Hello everyone,
I'm back after 3 days hunting in North (Swan Lake Area) close to Rocky Mountain House Area.
My self and my buddy went out for White Tale (General Tag).
The weather was really bad on the 1st day. It was very cold and a lot of ice and snow on the ground, but because we were hunting in Forest area with cut lines, and roads, we never had a chance to see a deer. In the afternoon we decided to go deeper in the woods, but even after 2km far from roads, we heared every car taht was passing so close to us. SO NO GAME IN THE FIRST DAY.
Next day at 6am I was in place, waiting for my moment, I was really far away from other hunters. With first sign of light I saw a nice buck, but unfortunately it didn’t give me a chance to shoot. It disappeared very fast in the woods.
The rest of the day was dead, so we decide to try other surrounding areas.
My buddy choose another spot, but we communicated between us through radios.
At 6pm my buddy shoots 2 deer WT, so he filled his tags quick.
I was the only one with empty tag.
All the evening we retrieved the deer and de-boned.
Next day I decide to try my luck alone, so I was in the same spot as day before. Around 7:30am I saw 2 deers, but I could not shoot because of the tall grass, and they were around 400 yards. So without a high bipod, I passed them.
All morning was empty, spot another doe, far away 600yards, but behind bushes and no chance to shoot again because it didn't hang around for more than a min.
Around at 10am I decided to get out, so I returned to my truck, and headed 3 km north.
I passed a compressor station (gas and oil), and I was driving slowly, looking at tree line, for that late buck.
I noticed in this area, all the bucks what I saw in the last 2-3 years appeared out between 10:00-11:00 am, so I decided to try my luck.
So, back to my story, I was driving on gravel road, more mud then gravel, and suddenly something is catching my eyes.
On the left side of the clear cut, I saw something shiny, to shiny, staring at the road.
I slowed down, and stoped the truck, grabed in hurry my binoculars and I could not believe.
MY WT BUCK looking straight at me. I grabed my 300rum, slowly open the other door, and got in position in less then a few second.
The buck it was in the left side of the clear-cut (fresh cut, with lots of roots, bumps, and falling tree) close to the woods line.
One wrong movement, one lauder noise, or one more truck on the road and bluff, it will be gone from my site.
I was praying to be alone, no other truck around to scare him.
I was looking for an empty area from where I can shoot (very tall grass), finally 2 meters on my right side I found the perfect spot.
I chambered quickly one round, grab the rangefinder to double check the MILDOT reading and "yes" I was in the same distance 308 yards. (300yards by my mildot ranging scope).
I took 2 deep breath and slowly releasing the last breath till the broadside chest of the back got in my crosshair, then Stop for 10 second, and slowly, very slowly press the trigger.
Gone, the imagine disappeared because of the recoil and the muzzle blast, and all I could see was a glance of the buck, getting impact with my 200AB round.
He stept in woods, but I knew I hit him hard, very hard in boiler room.
I was happy, alone, but happy.
Now the FUN PART IS GONE, AND STARTED A NEW CHAPTER THE HARD WORKING ONE.
I chambered another round, and heading to the last position of the buck.
Slowly, I got through this entire falling tree, roots and see the place of the impact.
All around was enough blood signs of the hit, and all I had to do is follow the trail.
Around 10yards, my buck was laying down, almost dead. He was staring at me as he was bagging to get his pains with one more bullet. I removed the safety trigger and press the trigger and shot him in the neck. He was gone forever.
Excited I started to count the points 4 in the left side and 5 on the right side (4x5).
I WAS SO HAPPY. After 2 days of hard hunting with lots of passing situations, I filled my tag with a nice 4x5 buck.
I tried to get it out by pulling and dragging , but no chance.
I just remembered I had loaded in my truck a nice 4x4 QUAD 400cc so I was heading back to get him. It took me 2 hour to get him out, with the quad because of the almost impossible situation drive through roots, and falling trees.
When I've got back to truck I just sat down for a moment. I was very tired and thirsty and still had another 3 hour in front of me to de-boned the meet.
After all I do not regret pulling the trigger, even if it was so hard to get him out.
So here are some pictures:
1st photo is me and the buck hang-up to the quad after I got him out.
I look very tired.
The second photo is the buck before dressing it.
You can see the entrance hole, 6 inches to the right side of the shoulder, little bit off from where I was aiming.
The bullet entrance between 2 ribs, took half of the lung, took half of the liver and on the exit side it smashed 1 rib.
It was dead even without my last shoot.
The 3rd photo is a close shoot of the trophy.
Chris
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