# My little buck



## lucky duck (Dec 17, 2008)

I did not draw my first choice, or second, or third but fourth choice this year for deer. We had limited time to scout but made a few trips and saw a few deer. Opening day found us leaving camp at sunrise on foot and walking the edges of the timber looking for a buck. We only saw one two point, he was at least a 3 year old buck and probably 22" wide, but I just couldn't bring myself to shoot a two point on opening morning. 
The next morning found us looking into a deep dark canyon surrounded by hunters on all sides but no one was going in the canyon. It seemed as though they were just going to sit on the top and hope for a deer that had lost the will to live to jump in front of them.
We took a look around and decided to head into the canyon. We started off the side and down the 45* slope, we only made it ten minutes down the hill when I spotted two deer feeding about 130 yards away, I pulled up my binoculars and saw that they were both bucks and one was a nice 4x4. I put down my binoculars and readied my shooting sticks for the shot. I put the cross hairs dead on the crease of his shoulder and touched off the charge. 

The shot felt good and I saw the buck jump and carry his front legs for the first 15 feet of his down hill run. I quickly reloaded and asked my brother who had been by side the entire time if the shot looked good, and he said it was solid. At this time my Dad met up with us and We started tracking from where the deer was at the shot, the tracking was fairly easy in soft earth but there was no blood. After a short 50 yard tracking job we found the buck wrapped around a tree, but still breathing. 
As we stood there looking at the buck trying to decide if I needed to shoot again or go in with a knife the bucks eyes grew big and wide and with a sudden rush of adrenaline the buck jumped up and ran away through some brush and out of sight! The three of just standing there looking at each other with our muzzle loaders still on our shoulders in disbelief. I quickly followed the buck to find him only 50 yards away standing with his head down and looking pretty sick. I sat down and steadied myself on my shooting sticks for a second shot, this time the buck was quartering away hard so I aimed for his last rib and touched the shot off. This time the buck didn't jump but ran straight down hill at full speed and disappeared into the trees bellow. I was quickly joined by my Dad and brother to start the tracking again.
This was a short tracking job as the deer had only gone 50 yards and piled up in a ravine, dead as dead could be. High fives all around and lots of smiles. We took a few pictures and started quartering the buck for the extremely steep 800 yard hike back to the top of the hill.
He is not my biggest buck but definitely one of the most memorable hunts I have ever been on. My first shot was a perfect double lung shot and the second was a great heart and lung shot. These deer are certainly tough buggers!
For those that care, he is 23 1/2" wide and one of the largest bodied deer I have ever seen!


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## BigT (Mar 11, 2011)

Nice job!


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## bowhunt3r4l1f3 (Jan 12, 2011)

Congrats!!


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## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

Congrats! That's a really nice buck!


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## Karl (Aug 14, 2016)

lucky duck said:


> I did not draw my first choice, or second, or third but fourth choice this year for deer. We had limited time to scout but made a few trips and saw a few deer. Opening day found us leaving camp at sunrise on foot and walking the edges of the timber looking for a buck. We only saw one two point, he was at least a 3 year old buck and probably 22" wide, but I just couldn't bring myself to shoot a two point on opening morning.
> The next morning found us looking into a deep dark canyon surrounded by hunters on all sides but no one was going in the canyon. It seemed as though they were just going to sit on the top and hope for a deer that had lost the will to live to jump in front of them.
> We took a look around and decided to head into the canyon. We started off the side and down the 45* slope, we only made it ten minutes down the hill when I spotted two deer feeding about 130 yards away, I pulled up my binoculars and saw that they were both bucks and one was a nice 4x4. I put down my binoculars and readied my shooting sticks for the shot. I put the cross hairs dead on the crease of his shoulder and touched off the charge.
> 
> ...


NICE 4x4 muley.


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## deljoshua (Jul 29, 2013)

Good lookin buck!


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## lucky duck (Dec 17, 2008)

He is a good buck and very symmetrical. I'm going to have him European mounted and I may use the cape for a buck that I shot in 2011 who's cape was ruined when he fell down a steep hill after being shot.


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## willfish4food (Jul 14, 2009)

Great buck and cool story to be hunting with your dad and brother!


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## TheHunted (Feb 22, 2016)

Congrats on a very nice buck.


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## bekins24 (Sep 22, 2015)

Really awesome looking buck. congrats!


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## pollo70 (Aug 15, 2016)

Congrats nice Buck


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## AJ13 (Apr 28, 2015)

Great Story and nice buck.


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## lucky duck (Dec 17, 2008)

Thank you everyone


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## stillhunterman (Feb 15, 2009)

Pretty buck, congrats!


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## silentstalker (Feb 19, 2008)

Very cool story and pretty nice buck!


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