It was a great hunt, three tags three bucks. My buddy and his son tagged out opening morning.
We started glassing at first light and immediately spotted 3 bucks running together, a little 3x, a fork and a spike. when we first glassed them up they were at 350 yards but we had a few minutes before the sun peaked over and in the mean time trying to decide who would shoot what. As soon the sun was right i lost them in the scope and since Justin's boy was on the 3x i told him to take the shot and not wait for me. Since i couldn't find them in the scope i jumped back on the binos. Just then he pulled the trigger, Miss! he went to reload and it was a double feed. My buddy was yelling at him to hurry up cause the buck was on the move and that was when the son was calmer than his dad cause he turned and said "dad calm down" and pulled the second shell out and chambered the next round, lined up and my buddy yells buck down. All this before i could get back on them with the binos. After the 3x was down the other 2 just stood there so Justin jump on the rifle, his first shot was a miss but now they were moving. Just like before the second shot sealed the deal which ended up just over 400 yards, and again like before the one still standing stayed still next to the downed buck. Now it was my turn but after glassing it I did the newb thing and said its too small i want something bigger. Plus it binging opening day I really wanted to camp out. Well Justin's deer ended up a spike and his sons was a little 3x, both down by 6:40 am.
We took saturday off and came back out sat night and set up camp. the next morning (Sunday) we set up on a different hill from friday and on route we passed all kinds of hunters, multiple per hill glassing. we did see a couple of spikes and i was still in the same mode looking for something bigger. We tried a few spots with no luck, at our last stand about 30 mins from sun down Justin spots a bobcat 200 yards away. Both his boy and i never saw it before he took the shot. He yelled "Its down" and put me on the location were he shot it so i could guide him in when he crossed the ravine. Just when he got to the base of the hill i saw something moving and yelled to him at the same time i jump on my rifle, as soon as i got the cat in my crosshairs i squeezed the trigger and nothing (still on safety What a newb). By now he crested the hill and Justin never found a blood trail or any signs of a good hit and with sun already down we headed back to camp.
Day three (monday) we tried the same hill from the first day. just around an hour into it with no luck Justin turns and say" You want the good news or the bad news", I looked were his binos are pointed and said "dang". the hill was over a mile away but it looked to be a good buck.
So we hiked up the ridge closest to the hill hopping to get a 300 yard shot when we crested it. Soon as we reached the top it was obvious that it was way farther than we expected. I ranged straight across the canyon at 503 yards. when we spotted the buck it was already 200 yds from where we first spotted it, It took a few to get a range on it, 668! I looked at my 30.06 and said i don't think so, So i got behind Justin's 300 wsm and told me put the small pin at the top of his shoulder, when I got him in the scope his back was turned to me eating for what seemed forever it was painful, i was so nervous. He turned and started up the hill and i took a breath the pin locked on him and BANG i didn't remember pulling the trigger, i looked up and just sat there waiting to hear missed high or low, but all i heard was "He's DOWN" I was so excited my first deer and that turned into horror for the stupid hike to get to him LOL. it was 8:40 when I shot and after the hike up and packing him down back to camp and on the trail out it was after 1pm.
But wait it couldn't end on a good note my Jeep breaks down on the trail (freeze plug blows out). Had to get strap towed to the nearest store and have another friend with a tow truck get me home.
So this was an epic hunt with its ups a downs, and now with the Pics.
