Posted By: Csddarden
Howard County 11pt. - 11/20/11 09:54 PM
Well this morning I headed out of camp to a blind we had finally set up on a feeder in the dead-center of the ranch. This location hadn't been hunted by bow or rifle all season. One of my lease members hunted it last night and saw nothing, but there is deer sign all over this area. Parked the truck and headed to the blind and got settled in. Look around... no binos. Crap. So I walk all the way back to my truck to retrieve them and finally get settled in the blind around 6:30. Minutes later, just as the sky begins to lighten my contact in my left eye does this odd roll around to the back of my eye socket. I remove the contact and put it in a watter bottle cap with a little bit of water but soon realize this is gonna be tough without both eyes. After returning my contact to my eye and cursing to myself from the burning it is almost light enough to shoot. I immediately notice deer running all around this area and being chased by a large boddied buck. Feeder kicks at 7 and the deer scatter. 4 does return to the feeder minutes later and here comes the tailing buck. He pushes them off the feeder and back into the brush before I can get a good look at him. Finally I notice him in a clearing about 50 yards outside the feeder pen. All I can tell is he has 5 on one side and then he returns to his chase. This is when the .300wsm came out the window. I followed him in the crosshairs for what seemed like forever until he finally stopped around 120 yards out in a clearing quartering slightly towards me.I settled in on his shoulder and let the Model 70 bark. Found him piled up around 10 yards from where I took the shot. Pretty happy with this buck. I hunted long and hard and until today had only missed 2 days of the rifle season without seeing a mature buck. He was aged by the ranch manager at 5.5 and I haven't scored him yet, but I doubt he'll make 125. Not my largest, but I sure am proud of him. And a double browtine to boot! First buck I've ever shot with a nontypical point.
headed back out Friday after Thanksgiving