Back to the well

[trophyspike]

It was another long fun and dramatic week of hunting this year, It started on Friday with these three at about 240 yards, all of which managed to escape. A spike, a nice 2x and maybe a small 3x. Later that day my brother in law took a spike.

 

 

A few days later I spotted a nice 3X at about 400 yards. I watched him walk slowly and was hoping he would bed down, he did, but he did so out of sight and he was lost. I continued to glass the ravine as did my brother from a different angle at about 250-300 yards away. I knew he was still in there just hiding from sight. I was prepared to watch him all day but after two hours my brother grew impatient and said I'm going to scare him up for you. I told him if you got a shot on him, take him. As he got about 100 yards from the ravine the deer jumped up and trotted across the hill side about ten yards and stopped. With a single shot my brother put him down.

 

As we came up to him we realized he had a large wound on his hind quarter, not sure if it was a wound from a bullet or a lion, but he was in bad shape. As you can see he was extremely emaciated. As we cut out his backstraps they were more like thick cuts of bacon with no fat. We loaded him up and continued to hunt.

 

 

We spent a few more hours glassing and picked up a few more deer at about 800 yards in another canyon. I told my buddy, a first time Coues hunter, to stay next to me and I'd get him on a deer. As we moved up the hill to get a better look my buddy took off in another direction as I watched him he appeared to be trying to get cell service. I texted him we will be on top and to come meet up with us, when he was done. After about 40 mins he never showed so we went back to look for him and he was nowhere to be found. After a little panic, as the sun was starting to set, we decided to head back down the way we came back to the truck. We got back to the truck well after dark and hadn't seen a sign of my friend. As we looked around the truck I found the following note.

 

 

It was such a relief to know he was okay, even though he had been injured. When we got back to the trailer he proceeded to tell us that he had rolled/fallen about 150 feet down into a wash. When he awoke there were three illegals around him, one, in English, asked him his name and asked if they could administer to him. He obliged and after that they told him how to get back to the truck, but that they couldn't go with him as they had to meet back up with the rest of their group. They had seen or heard him fall and gone out of their way to render him aid. I thought this was a wonderful example of the human spirit and the bond that unites us all, humanity.

 

Needless to say our hunt was postponed if not over as we had to take my buddy back to the valley to get him checked out. A concussion and some bumps and bruises but other than that he was okay.

 

My brother convinced me we should go back Wednesday and after about an hour hike back to the spot where he killed his buck, within 20 minutes I glassed this deer at 675 yards at the top of the canyon.

 

 

I could tell he was at least a large 2x and that was at least what I had decided I would take. I told my brother to keep glass on him and I would move in closer. I got set up at 500 yards and couldn't find him. I signaled back to my brother and I thought he indicated he had gone over the top of the ridge. I decided to sit and continue to glass and as I did I spotted a lion about 500 yards from me at the top of the ridge also about 500 yards from where the deer was. The lion was looking in the direction of the deer. I thought about shooting the lion and then realized he was looking back at where I had seen the deer. I realized he was looking at the deer. I looked back over and the buck emerged from behind a tree. After two warning shots I was able to put him down.

 

After a 40 minute walk to the top of the ridge we located the deer just below the ridge, it wasn't a clean shot and he got up, I fired another shot and he went down again. As I approached him he didn't appear to be breathing but he got up again and ran. I fired another shot and he fell once again.

 

After a little time and some CQC he was finally down for good.

 

 

Not my biggest but what I was looking for and my longest shot. I wish it would have been cleaner. Overall 3 of 6 tags filled and one being a 90+ buck.

 

My kids got to enjoy the deer... maybe.

 

[Guest oneshot]

Wow... a Hunt to remember for sure...

[firstcoueswas80]

Cool.

 

Shoulda smoked the lion though!

[AZbowhntr]

Quite the hunt. Congrats on the bucks. I think that first shot would have been at the lion and then the buck.

[trphyhntr]

wow thats wild. glad your buddy is ok.

[CatfishKev]

I love the expression on the little girls face!

[azsugarbear]

After seeing the look on your daughter's face, you should feel lucky your wife didn't call CPS on you. Her expression is priceless.

[Flatlander]

It's hard not to wonder if hunters would do the same if the shoe was on the other foot.

[daryl_s]

It's hard not to wonder if hunters would do the same if the shoe was on the other foot.

I've given people food and water when they were clearly in need down in the southern units. I've seen a lot down there and it's crazy all that goes on that most of us will never know or see.

[rbong15]

gotta shoot the lion first.... in my opinion...lol... great story tho