lancetkenyon

196 2/8" is the world record taken in 1971, so maybe? Although the photo looks a little weird.

Story to continue after lunch....

Saturday: No photos, but lots and lots and lots of glassing, with no shooter bucks spotted. Sunday: Cold and windy, 34° at sunup and 25+ mph winds. Makes for cold glassing, but we bundled up. Glassed up a decent 3x3 at 848 yards, and got a photo of him (with his head down of course) through the binos. Passed on him. One of our glassing spots. At noon, my wife who had come up on Friday evening and daughter had to head home. I was kind of bummed and it got lonely really fast. I went out and glassed the rest of the evening though, and I was finally finding deer in a different location than I had hunted previously. I glassed up a big 2x2 with a smaller 4x4, and watched them head into a canyon. I saw a group of hunters walking the canyon, and was hoping to see a kill shot. No luck, but three shots later the deer were seen heading out of the canyon, seemingly unscathed. I also saw two other bucks at last light moving quickly, and one was a shooter buck from what I could tell at over 900 yards. Monday: Got up at 4:00and saved some time by not having to drag the bear around. Got to my glassing spot by 5:15 and started getting ready to go. Looked across the small dirt road and saw a red light. Two other hunters had beat me to the spot. No sweat, I went and talked to them briefly and even though they said I could stay, I did not want to be rude so I move down the road about 3/4 mile. Still glassing at first visible light, ad 15 minutes before legal shooting light. Glassed up 32 deer that morning, but only a small 2 point that was feeding about 300 yards below me in the bottom of a canyon. They other guys left about 8:30, and I saw a few more deer after they left. I figured being by myself, I was going to hit it hard, so I made a PB&J, and downed an apple, and headed over to a spot I had killed a deer two years previously. It would be the smartest decision I had made the hunting trip so far (or the dumbest).I had a little talk with God, and let him know how happy I am to be out in His wonderful creation, but I am already missing my family. I ask him to let me get a deer in the next two days, or I am packing up on Wednesday afternoon and heading home if I don't at least start seeing some decent bucks. Monday and Tuesday are going to be marathon days for me. Drove around about 8 miles to the other side of a big canyon to save some legs. Got over there about 11:30AM, the same time I had killed my deer two years earlier. Threw some water, in my pack and headed out to check out my canyons. I had the rifle in the Eberlestock scabbard for the first canyon. Topping out on the second canyon, I was moving slowly, about 5 steps and glassing the whole way. About halfway down, I thought I better get out the rifle "just in case". I mean, it is noon, 65°, and the hunting pressure has been crazy. What deer would stick around if they heard someone walking through the thickest, nastiest, most blow-down, thorn infested, sticker crap known to man, right??? I am now bleeding from the torture of 1000 cuts by nature, and 3/4 mile away from my truck. I seriously take 5 more steps after getting out my rifle. Stop and glass again, hoping against hope to see a buck sneaking out of the country. On the very next step, 6 steps and maybe 2 minutes after getting out my rifle and chambering a round, I hear the "blow" and the crash of deer 30 yards to my left. Out bounds a doe, with a nice 4x4 on her heels. They are stotting across the bottom before I can even get my scope caps opened as I watch them. I flick off the safety, and throw up my rifle as he is halfway up the other side of the canyon. He stops for about 1 second and turns to look at what jumped him out of his bed so rudely during his noonday siesta. I see he is outside of his ears and let one fly at about 90-100 yards offhand. Crack! He hunches up, and takes off as I chamber another round. 10' later I am back on him as he goes over a log and nose plants on the other side. Not a single kick after that. I sit down on a log to watch him for a minute, and give my thanks to God for the very quick answer to my prayer and the magnificent animal He has let me harvest. After 5 minutes, I get up on shaking legs and head over to look at my deer. Now remember, this is really only the first verified legitimate shooter buck that I have seen in 4 days. I am not sure how big he is, just that he was a 4x4 and as wide as his ears. Takes me another 20 minutes to fight my way across the canyon to my buck, and I was quite surprised by what I found. First of all, his body is HUGE!!! I would estimate over 200# on the hoof. With that being said, his antlers look better as I approach. Now I am also thinking this is very close to where I shot my 2012 deer. According to GPS, it is 152' from my 2012 deer! Upon arrival, I am also struck by how similar this buck is to my 2012 buck. Same type of frame, great fronts, decent backs, short main frame, a sticker on the left rear, but this one is wider and heavier. I would honestly say these last two bucks I have taken would HAVE to be brothers. Definitely in the same gene pool. Snap a few photos, tag the deer, and start the dressing process. For those that have never done it, I tried the "gutless method" on this deer. Way easier!!! Google it. I had him quartered, caped, backstraps and tenderloins out, and neck roast off in about 30 minutes. That is with skinning out all 4 quarters and getting them in bags and cooling! I loaded up the neck roasts, backstraps, tenderloins and head and cape on my pack, and it was so stuffed I could not get my rifle into the scabbard! I would estimate about 60-70# with all of my gear too. The pack out is going to SUCK! Took me almost 2 hours to cover the 3/4 mile. Got to the truck and was WIPED out. After I got back to camp, I pulled out the tape measure for a quick reference. How wide do you think a big bodied mule deer's ears are? I always figured 18-22" depending on the size of the deer. This deer has ears right at 22" wide. The rack is just over 26" wide. Quite a bit wider than I originally thought.

Most true trophy bucks are "different". Good for the kid. On making a good shot, on taking a legal animal, and for getting a genetic defect out of the gene pool. Kind of like a 30" wide 2 point muley buck. Bad genes that should be culled from the future herd.

I see you used your son's gun to break your fall..... Glad you had a good first rifle hunt. Congrats on the nice buck, and thanks for the early photos to keep me motivated while on my hunt.

Awesome deer. I was up there on the 12AE hunt. Heard a lot of shots opening morning.

I'da shot him.

I-10 north and south at Sacaton have been closed all morning due to a fatality crossover accident. For those southern hunters.

No to rag on you, but why are you sighting in a hunting rifle and checking your ammo supply 2 days before the opener?

My deer rifle is at 2# also. Good enough for hunting and still safe. I usually carry hot, but have recently started packing in on an empty chamber. Safety is always on but it is hard to verify when stuffed down a rifle scabbard backpack.

I guess I am already in vacation mode. Got up early today, got my daughter ready for school, dropped her off at my older daughter's house, drove into work on the phone with crews heading out of town to make sure everything is set, and get to my office before 6:00am for a half day of work.....only to realize I left my backpack with my computer sitting on the counter.

Thanks for the info. Stupid Internet must have lied to me. I guess everything you read is not always true!

What a crock of crap!!! Pretty smart actually, as those who would save the most money will be out hunting.

Just rub it in why don't you.... Good luck and be safe.

Depends on the model 700. 5r is a barrel designation, not a model #. I think the stocks are Bell & Carlson though, not HS Precision. 700 LR 700 XCR Tactical LR 700 XCR Compact Tactical 700 Mountain 700 Sendero 700 Target Tactical http://www.remington.com/product-families/firearms/centerfire-families/bolt-action-model-700.aspx

Spotting scope and tripods are sold.

After recent upgrades, I am swapping out some binos and accessories. 3rd=$150 Cabela's 10x42 roof prism binoculars These were $379 about 10 years ago. Not phase corrected. They are made in Japan, and I was told were the same binos as the Nikon Monarchs. No scratches on the lenses. One dent in the outer ring near the objective, but does not effect any quality. Comes with original covers and case.

Nice to meet you Wade. Glad we got your scopes all set up. Now go kill a toad and post some photos.

Don't know about Tucson, but Wide World of Maps in Phoenix has the entire state in 7.5' maps.

I am guessing you are young, single with no family. Congrats on doing something adventurous. I wish you luck in your future. Have a blast, you only live once.

Are you guys going to be getting the new Steiner T5Xi 5-25x56 in stock soon?

Ha! No way. Honestly, if I would have found them, I would have tried to find the owner. But I don't mind the free bumps.

I have a sawzall, drill, 4# sledge and a bunch of 4" drywall screws. Plus bailing wire and duct tape. Maybe half a tube of silicone bath tub caulking too. Do I get the job?

What size/brand binos did you have in the Kuiu? 10x42?

The only thing about ballistic matched turrets is they only work at the conditions you design it for. Elevation, temps, angle of shot, barometric pressure, bullet weight, BC, velocity, even humidity all change the ballistics and POI of a round. And some powders are temp sensitive, so will change velocity at different temps (from 95° to 35° makes a big difference), sometimes as much as 75fps. They will be close under similar conditions, and you can still use a ballistic program and clicks when conditions change.