skuntor
12-11-2013, 09:43 PM
So this is my first year hunting and I had passed up a couple spring back bear and gotten skunked on about 3 deer trips so far. I had spent a lot of money on gas and decided to stay closer to home in region 2 for a December blacktail hunt. I made plans and headed out with another rookie buddy. Neither of us had either shot or seen an animal field dressed.
I was dressed to get out of the truck and hike in the rain. I had been a little bored my previous road hunt trips and ended up more sore from sitting in the truck all day than I would have hiking all day. The plan was to drive a little to get the lay of the land and then find a spot to start hiking. Once we are in the bush we drive about a half hour and I almost drive past a doe up a steep cut clock about 30 yards away. I stop and think maybe a buck will walk out. After about 30 seconds of watching the tree line I glance at the does and saw a spike. What an idiot... it's a little buck! I put the binos on it and confirm it's a 2pt (barely)!
Trying not to screw up this gift wrapped and broadside chunk of meat, I grab a round for the model 99 and slowly open my door with eyes on the buck. Looks at us and goes back to browsing. My feet are on the ground and butt is off the seat when I chamber a round and pull the gun up. One look in the scope triple confirms it's a buck. Safety off, aim behind shoulder and bang. I see it jump and a gush of blood spurt out as it tries to run.
He made about 20 yards before we see him pile up out of sight up the hill. I try to control my breathing as we stand and silently high five and wait a couple minutes but I know he's done. A nasty scramble up the hill and we see a thick blood trail and then him with antlers stuck in the ground. After a few hero shots we try try to get him down the hill. Good thing he was small because it's a nasty hill. I end up grabbing all four legs myself and just dragging him down.
As I said earlier, we are rookies here and I only where to start gutting it because of the internet and a book called Gut it Cut it Cook it. My buddy reads and shows me pics while I slowly start gutting this thing. It's slow, we stop and ponder, we flip pages, I cut some more... ends up going well and takes about 45 min. If I had to do another it would be way quicker. Going slow pays off as it's clean with all meat good to go. I figured I needed every ounce of meat off this bad boy!
Turns out the .300 had gone in behind one shoulder and out behind the other. Took out both lungs and the bottom third of the heart. We hang him up in a dry spot and start hiking looking for a shot for my buddy but saw nothing. I ended up loading him up and taking him to a buddies house to skin and hang overnight.
An unreal feeling to finally get some success. It was like everything fell into place perfectly. I'm not complaining that he was small... I hear they taste better!
http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/u438/scottmh19/IMAG0017.jpg
I was dressed to get out of the truck and hike in the rain. I had been a little bored my previous road hunt trips and ended up more sore from sitting in the truck all day than I would have hiking all day. The plan was to drive a little to get the lay of the land and then find a spot to start hiking. Once we are in the bush we drive about a half hour and I almost drive past a doe up a steep cut clock about 30 yards away. I stop and think maybe a buck will walk out. After about 30 seconds of watching the tree line I glance at the does and saw a spike. What an idiot... it's a little buck! I put the binos on it and confirm it's a 2pt (barely)!
Trying not to screw up this gift wrapped and broadside chunk of meat, I grab a round for the model 99 and slowly open my door with eyes on the buck. Looks at us and goes back to browsing. My feet are on the ground and butt is off the seat when I chamber a round and pull the gun up. One look in the scope triple confirms it's a buck. Safety off, aim behind shoulder and bang. I see it jump and a gush of blood spurt out as it tries to run.
He made about 20 yards before we see him pile up out of sight up the hill. I try to control my breathing as we stand and silently high five and wait a couple minutes but I know he's done. A nasty scramble up the hill and we see a thick blood trail and then him with antlers stuck in the ground. After a few hero shots we try try to get him down the hill. Good thing he was small because it's a nasty hill. I end up grabbing all four legs myself and just dragging him down.
As I said earlier, we are rookies here and I only where to start gutting it because of the internet and a book called Gut it Cut it Cook it. My buddy reads and shows me pics while I slowly start gutting this thing. It's slow, we stop and ponder, we flip pages, I cut some more... ends up going well and takes about 45 min. If I had to do another it would be way quicker. Going slow pays off as it's clean with all meat good to go. I figured I needed every ounce of meat off this bad boy!
Turns out the .300 had gone in behind one shoulder and out behind the other. Took out both lungs and the bottom third of the heart. We hang him up in a dry spot and start hiking looking for a shot for my buddy but saw nothing. I ended up loading him up and taking him to a buddies house to skin and hang overnight.
An unreal feeling to finally get some success. It was like everything fell into place perfectly. I'm not complaining that he was small... I hear they taste better!
http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/u438/scottmh19/IMAG0017.jpg