Better to be Lucky than Good

by John Olvey

I wish I could tell the story of weeks of pre season scouting, hiking miles in the dark, and using high dollar optics to spot this guy, then making a textbook stock and executing a perfect shot. The real story is not as romantic. I did hike to a high spot before first light and set up my tripod with the Alpens I bought from Casey. I glassed until about 8 am without seeing a single deer. At that point I couldn’t glass anymore because I was shaking so bad from being FROZEN! I told my hunting partner Stan, I had to either walk, or drive somewhere because I was going to freeze to death, and that would make it hard to continue hunting. We walked back to the truck and turning the heater on full blast. Stan wanted to glass some bald hills south of where we were so headed that way. On the way, I was scanning the hill sides when I saw movement. I told Stan STOP! BACKUP BACKUP………STOP! I glasses the hill and there stood this nice Buck facing me and looking to his left. I could tell he was a nice Buck and I told Stan I wanted him. We pulled the truck forward a few yards into a dip and I got out. I peeked around a clump of Catclaw and was surprised and delighted that he was still standing there. I noticed that I could use the cut we were parked in to work my way up to a big flat rock about 20 yards up the wash that would give me a solid rest and a clear shot. When I got to the rock I peeked over again and Yes! he was still standing there! I judged the distance at about 300 yards and I knew I could make the shot. I had spent several sessions at the range practicing out to 300 so I felt confident. I settled the cross hairs on his chest and squeezed off the shot. BOOM……..the buck danced a few yards right and went down to his knees. Stan said, that’s a dead deer, good shot! I waited about 10 minutes for my heart to return to my chest and headed up the hill to claim my Buck. About half way to where he was, two Does got up from right below where my Buck was and they bounded off. That must be what he was looking at so intently. So there you have it. Its not the way I imagined it, heck I feel guilty for not suffering more for what I know most folks have to go through to harvest a nice Coues Buck. I guess sometimes its better to be lucky then good!