ROYHUNTER05
Member
My buddy and our dads headed over to Eastern Oregon to try our hand at a new unit for mule deer hunting and to say the least, we were pleasantly surprised. Opening day came and within an hour of first light we had some meat on hang on the meat pole. Dad put down a forked horn. After a couple hours I had it packed out and patiently waited the return of my best friend and his dad to see what they had saw and where to plan the next mornings hunt. We decided to hike in a bit farther this time to look over this big canyon that looked like great buck habitat. After glassing the near hillsides, ridges and draws, I began glassing farther out when something caught my eye. I noticed a single deer feeding across the hillside below some rock bluffs about a mile away. Not quite able to see if it had antlers or not I grabbed my spotting scope and set it up to take a closer look. Of course he had his head in a spot to where I couldn't just what he was packing up top. My friend and I sat there for a while patiently waiting to catch a glimpse. I unfortunately needed to use the rest room so went and found a tree. While coming back I look to see my buddy waiving me over to come take a look. I crouch behind the spotting scope to see a nice mature 4 pt with a kicker on his left side. My first thoughts... DANDY! We didn't have much time with the weather that we had so I made my way swiftly down the trail to try and get into position. After waiting with no success I decided to head back to camp, but not after walking the whole hillside... Ha.
The next morning came and here we were walking out to the canyon again unsure of my next plan. We got out to the split in the trail, my buddy decided he was going to venture into some new area, his father doing about the same and myself... well still unsure. Now I have a lot to be thankful for lookng back when it come to what my buddy's dad said next. He goes "You ought to just go back down there and and get into a position before light. Don't waste your time spotting him from way up top. Just go down there, then when he comes out, shoot the darn thing. Sounds pretty simple right? Well it kind of was, just a little more chaotic. A
As I headed down the trail just before light, I stopped to take a peak up at the hillside I had previously seen the buck on and with a little glassing, bam there he was. Unsure of a place to set up and made my way down to rock bluff in which I felt gave me a great opportunity to make a shot on this buck. After I got to the bluff, I gave a quick glance across to find nothing. Not too concerned yet I took off my pack, ranged a couple trees/ rocks and got my gun dialed for where I believed he was going to come out.
What seemed like an eternity was probably more like 5 to 10 minutes, of waiting to spot this buck coming from the tips of the trees I could not see behind. All of a sudden I spotted him feeding up into some timber that was about 50 yards farther than what I had my Leupold Mark 4 set to, so I made a quick adjustment and settled in. The buck was right at 400 yards. I was laid out across a big rock, my rum on bipods, sweatshirt under the butt of the gun ready to let one fly. I settle in behind his front shoulder, concentrated on my breathing and squeezing that Jewell Trigger. I waiting til he stopped and put his head down for some grass and BOOM! the 210 Berger flew through the air. I look through my scope to see the wobble legged buck trying to make a step down hill and jack another in the chamber to let him have one more and after the shot he disappears.
I give him a little time and walk up to find my biggest buck to date laying dead on his side. I was as giddy as a school girl when I saw the tines sticking out from the grass where he laid dead. It was some tough work but trophies are earned not given and this will be a season I will remember for a lifetime.
The next morning came and here we were walking out to the canyon again unsure of my next plan. We got out to the split in the trail, my buddy decided he was going to venture into some new area, his father doing about the same and myself... well still unsure. Now I have a lot to be thankful for lookng back when it come to what my buddy's dad said next. He goes "You ought to just go back down there and and get into a position before light. Don't waste your time spotting him from way up top. Just go down there, then when he comes out, shoot the darn thing. Sounds pretty simple right? Well it kind of was, just a little more chaotic. A
As I headed down the trail just before light, I stopped to take a peak up at the hillside I had previously seen the buck on and with a little glassing, bam there he was. Unsure of a place to set up and made my way down to rock bluff in which I felt gave me a great opportunity to make a shot on this buck. After I got to the bluff, I gave a quick glance across to find nothing. Not too concerned yet I took off my pack, ranged a couple trees/ rocks and got my gun dialed for where I believed he was going to come out.
What seemed like an eternity was probably more like 5 to 10 minutes, of waiting to spot this buck coming from the tips of the trees I could not see behind. All of a sudden I spotted him feeding up into some timber that was about 50 yards farther than what I had my Leupold Mark 4 set to, so I made a quick adjustment and settled in. The buck was right at 400 yards. I was laid out across a big rock, my rum on bipods, sweatshirt under the butt of the gun ready to let one fly. I settle in behind his front shoulder, concentrated on my breathing and squeezing that Jewell Trigger. I waiting til he stopped and put his head down for some grass and BOOM! the 210 Berger flew through the air. I look through my scope to see the wobble legged buck trying to make a step down hill and jack another in the chamber to let him have one more and after the shot he disappears.
I give him a little time and walk up to find my biggest buck to date laying dead on his side. I was as giddy as a school girl when I saw the tines sticking out from the grass where he laid dead. It was some tough work but trophies are earned not given and this will be a season I will remember for a lifetime.
