunt. He has a 5 inch long inline on his right side.
My buck measured to be 25 1/2 inches wide
Just the day before i shot my buck, I had watched this buck get shot at. I decided if i saw this buck again that i would probably take him. About 15 minutes after i had watched him get shot at, someone else had shot and killed him. I went down the steep hill to help him drag out the deer. This was his only day to hunt and he lucked out! Good thing i didn't get a shot at him. :)
8,614
Awesome buck, I like big 3's and yours fits the bill perfect. 10sign:
That big 4x5 is awesome to. :thumb
you seem to be doing pretty good the last few years, and the bucks seem to get bigger each year, great job!