2009 Opening weekend 7-pnt.

danurve

New member
I planned the weekend for the long haul day hunts, brought a sandwitch, some gatoraid in a plastic flask, and a nodoze just in case. I knew several hunters would be exiting - moving to their trucks around 10am or so. And I wanted to observe anything geting kicked up with the height advantage in my climber. Opening day I did see a coyoye and a doe. Heard a few shots of course.
On Sunday I figgured to stick with the plan. Around 10:00am spotted a doe. About 10:15 a heard loud crunching behind me, another hunter seemed to be wandering near by. I waved my orange hat when he was low and close so he would know I was there. He waived and went on but I could hear him walking about making noise, and not 10 minutes later he came back through the area. I wasn't pleased, but he asked for directions saying he got turned about. Lost hunter, so I took a minute to give him a set of instructions to a path leading to the road he mentioned. Now it's about 11:30 and I spot another doe, big one. No tags for doe where I was. Just before noon I spot another hunter moving 1-2 o`clock about 100 yards out, he stopped and must have sat for a bit - took a spot at the edge near a field. I'm up in a tree, and unless he crawled away I don't think he spotted me. Noon whistle. About this time I figgure the area is blown, and I'm thinking about climbing another tree. 12:15 I hear some light crunching. 4-5 o`clock out near 100 yards. Nice buck moving in, had time to check him out in the binoculars. Heart still thumping. He's behind my spot now, acting casual although he's got to be aware of the other hunters moving through the woods that time of day. Well I got time to carefully turn 90 degrees and get ready for a shot. Didn't bring my range finder with me but having hunted the spot before and taken readings I was familiar with the area. This buck is slowly moving towards a group of pines 150 yards out so I braced my hand against the tree to help steady the crosshairs. The buck is now about 130 yards out between two trees and starting to quarter away. It was a great clear lane and he had zero clue.
BAAaammm - Hammer Down! And the 100gr btsp hit it's mark. The buck arched and kicked then jumped a shrub, went about 35-40 yards and piled up! Gave myself some time in the climber to calm down, Man o Man was I pumped. Once I made sure things were safe and got to the ground I went to where he jumped. From there it was an easy blood trail. It looked like someone spilled red paint out of a bucket. Found him in I'd say about 5 minutes.
My initial reaction was - almost overwhelmed with excitement and joy. You know that semi-silent shout; "Yes, yeesss, - yeeesssss!". Not just the usuall high from a hunts success. You might be thinking wait a minute, what's the big deal I've taken a few dozen deer before. I've always shotgun - slug hunted before, always, and enjoyed success. In fact a current lease is in a shotgun only area of 7R. But this was 7M, and on a WMA. And my first Buck with the .243 Rem 700.
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Link to PIC; can't get it to work with img tags here
http://www.pathfinderfishandgame.com/phpBB3/download/file.php?id=59&mode=view
 
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